What is the Alt code for the backslash?

On Windows, hold Alt and type 92 on the numeric keypad (Alt+92), or use Alt+0092 for the same result.

Why do Windows paths use backslash instead of forward slash?

MS-DOS adopted backslash as the path separator in the early 1980s because forward slash was already used for command-line switches. Modern Windows APIs still accept forward slashes in most contexts, but backslash remains the display default.

What does a backslash mean in a string like "\n"?

It starts an escape sequence. The backslash tells the parser that the next character has a special meaning rather than being literal text, so \n becomes a newline and \t becomes a tab instead of the two-character sequence.

How do I write a literal backslash in a string?

Escape it with a second backslash: \\. Most languages (JavaScript, Python, JSON, C) require doubling a backslash to represent one literal backslash character.

How do I type backslash on a UK or German keyboard?

On a UK keyboard, backslash is on the key just left of Z (no Shift needed on some layouts, or use the key near Enter). On a German QWERTZ keyboard, press AltGr + ß (the key next to 0).

What is the HTML entity for the backslash?

A raw backslash never needs escaping in HTML text, but the numeric entity \ works anywhere a literal backslash gets filtered or misread.

What is the Unicode code point for the backslash?

The backslash is U+005C, also called REVERSE SOLIDUS. It sits in the same ASCII range as the standard forward slash, punctuation, and digits.

Does backslash mean anything special in regular expressions?

Yes. In regex, backslash introduces character classes like \d (digit) and \w (word character), and it escapes metacharacters like a literal dot (\.) or a literal backslash itself (\\).

Backslash Symbol

Name: Backslash Symbol
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Copy the backslash (\) and find its Unicode value, Alt code, and how it works as an escape character in code and Windows paths.

Backslash Symbol

Click the symbol to copy it

Formats

Character \

Unicode U+005C

HTML entity (decimal) \

Escaped (string literal) \\

CSS escape \5c

URL encoded %5C

Click any row to copy that exact string.

Keyboard Shortcuts

System / layout	Shortcut	Notes
Windows (Alt code)		Hold Alt, type 92 on the numeric keypad.
Windows (Unicode)		Same result using the 4-digit code.
US keyboard (Win/Mac)		Its own key, just left of Enter on a US layout.
UK keyboard		Separate key left of Z, smaller than the US Enter-side key.
German / Spanish keyboard		QWERTZ layouts place backslash on the ß key with AltGr.
French AZERTY keyboard		The 8 key doubles as backslash with AltGr.
Linux (GTK)		Type the hex code, then press Enter or Space.
Microsoft Word		Type 005C then press Alt+X to convert it.

Try it: escape a string

Paste a raw string (like a Windows path) and see the escaped version used in code, JSON, and regex.

Copied!

Summary

Copy the backslash (\) and find its Unicode value, Alt code, and how it works as an escape character in code and Windows paths.

How it works

Click the large backslash to copy the plain character to your clipboard.
Or click any row in the Formats list to copy that exact encoded form (Unicode, HTML entity, escape sequence).
Check the keyboard shortcut table for your OS and keyboard layout to find the physical key.
Use the "Try it" box to see how a raw string escapes when it contains a backslash.

Use cases

Copy a Windows file path separator without an editor turning it into an emphasis marker.
Insert the escape character for a newline (\n), tab (\t), or literal backslash (\\) in code.
Type backslash on a keyboard layout where it is not next to Enter, such as UK or German.
Escape a backslash inside a regular expression so it matches a literal character.
Insert the HTML entity when a raw backslash gets mangled by a text filter.
Look up the Alt code for pasting into legacy software that blocks copy-paste.
Check whether a path string needs its backslashes doubled before use in JSON or a shell command.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-22 · Reviewed by Nham Vu