What is the ellipsis symbol used for?

The ellipsis (…) marks an omission in quoted text, a trailing thought, or a pause in dialogue. It is one character instead of three separate periods.

Should I type three periods or use the ellipsis character?

Three periods (...) work fine in casual writing and most word processors auto-convert them. The single Unicode ellipsis (…) is preferred in typeset or web text because it keeps consistent spacing between the dots and cannot be broken across a line at the wrong point.

How do I type an ellipsis on Windows?

Hold Alt and type 0133 on the numeric keypad (Alt+0133). In Word, typing three periods in a row also autocorrects to the ellipsis character.

How do I type an ellipsis on a Mac?

Press Option+Semicolon (Option+;). This works in most macOS apps, including Pages, Safari, and Mail.

What is the HTML entity for the ellipsis?

Use … or the numeric entity … in HTML. Both render as ….

What is the Unicode code point for the ellipsis?

The horizontal ellipsis is U+2026 in the Unicode standard.

Is the ellipsis character the same as three periods visually?

They look similar but are not identical. Three typed periods use the default letter spacing of the font, while the single ellipsis character has fixed, typically tighter spacing between the dots and never splits across a line break.

Ellipsis Symbol

Name: Ellipsis Symbol
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Copy the ellipsis character (…) and find the exact keyboard shortcut, code point, or HTML entity for your operating system.

Ellipsis

Click the symbol to copy it

Formats

Character …

Unicode U+2026

HTML entity …

HTML decimal …

CSS escape \2026

JS / JSON escape …

Click any row to copy that exact string.

Keyboard Shortcuts

System	Shortcut	Notes
Windows		Hold Alt, type 0133 on the numeric keypad.
Mac		Works in most macOS apps.
Linux (GTK)		Type the hex code, then press Enter or Space.
Microsoft Word		Type 2026 then press Alt+X to convert it.
Word autocorrect		Three periods in a row autocorrect to the ellipsis character.

Ellipsis Character vs Three Periods

Both convey the same pause or omission, but they behave differently once typeset.

Form	Code point	Spacing	Best use
...	U+002E ×3	Font default, can widen or break across lines	Casual writing, chat, and places that auto-convert to the true ellipsis.
…	U+2026	Fixed, never splits across a line	Typeset text, web copy, and any place a style guide requires the true character.

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Summary

Copy the ellipsis character (…) and find the exact keyboard shortcut, code point, or HTML entity for your operating system.

How it works

Click the large ellipsis to copy it to your clipboard.
Or click any format in the list (Unicode, HTML entity, CSS escape) to copy that exact string.
Use the shortcut table to type the symbol directly from your keyboard on Windows, Mac, or Linux.
Check the comparison table to decide between the single character and three periods.
Paste the symbol anywhere: documents, spreadsheets, code, or chat.

Use cases

Show trailing or unfinished thought at the end of a sentence.
Mark an omitted word or passage inside a quotation.
Indicate a pause or hesitation in dialogue.
Keep a single character instead of three separate periods for cleaner text spacing.
Insert a properly encoded ellipsis into code, CSS content, or JSON without breaking encoding.
Match a style guide that requires the true Unicode ellipsis over typed dots.

Frequently Asked Questions

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