HTML Character Sets

To display an HTML page correctly, a browser must know which character set to use.

<meta charset="UTF-8">

All modern computer languages use the default UTF-8 character set. Encoding for the early web was ASCII, which used 7 bits per character and could represent only 128 different characters (English letters). Windows-1252 was the first character set in the Windows system. It was a copy of ASCII but used 8 bits to represent 256 different characters and is supported by all browsers. ISO-8859-1 is an extension of ASCII with additional international characters. The HTML5 specification encourages web developers to use the UTF-8 character set.

<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta charset="ISO-8859-1">

The Unicode Consortium developed the UTF-8 and UTF-16 standards because the ISO-8859 character sets are limited and not compatible with a multilingual environment. The Unicode standard covers almost all characters, punctuation, and symbols in the world. All HTML5 and XML processors support UTF-8, UTF-16, Windows-1252, and ISO-8859. For a more detailed overview, let's look at the full character set table:

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DEC	ASCII	ANSI	ISO-8859-1	UTF-8	Char	Description
32						SPACE CHARACTER
33	!	!	!	!	!	EXCLAMATION MARK
34	"	"	"	"	"	QUOTATION MARK
35	#	#	#	#	#	NUMBER SIGN (HASHTAG)
36	$	$	$	$	$	DOLLAR SIGN
37	%	%	%	%	%	PERCENT SIGN
38	&	&	&	&	&	AMPERSAND
39	'	'	'	'	'	APOSTROPHE
40	(	(	(	(	(	LEFT PARENTHESIS
41	)	)	)	)	)	RIGHT PARENTHESIS
42	*	*	*	*	*	ASTERISK
43	+	+	+	+	+	PLUS SIGN
44	,	,	,	,	,	COMMA
45	-	-	-	-	-	HYPHEN-MINUS
46	.	.	.	.	.	FULL STOP (PERIOD)
47	/	/	/	/	/	SOLIDUS (SLASH)
48	0	0	0	0	0	DIGIT ZERO
49	1	1	1	1	1	DIGIT ONE
50	2	2	2	2	2	DIGIT TWO
51	3	3	3	3	3	DIGIT THREE
52	4	4	4	4	4	DIGIT FOUR
53	5	5	5	5	5	DIGIT FIVE
54	6	6	6	6	6	DIGIT SIX
55	7	7	7	7	7	DIGIT SEVEN
56	8	8	8	8	8	DIGIT EIGHT
57	9	9	9	9	9	DIGIT NINE
58	:	:	:	:	:	COLON
59	;	;	;	;	;	SEMICOLON
60	<	<	<	<	<	LESS-THAN SIGN
61	=	=	=	=	=	EQUALS SIGN
62	>	>	>	>	>	GREATER-THAN SIGN
63	?	?	?	?	?	QUESTION MARK
64	@	@	@	@	@	COMMERCIAL AT (AT SIGN)
65	A	A	A	A	A	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A
66	B	B	B	B	B	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER B
67	C	C	C	C	C	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER C
68	D	D	D	D	D	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER D
69	E	E	E	E	E	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER E
70	F	F	F	F	F	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER F
71	G	G	G	G	G	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER G
72	H	H	H	H	H	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER H
73	I	I	I	I	I	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER I
74	J	J	J	J	J	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER J
75	K	K	K	K	K	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER K
76	L	L	L	L	L	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER L
77	M	M	M	M	M	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER M
78	N	N	N	N	N	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER N
79	O	O	O	O	O	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER O
80	P	P	P	P	P	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER P
81	Q	Q	Q	Q	Q	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER Q
82	R	R	R	R	R	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER R
83	S	S	S	S	S	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER S
84	T	T	T	T	T	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER T
85	U	U	U	U	U	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER U
86	V	V	V	V	V	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER V
87	W	W	W	W	W	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER W
88	X	X	X	X	X	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER X
89	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER Y
90	Z	Z	Z	Z	Z	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER Z
91	[	[	[	[	[	LEFT SQUARE BRACKET
92	\	\	\	\	\	REVERSE SOLIDUS (BACKSLASH)
93	]	]	]	]	]	RIGHT SQUARE BRACKET
94	^	^	^	^	^	CIRCUMFLEX ACCENT
95	_	_	_	_	_	LOW LINE (UNDERSCORE)
96	`	`	`	`	`	GRAVE ACCENT
97	a	a	a	a	a	LATIN SMALL LETTER a
98	b	b	b	b	b	LATIN SMALL LETTER b
99;	c	c	c	c	c	LATIN SMALL LETTER c
100	d	d	d	d	d	LATIN SMALL LETTER d
101	e	e	e	e	e	LATIN SMALL LETTER e
102	f	f	f	f	f	LATIN SMALL LETTER f
103	g	g	g	g	g	LATIN SMALL LETTER g
104	h	h	h	h	h	LATIN SMALL LETTER h
105	i	i	i	i	i	LATIN SMALL LETTER i
106	j	j	j	j	j	LATIN SMALL LETTER j
107	k	k	k	k	k	LATIN SMALL LETTER k
108	l	l	l	l	l	LATIN SMALL LETTER l
109	m	m	m	m	m	LATIN SMALL LETTER m
110	n	n	n	n	n	LATIN SMALL LETTER n
111	o	o	o	o	o	LATIN SMALL LETTER o
112	p	p	p	p	p	LATIN SMALL LETTER p
113	q	q	q	q	q	LATIN SMALL LETTER q
114	r	r	r	r	r	LATIN SMALL LETTER r
115	s	s	s	s	s	LATIN SMALL LETTER s
116	t	t	t	t	t	LATIN SMALL LETTER t
117	u	u	u	u	u	LATIN SMALL LETTER u
118	v	v	v	v	v	LATIN SMALL LETTER v
119	w	w	w	w	w	LATIN SMALL LETTER w
120	x	x	x	x	x	LATIN SMALL LETTER x
121	y	y	y	y	y	LATIN SMALL LETTER y
122	z	z	z	z	z	LATIN SMALL LETTER z
123	{	{	{	{	{	LEFT CURLY BRACKET
124	\|	\|	\|	\|	\|	VERTICAL LINE (PIPE)
125	}	}	}	}	}	RIGHT CURLY BRACKET
126	~	~	~	~	~	TILDE
127	DEL					DELETE
128					€	EURO SIGN
129						NOT APPLICABLE
130					‚	SINGLE LOW-9 QUOTATION MARK
131					ƒ	LATIN SMALL LETTER f WITH HOOK
132					„	DOUBLE LOW-9 QUOTATION MARK
133					…	HORIZONTAL ELLIPSIS
134					†	DAGGER
135					‡	DOUBLE DAGGER
136					ˆ	MODIFIER LETTER CIRCUMFLEX ACCENT
137					‰	PER MILLE SIGN
138					Š	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER S WITH CARON (ROGLJIČEK)
139					‹	SINGLE LEFT-POINTING ANGLE QUOTATION MARK
140					Œ	LATIN CAPITAL LIGATURE OE
141						NOT USED
142					Ž	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER Z WITH CARON (ROGLJIČEK)
143						NOT USED
144						NOT USED
145					‘	LEFT SINGLE QUOTATION MARK
146					’	RIGHT SINGLE QUOTATION MARK
147					“	LEFT DOUBLE QUOTATION MARK
148					”	RIGHT DOUBLE QUOTATION MARK
149					•	BULLET SIGN
150					–	EN DASH
151					—	EM DASH
152					˜	SMALL TILDE
153;					™	TRADE MARK SIGN
154					š	LATIN SMALL LETTER s WITH CARON (ROGLJIČEK)
155		&#155			›	SINGLE RIGHT-POINTING ANGLE QUOTATION MARK
156					œ	LATIN SMALL LIGATURE oe
157						NOT USED
158					ž	LATIN SMALL LETTER z WITH CARON (ROGLJIČEK)
159					Ÿ	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER Y WITH DIAERESIS
160						SPACE CHARACTER (NBSP)
161		¡	¡	¡	¡	INVERTED EXCLAMATION MARK
162		¢	¢	¢	¢	CENT SIGN
163		£	£	£	£	POUND SIGN
164		¤	¤	¤	¤	CURRENCY SIGN
165		¥	¥	¥	¥	YEN SIGN
166		¦	¦	¦	¦	BROKEN BAR
167		§	§	§	§	SECTION SIGN
168		¨	¨	¨	¨	DIAERESIS
169		©	©	©	©	COPYRIGHT SIGN
170		ª	ª	ª	ª	FEMININE ORDINAL INDICATOR
171		«	«	«	«	LEFT-POINTING DOUBLE ANGLE QUOTATION MARK
172		¬	¬	¬	¬	NOT SIGN
173						SOFT HYPHEN
174		®	®	®	®	REGISTERED SIGN
175		¯	¯	¯	¯	MACRON
176		°	°	°	°	DEGREE SIGN
177		±	±	±	±	PLUS-MINUS SIGN
178		²	²	²	²	SUPERSCRIPT TWO
179		³	³	³	³	SUPERSCRIPT THREE
180		´	´	´	´	ACUTE ACCENT
181		µ	µ	µ	µ	MICRO SIGN
182		¶	¶	¶	¶	PILCROW SIGN
183		·	·	·	·	MIDDLE DOT
184		¸	¸	¸	¸	CEDILLA
185		¹	¹	¹	¹	SUPERSCRIPT ONE
186		º	º	º	º	MASCULINE ORDINAL INDICATOR
187		»	»	»	»	RIGHT-POINTING DOUBLE ANGLE QUOTATION MARK
188		¼	¼	¼	¼	VULGAR FRACTION ONE QUARTER
189		½	½	½	½	VULGAR FRACTION ONE HALF
190		¾	¾	¾	¾	VULGAR FRACTION THREE QUARTERS
191		¿	¿	¿	¿	INVERTED QUESTION MARK
192		À	À	À	À	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH GRAVE
193		Á	Á	Á	Á	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH ACUTE
194		Â	Â	Â	Â	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH CIRCUMFLEX
195		Ã	Ã	Ã	Ã	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH TILDE
196		Ä	Ä	Ä	Ä	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH DIAERESIS
197		Å	Å	Å	Å	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH RING ABOVE
198		Æ	Æ	Æ	Æ	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER AE
199		Ç	Ç	Ç	Ç	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER C WITH CEDILLA
200		È	È	È	È	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER E WITH GRAVE
201		É	É	É	É	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER E WITH ACUTE
202		Ê	Ê	Ê	Ê	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER E WITH CIRCUMFLEX
203		Ë	Ë	Ë	Ë	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER E WITH DIAERESIS
204		Ì	Ì	Ì	Ì	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER I WITH GRAVE
205		Í	Í	Í	Í	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER I WITH ACUTE
206		Î	Î	Î	Î	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER I WITH CIRCUMFLEX
207		Ï	Ï	Ï	Ï	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER I WITH DIAERESIS
208		Ð	Ð	Ð	Ð	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER ETH
209		Ñ	Ñ	Ñ	Ñ	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER N WITH TILDE
210		Ò	Ò	Ò	Ò	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER O WITH GRAVE
211		Ó	Ó	Ó	Ó	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER O WITH ACUTE
212		Ô	Ô	Ô	Ô	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER O WITH CIRCUMFLEX
213		Õ	Õ	Õ	Õ	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER O WITH TILDE
214		Ö	Ö	Ö	Ö	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER O WITH DIAERESIS
215		×	×	×	×	MULTIPLICATION SIGN
216		Ø	Ø	Ø	Ø	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER O WITH STROKE
217		Ù	Ù	Ù	Ù	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER U WITH GRAVE
218		Ú	Ú	Ú	Ú	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER U WITH ACUTE
219		Û	Û	Û	Û	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER U WITH CIRCUMFLEX
220		Ü	Ü	Ü	Ü	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER U WITH DIAERESIS
221		Ý	Ý	Ý	Ý	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER Y WITH ACUTE
222		Þ	Þ	Þ	Þ	LATIN CAPITAL LETTER THORN
223		ß	ß	ß	ß	LATIN SMALL LETTER SHARP S
224		à	à	à	à	LATIN SMALL LETTER a WITH GRAVE
225		á	á	á	á	LATIN SMALL LETTER a WITH ACUTE
226		â	â	â	â	LATIN SMALL LETTER a WITH CIRCUMFLEX
227		ã	ã	ã	ã	LATIN SMALL LETTER a WITH TILDE
228		ä	ä	ä	ä	LATIN SMALL LETTER a WITH DIAERESIS
229		å	å	å	å	LATIN SMALL LETTER a WITH RING ABOVE
230		æ	æ	æ	æ	LATIN SMALL LETTER ae
231		ç	ç	ç	ç	LATIN SMALL LETTER c WITH CEDILLA
232		è	è	è	è	LATIN SMALL LETTER e WITH GRAVE
233		é	é	é	é	LATIN SMALL LETTER e WITH ACUTE
234		ê	ê	ê	ê	LATIN SMALL LETTER e WITH CIRCUMFLEX
235		ë	ë	ë	ë	LATIN SMALL LETTER e WITH DIAERESIS
236		ì	ì	ì	ì	LATIN SMALL LETTER i WITH GRAVE
237		í	í	í	í	LATIN SMALL LETTER i WITH ACUTE
238		î	î	î	î	LATIN SMALL LETTER i WITH CIRCUMFLEX
239		ï	ï	ï	ï	LATIN SMALL LETTER i WITH DIAERESIS
240		ð	ð	ð	ð	LATIN SMALL LETTER eth
241		ñ	ñ	ñ	ñ	LATIN SMALL LETTER n WITH TILDE
242		ò	ò	ò	ò	LATIN SMALL LETTER o WITH GRAVE
243		ó	ó	ó	ó	LATIN SMALL LETTER o WITH ACUTE
244		ô	ô	ô	ô	LATIN SMALL LETTER o WITH CIRCUMFLEX
245		õ	õ	õ	õ	LATIN SMALL LETTER o WITH TILDE
246		ö	ö	ö	ö	LATIN SMALL LETTER o WITH DIAERESIS
247		÷	÷	÷	÷	DIVISION SIGN
248		ø	ø	ø	ø	LATIN SMALL LETTER o WITH STROKE
249		ù	ù	ù	ù	LATIN SMALL LETTER u WITH GRAVE
250		ú	ú	ú	ú	LATIN SMALL LETTER u WITH ACUTE
251		û	û	û	û	LATIN SMALL LETTER s WITH CIRCUMFLEX
252		ü	ü	ü	ü	LATIN SMALL LETTER u WITH DIAERESIS
253		ý	ý	ý	ý	LATIN SMALL LETTER y WITH ACUTE
254		þ	þ	þ	þ	LATIN SMALL LETTER THORN
255		ÿ	ÿ	ÿ	ÿ	LATIN SMALL LETTER y WITH DIAERESIS