MS Excel: UNICHAR function to return unicode character

May 3
2 min read

The UNICHAR function in Excel returns the Unicode character referenced by a given numeric code point. It is the modern equivalent of the CHAR function, but unlike CHAR, which is limited to ANSI (ASCII) characters (0–255), UNICHAR supports the full range of Unicode characters, including:

Currency symbols
Foreign alphabets
Emojis
Mathematical symbols
Special typographic marks

Spreadsheet interface with a "Function Arguments" dialog box open, showing the "UNICAR" function in a white window. Background grid is visible.

UNICHAR enables you to insert special characters dynamically based on their code, which is especially useful in dashboards, multilingual reports, or data visualization enhancements.

Syntax

=UNICHAR(number)

Parameter:

Argument	Description
number	Required. A Unicode code point (decimal integer)

Returns: The corresponding Unicode character from the code point.

Examples

Formula	Result	Description
=UNICHAR(36)	$	Dollar symbol
=UNICHAR(9731)	☃	Snowman
=UNICHAR(128512)	😀	Smiling emoji
=UNICHAR(169)	©	Copyright symbol
=UNICHAR(8451)	℃	Celsius symbol
=UNICHAR(10004)	✔	Check mark

Use Cases

Use Case	Example or Benefit
Insert symbols dynamically	Use Unicode numbers to control formatting
Create icon-based dashboards	Add emoji or visual cues based on values
International language support	Display characters from foreign scripts
Data labels or custom KPIs	Insert visual markers (✔, ✘, ➕, ➖)

Sample Table

Status	Symbol Code	Formula	Result
Approved	10004	=UNICHAR(B2)	✔
Rejected	10060	=UNICHAR(B3)	❌
Pending	9203	=UNICHAR(B4)	⏳

This makes it easy to link status updates with visual indicators.

Notes

UNICHAR supports code points from 1 to 1,114,111, as defined by the Unicode standard.
Invalid code points will result in a #VALUE! error.
Your font must support the character; some symbols may appear as blank squares if not supported by the selected font (e.g., Calibri, Arial Unicode MS).

Related Functions

Function	Description
UNICODE	Returns the numeric code of the first character in a text string
CHAR	Returns a character based on ASCII code (0–255)
CODE	Returns ASCII code for the first character
TEXT	Converts numeric values to formatted text

Summary

Feature	Description
Function Name	UNICHAR
Purpose	Return character from Unicode number
Range Supported	1 to 1,114,111 (full Unicode)
Key Use Cases	Symbols, emojis, multilingual support
Excel Version	Excel 2013 and later

Final Thoughts

UNICHAR is an excellent function for improving user experience, especially when you're designing dashboards, interactive reports, or working with global languages. Combine it with conditional formatting or formulas like IF and SWITCH to make your spreadsheets more visual and intuitive.