How to insert the Double Vertical Bar ‖ into Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook. Both in Office for Windows and Office for Mac.
Double Vertical Bar ‖ symbol is used to represent norms in mathematics, (for example ). It can also be used to signify parallel lines. It can be used as a visual divider in Word designs.
How Double Vertical Bar ‖ looks in different fonts.
Here’s some examples of how Double Vertical Bar ‖ looks in common Office fonts.
Double Vertical Bar ‖ codes
These are the important code numbers or values you’ll need to enter the Double Vertical Bar or ‖
Decimal: 8214 Hex: 2016
Web: or ‖ or ‖
(web codes aren’t used in Microsoft Office, we’ve included them for the sake of completeness.)
Word and Outlook
The Double Vertical Bar ‖ sign does NOT have an inbuilt shortcut in Word.
Use the standard Word Alt + X symbol shortcut 2016 then Alt + X
Once in a document you can copy it to AutoCorrect and make your own shortcut.
Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
Insert | Symbols | Symbol and look for the Double Vertical Bar symbol.
Windows
In Windows there are several shortcuts to enter the Double Vertical Bar ‖ character into any program, but they use a numeric keypad, not the number row above the letters.
Alt + 8214
Emoji Panel
Double Vertical Bar is in the Emoji Panel under Symbols | General Punctuation the scroll down more than half-way.
See Emoji Panel is part of Windows 10 that totally sucks
Windows Character Map
The Windows Character Map accessory in all Windows releases
Character Map has a search feature, something missing from the Insert | Symbol in Office.
MacOS and Office for Mac inserting characters
On a Mac, to enter the Double Vertical Bar ‖ symbol:
- Command + Control + Spacebar shortcut to open the Character Viewer.
- Search for “ Double Vertical Bar “ and the Viewer should find the symbol you need.
Despite the name Character Viewer, the Apple system tool will also insert characters into any program, including Office for Mac.
Broken Vertical Bar ¦ symbol in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
Five ways to add vertical lines in Word
Four more vertical formatting tricks in Word
Selecting a vertical column of text
