The bullet point symbol helps you create an organized and concise list of objects or words. You can use this symbol on a text document, slideshow presentation, graphic design, and social media post. 

This article teaches how to type a bullet point on your desktop, laptop, or smartphone. 

At a Glance: Bullet Point Symbol Copy-and-Paste Shortcut

Are you in a rush to type a bullet point in your document? No problem, we’ve got you covered.

Copy the bullet point symbol below. Afterward, paste it (by pressing “Ctrl + V”) into the document.

That’s it! You now have a bullet point in your document. If you want to discover how to type the bullet point symbol manually, continue reading this article for our detailed guide. 

What Are Bullet Points?

The bullet point¹ is a typographical symbol used to indicate elements that belong to a list. This symbol appears in different forms, such as hollow circle (○), diamond (❖), or square (■). However, the most commonly used is the solid black circle (•).

This symbol is usually used for unordered lists or those in which the order of the items does not matter. For example, we can use the bullet point for the list of school supplies.

You can also use bullet points when writing a list of steps to give instructions. For example, we can use bullet points to write instructions on how to turn on a personal computer.

Moreover, bullet points can also be used to enumerate specific details from a certain text. For instance, if you want to summarize the events from a short story, you can use bullet points.

Note that if you plan to create a list of items ranked in a particular order, it is advised to use a numbered list instead of a bulleted list.

Part I: How To Type a Bullet Point Symbol on a Desktop or Laptop Keyboard

In this section, we will teach you how to type the bullet point symbol whether you are using a Windows or Mac device. 

1. How To Type a Bullet Point Using a Windows 10 Keyboard (Bullet Alt Code for Notepad and Wordpad)

If your laptop or desktop is installed with a Windows 10 Operating System, you can follow these steps to type a bullet point for text-based applications such as Notepad and Wordpad:

1. Position your cursor where you want to insert the bullet point 
2. Hold the “Alt” key 
3. While holding the “Alt” key, press the following numbers consecutively on the number pad: 0, 1, 4, and 9. Note that this method will not work if you type the numbers using the number keys located at the upper part of your keyboard. 

In short, to type a bullet point on a Windows 10 keyboard, use the shortcut “Alt + 0149”.

2. How To Type a Bullet Point Using Character Map in Windows 10

If your Windows 10 keyboard lacks a number pad, you may use your computer’s Character Map to type a bullet point symbol. Character Map is a Windows 10 special feature that allows users to insert any typographical symbol.

Here are the steps to type a bullet point symbol using the Character Map:

1. In your Windows search bar, type “Character Map.”
2. Tick the checkbox for “Advanced View.”
3. Type “bullet” in the “Search for” field. Afterward, hit the search button.
4. Select the bullet point symbol (•) to highlight it.
5. Press Select, then Copy
6. Paste the bullet point symbol in your document using the “Ctrl + V” command.

3. How To Type a Bullet Point in Microsoft Word

Method 1: Create a Bulleted List in Microsoft Word

If you already have a text in Microsoft Word and you want to transform it into a bulleted list, you have to follow these steps:

1. Highlight the text you want to transform as a bulleted list
2. On the Paragraph section of the Home menu, click the Bullets button. The beginning of each line of your highlighted text should be bulleted after performing this method.

Method 2: Manually Add Bullets in Microsoft Word

If you wish to insert a bullet point manually in your document, follow the steps below:

1. Position your cursor where you want to insert the bullet point 
2. Click the “Insert” tab on MS Word’s main menu
3. Select “Symbol” then “More Symbols” in the drop-down menu
4. Select “General Punctuation” under the Subset field. Look for the bullet point symbol (•) and then press select

4. How To Type a Bullet Point in Microsoft Excel

Unlike in Microsoft Word, you cannot automatically create a bulleted list in Excel. But don’t worry; you can still manually add bullet points in Excel using the steps below.

1. Select the cell in which you want to insert the bullet point
2. Hold the “Alt” key and press the following numbers consecutively on the number pad: 0, 1, 4, and 9

5. How To Type a Bullet Point in Microsoft Powerpoint

Method 1: Create a Bulleted List in Microsoft Powerpoint

If you already have a text that you want to transform as a bulleted list in your presentation, follow the steps below:

1. Highlight the text you want to transform as a bulleted list
2. On the Paragraph Section of the Home menu, click the Bullets button

Method 2: Manually Add Bullets in Microsoft Powerpoint

To add a bullet point manually in your presentation, follow the steps below:

1. Position your cursor where you want to insert the bullet point 
2. Click the “Insert” tab on MS Powerpoint’s main menu
3. Select “Symbol” then “More Symbols” in the drop-down menu
4. Select “General Punctuation” under the Subset field. Look for the bullet point symbol (•) and then press select

6. How To Type a Bullet Point in Google Docs

Method 1: Using an Asterisk

This is the fastest method to add a bullet point in Google Docs. However, this works only if you want to start a line with a bullet point. 

1. Hold “Shift,” then press “8” to make an asterisk
2. Hit the “Space” button to type a bullet point automatically.

If this method cannot type a bullet point, you have to adjust your Google Docs preferences. To do this, click “Tools” in the menu, select “Preferences,” and then check “Automatically Detect Lists.” 

Method 2: Creating a Bulleted List in Google Docs

If you already have a text in your document that you want to automatically transform into a bulleted list, follow the steps below.

1. Highlight the text you want to transform as a bulleted list
2. Select the “Bulleted list” list in the menu. You may also type the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + 8 to transform the highlighted text into a bulleted list.

7. How To Type a Bullet Point in Adobe Photoshop

Here are the steps to type a bullet point in Adobe Photoshop:

1. In the toolbar, select “Type Tool.” You may also automatically select the Type tool in Adobe Photoshop by pressing “T” on the keyboard.
2. Left-click your mouse to the portion where you want to insert the bullet point.
3. If you use a Windows keyboard: Hold the “Alt” key, then press the following numbers consecutively on your keyboard’s number pad: 0, 1, 4, and 9.

If you use a Mac keyboard: Hold the “Option” key, then press “8.”

After performing the steps above, expect a bullet point to appear in the text box. Note that the above method also works if you want to type a bullet point in Adobe Illustrator and InDesign.

8. How To Type a Bullet Point Using a Mac Keyboard

These are the steps to type a bullet point on a Mac keyboard:

1. Position your cursor where you want to insert the bullet point 
2. Hold the “Option” key 
3. While holding the “Option” key, press “8.” 

Part II: How To Type a Bullet Point Using a Mobile Phone

In this section, you’ll learn how to type a bullet point using an Android or an iPhone device.

1. How To Type a Bullet Point in Android

Typically, the keyboard of Android devices includes the bullet point symbol. If you want to type the bullet point symbol for your SMS, notes, or any other applications, follow these steps:

1. Tap the ?123 buttons on your Android keyboard. This button enables you to type numbers and other symbols
2. Press the =/< and look for the bullet point symbol
3. Tap the bullet point symbol to insert it

2. How To Type a Bullet Point on iPhone

The steps² below will work if you’re using the US/UK version of the iPhone keyboard.

1. Press the 123 buttons. This will display the numbers and symbols on the screen. Tap and hold the button for the hyphen (-). A set of additional symbols will appear while you’re holding this button.
2. Look for the bullet point symbol and tap it.

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1. What Are Bullet Points ( • ) And How Do You Use Them?. (2022). Retrieved 4 July 2022, from https://www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/bullet-point/
2. Patterson, B. (2015). 9 typing tips every iPhone and iPad user should know. Retrieved 4 July 2022, from https://www.macworld.com/article/224923/9-typing-tips-every-iphone-and-ipad-user-should-know.html