Copy the cube root symbol. Instantly.
One click to copy ∛ — no keyboard shortcut required, since neither Windows nor Mac has one built in — plus a cube root equation writer that actually pastes correctly.
Tap or click the symbol to copy
No dedicated key — here's the closest thing
√ has Alt + 251 on Windows and Option + V on Mac. ∛ has neither — it was never assigned a legacy Alt-code or a system keyboard shortcut. Here's what actually works on each platform.
Windows (Word trick)
Your OSNo numeric-keypad Alt-code exists for ∛. In Word or Outlook, type 221B then press Alt + X immediately after — it converts the code into ∛.
Mac (Character Viewer)
Your OSNo Option-key combo exists for ∛. Open the Character Viewer, search “cube root,” and double-click the result.
iPhone & Android
Your OSSame as square root: no native shortcut on phones. Copy ∛ above, or set up a text replacement.
See the full typing guide, including Word, Excel, and Google Docs →
Write a cube root expression
Type what belongs under the root — a number, a variable, or a small expression — and get a full ∛(…) equation you can actually paste, not just a bare symbol.
Every format, one click each
HTML, LaTeX, and the Word Unicode trick — copy exactly what you need.
Symbol
∛
HTML numeric entity
∛
LaTeX
\sqrt[3]{x}
Word Unicode trick
221B, Alt+X
Built to be better than a reference table
A real equation writer
Most symbol sites only give you ∛ by itself. We generate a full expression like ∛(27), with what's under the root right there — the actual point of a cube root.
Honest about the shortcuts
We won't invent a fake Alt-code for ∛. Where no shortcut exists, we say so and show you the method that actually works instead.
No clutter
A static page that loads instantly and gets out of your way.
Code and spreadsheet gotchas included
Cube root behaves differently from square root for negative numbers in most languages — we cover exactly where that trips people up.
What is the cube root symbol?
The cube root symbol — ∛ — is the mathematical sign used to show that a number, when multiplied by itself three times, produces the value underneath it. It's cataloged in Unicode as U+221B, the character right after the square root symbol (U+221A) in the same "radical" block — which is why it shows up as plain, selectable text rather than an image on this page. Writing ∛27 is shorthand for "the cube root of 27," which equals 3, since 3 × 3 × 3 = 27. Because it's a real character and not a font trick, ∛ can be typed, copied, resized, and pasted just like any letter.
Cube root symbol copy and paste
The fastest way to use the cube root symbol is to skip typing it altogether — tap the ∛ button at the top of this page and it's on your clipboard, ready to paste into an email, a spreadsheet cell, a chat message, or a homework document. Because the symbol is stored as plain text rather than an image, it keeps its size and color, matches your font automatically, and never turns into a broken image link. If you need the exact format a specific app expects — HTML or LaTeX — the copy formats pagehas every version, each one click away.
Cube root symbol on keyboard: Windows, Mac, and phone
Here's the part most guides gloss over: there is no dedicated keyboard shortcut for ∛ on Windows or Mac. The square root symbol's Alt + 251 comes from a legacy code page that never included ∛, and Option + V is a Mac-specific mapping that simply doesn't extend to the cube root symbol. What does work: in Word or Outlook, type 221B and immediately press Alt + X to convert the code into ∛ — the same Unicode-to-character trick that works for any code point, including square root's 221A. On a Mac, open the Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space and search "cube root." On a phone, there's no built-in shortcut either way, so copy ∛ once and paste it anywhere, or set up a text replacement. For the full walkthrough on every device, see thehow-to-type page.
Cube root symbol in Word, Excel, and on a Mac
For the cube root symbol in Word, typing 221B and immediately pressing Alt + X converts the code straight into ∛. In Excel or Google Sheets, neither has a built-in CBRT function — pasting ∛ into a cell only displays it, and a plain =A1^(1/3) formula returns an error for negative numbers. The reliable formula is =SIGN(A1)*ABS(A1)^(1/3), which handles negative inputs correctly by computing the cube root of the absolute value and reapplying the sign afterward.
Cube root symbol text vs. a full equation
A bare ∛ is fine for most cases, but it doesn't show what's under the root. Plain symbol text falls short of an actual equation — ∛27 on its own doesn't make clear the 27 is what's being rooted, not just sitting next to the symbol. Our equation writersolves this: type what belongs under the root and it generates a copyable expression like ∛(27), plain text that pastes correctly into Google Docs, Word, iMessage, and every other app. For quick, one-off uses, the plain symbol above is all you need — for anything you're showing to someone else, the equation writer is worth the extra step.
Frequently asked questions
How to type the cube root symbol?
Unlike √, there's no dedicated key for ∛ on Windows or Mac. In Word or Outlook, type 221B then immediately press Alt + X — it converts the Unicode code point into ∛. On any other app, or on a phone, copy ∛ from this page and paste it, or set up a text replacement so typing something like "cbrt" expands into it. See the how-to-type guide for the full walkthrough.
What is the cube root symbol?
The cube root symbol (∛) is the mathematical sign for a number's cube root — the value that, multiplied by itself three times, produces the number underneath it. It's stored as Unicode character U+221B, part of the same radical family as √, so it copies, pastes, and resizes as normal text rather than an image.
What does the cube root symbol look like?
It's the same check-mark-with-a-tail shape as the square root symbol, but with a small "3" tucked into the notch of the check mark — that's the index, showing it's a third root rather than a second. In ∛27, the bar (the vinculum) extends over the 27 to show it's what's being rooted.
How to insert the cube root symbol in Word?
Type 221B, then immediately press Alt + X — Word converts the Unicode code point into ∛. This is the same trick that works for the square root symbol (221A) and any other Unicode character, not something special to cube root.
How to do the cube root symbol on Mac?
There's no built-in Option-key shortcut for ∛, unlike Option + V for √. Open the Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space, search "cube root," and double-click the result — or just copy ∛ from this page and paste it.
How to get the cube root symbol?
The quickest way is to copy it: tap the ∛ button at the top of this page and paste it wherever you need it. If you're in Word or Outlook, type 221B and press Alt + X instead — there's no numeric keypad Alt-code for ∛ the way there is for √.
Does Excel or Google Sheets have a cube root function?
No — neither has a built-in CBRT function. The usual workaround is =SIGN(A1)*ABS(A1)^(1/3), which computes the cube root correctly for negative numbers too; a plain =A1^(1/3) returns an error for negative inputs because raising a negative number to a fractional power isn't defined in either app's formula engine.
What is the ∛?
∛ is the cube root symbol — a mathematical operator meaning "the cube root of." Written before a number, like ∛27, it asks what value multiplied by itself three times equals that number (in this case, 3, since 3 × 3 × 3 = 27).