Insert Pi Symbol (π) in Excel

The Pi symbol (π) represents a mathematical constant that is used when calculating the area circumference of a circle.

I’m sure you must have seen and worked with the Pi symbol in your geometry and math classes, and it also has a lot of practical applications in the real world.

In this article, I will show you how to insert the Pi symbol (π) in Excel using a couple of different methods.

Type the Pi Symbol Using a Keyboard Shortcut

The fastest way to type the Pi symbol in Excel is by using the below keyboard shortcut:

ALT + 277

To use this shortcut, hold the ALT key and then type the number 277 (while continuing to hold the ALT key).

This would insert the PI symbol character in the cell that was selected.

Note: The Pi symbol is inserted as a text character in the cell, just like another alphabet

In case you already have some text in a cell, and you want to insert the Pi symbol at the beginning or the end of the text, first get into the edit mode by clicking F2 (or double-clicking on the cell), then place the cursor where you want the Pi symbol and then use the above keyboard shortcut

In case you’re using a Mac, you can use the below shortcut to type the Pi symbol:

Option + P

Also read: How to Insert Check Mark (Tick ✓) Symbol in Excel

Insert Pi using the Symbol’s Option

Excel has an inbuilt symbols dialog box that can be used to insert the Pi symbol in a cell in Excel.

Below are the steps to do this:

1. Select the cell in which you want to insert the Pi symbol.
2. Click the Insert tab in the ribbon.

3. In the Symbols group, click on the Symbol option. This will open the symbol dialog box.

4. Scroll down in the symbols list and locate and select the Pi symbol.

5. Click on Insert.

The above steps would insert the Pi symbol in the cell we selected in step 1.

If there is some text already in the cell that you have selected, the Pi symbol will be inserted at the end of the text.

Also read: Type/Insert Degree Symbol in Excel

Using the UNICHAR Function with Pi Unicode

You can also use the UNICHAR formula in Excel to get the Pi symbol by specifying its Unicode.

Pi has the Unicode number 960, and you can use the below formula to get the pi symbol in a cell.

=UNICHAR(960)

Note that the Pi character you get from the above formula is not a text string, rather it’s the result of the formula. If you want to add any text or number before or after the Pi character, you will have to do this using a formula.

Alternatively, you can convert the formula into value, after which you can treat the Pi symbol as a text character.

This method can be useful when you want to add the Pi symbol at the beginning/end of multiple cells in one go. In that case, you can use the reference of the cell and append the UNICAHR formula.

Below is an example where I had numbers in column A, and I wanted to add the Pi symbol at the end of each number, so I used the formula in cell B2 and copied it for all the cells in the column.

=A2&" "&UNICHAR(960)

Also read: Insert Cent Symbol in Excel

Using the Autocorrect Trick

If you need to often type the Pi symbol in Excel manually, you can use the auto-correct trick to create a code that would automatically convert into the Pi symbol whenever it’s entered in any cell in Excel.

For example, let me show you how to create a code (say pisym), such that whenever I type this text in any cell in Excel, it would automatically be converted into the Pi symbol.

Here is how to do this:

1. Click the File tab in the ribbon.

2. In the backstage area that opens, click on Options. This will open the Excel Options dialog box.

3. Select the Proofing option in the left pane.

4. Click on the AutoCorrect Options button. This will open the AutoCorrect dialog box.

5. In the Replace field, enter the code that you want to be converted to the Pi symbol every time it’s written. In this case, I will enter pisym
6. In the With field, enter the Pi symbol (you can copy the symbol from here – π)

7. Click Ok

Now, whenever you enter the code pisym and press the space character or hit the Enter key, Excel would automatically auto-corrects it to the Pi symbol.

Note that this is case sensitive, so pisym is not the same as Pisym or PISYM

While the auto-correct feature is meant to help people correct some common mistakes, we have hacked this feature to create our own code that we can quickly use to get the Pi symbol in a cell in Excel.

Here are a couple of important things you should know about this method:

• Choose a code that is unlikely to be used in your regular work. In case you no longer need this, it is a good idea to go back to the Auto-correct dialog box and delete it.
• This method will work in Excel as well as other office applications such as Microsoft Word or Microsoft PowerPoint, as well.

Also read: Insert the Delta Symbol (Δ) in Excel

Copy-Paste Pi Symbol into Excel

And finally, you can use the age-old copy-paste trick where you find a place where you already have a Pi symbol, copy it, then go to the cell where you want to get it and paste it there.

For example, below is the Pi symbol you can copy and then paste into your cell in Excel

π

Once you have one pi symbol in Excel, you can also copy and paste it from there.

So, these are five methods you can use to insert the Pi symbol in Excel.

Personally, I’m a fan of the keyboard shortcut method, and I find it to be the easiest. But if you don’t want to remember a new shortcut, it’s quite straightforward to get it using the Symbol dialog box.

Other Excel articles you may also like:

• Insert Symbols in Excel
• Show Symbols in Drop Down Lists in Excel
• How to Write Scientific Notation in Excel?
• How to Calculate Square Root in Excel?
• Insert Diameter Symbol (Dia) in Excel
• Insert Sigma Symbol in Excel
• Insert Omega Symbol in Excel