How to type the pound sign (£) on a keyboard in Ireland: Step-by-step for Mac, Windows and mobile

Typing the pound sign (£) in Ireland is usually straightforward, as most devices use the UK (British) English keyboard layout. On that layout, the pound sign is on the same key as the number 3, so it’s a quick shortcut.¹ If your keyboard types a # instead, it’s almost always because your device is set to the wrong keyboard layout/input source.²

This guide helps with all the practical side of how to type the pound sign on your keyboard in Ireland, step by step on Windows, Mac, and mobile.

And if you transact in different currencies, take a look at services like the Wise Account, that make it easier to manage and send British pounds across borders.

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How to type the pound sign on a keyboard in Ireland (quick answer)

If your keyboard layout is set to United Kingdom (British), follow this step:

* To type £ on Windows and Mac: Shift + 3 → £¹²

How to type the pound sign on Mac in Ireland

On Macs in Ireland, the pound sign is easy to type as long as your keyboard input source is set to British. This matters because macOS can switch input sources (for example from British to U.S.) without you noticing - especially if you use multiple languages or have more than one keyboard enabled.

When the wrong input source is active, the key you expect to produce £ may type a different symbol instead.²

Step-by-step: how to type £ on Mac (British input source)

First, make sure your Mac is using the British input source (you’ll often see this in the menu bar as a UK flag or “British”).

With the British input source selected:²

1. Hold Shift
2. Press 3
3. You’ll get £

Isn’t it working? How to fix it if Shift + 3 types # on Mac

If you’re getting #, switch your Mac input source back to British:²

1. Open System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources
2. Add/select British
3. Switch to it

Step-by-step: how to insert the pound sign (£) on Mac using Character Viewer

If you only need £ now and then (or the keyboard shortcut isn’t working because the wrong input source is selected), Character Viewer is a reliable fallback. It’s built into macOS and lets you search and insert symbols without memorising shortcuts.³

1. In many apps, click Edit → Emoji & Symbols to open Character Viewer.
2. In the search bar, type “pound” (or “GBP”).
3. Click £ to insert it (in some apps you can also double‑click it).

How to type the pound sign (£) on Windows in Ireland

On most Windows laptops and PCs in Ireland, typing the pound sign is straightforward, as long as Windows is using the UK (British) keyboard layout. On that layout, the £ symbol is mapped to the same key as the number 3.¹

If you press Shift + 3 and don’t see £, it usually means Windows is set to a different keyboard layout, and you’ll want to switch it.²

Step-by-step: how to type £ on Windows (UK/British layout)

Once Windows is set to the United Kingdom (British) keyboard:

1. Hold Shift
2. Press 3
3. You’ll get £¹

Isn’t it working? How to fix it if Shift + 3 types # on Windows

If you see # instead of £, change your keyboard layout:

1. Go to Settings → Time & language → Language & region
2. Find Keyboards
3. Add/select United Kingdom (British)
4. Remove layouts you don’t use (to avoid switching by accident)

Step-by-step: how to type £ on Windows using an Alt code (backup method)

If you have a numeric keypad, you can type £ with an Alt code⁴:

1. Turn Num Lock on (if needed)
2. Hold Alt
3. Type 0163 on the numeric keypad
4. Release Alt → £

How to insert a British pound sign on a mobile device (iOS and Android)

If you’re using a phone or tablet, typing the pound sign is usually even easier than on a laptop - because iOS and Android keyboards include £ in the built-in symbols screen. You don’t need to change any language settings in most cases.³

That said, the exact buttons you’ll tap can vary slightly depending on your keyboard (for example, Gboard vs Samsung Keyboard), so use the steps below as a quick guide.

Step-by-step: how to type £ on iPhone (iOS)

On an iPhone, the pound sign is available from the symbols keyboard:

1. Tap 123 to switch from letters to numbers and symbols
2. Look for £ and tap it
3. If you don’t see £ straight away, press and hold $ to open a small menu of currency symbols, then choose £³

Step-by-step: how to type £ on Android

On Android devices, you’ll also find £ in the symbols pages³:

1. Tap ?123 (or 123, depending on your keyboard) to switch to numbers and symbols
2. If needed, tap =< (or a similar key) to see additional symbols
3. Tap £ to insert it

Keyboard won’t type pound sign? Ireland troubleshooting

If nothing works or your keyboard type # instead of the pound sign, check the following:

• Confirm your active layout is the United Kingdom (British) (Windows/macOS).
• On Windows Alt codes, make sure you’re using a numeric keypad, not the top row.
• On Mac, use Character Viewer as a guaranteed fallback.

Wise Account: +40 currencies in one place

If you need to send money abroad, convert and pay in different currencies, have a look at what Wise can offer you in Ireland.

With the Wise Account you can:

• Hold 40+ currencies and convert between them at the mid-market rate. You'll see the conversion fees upfront
• Get local account details in 8+ currencies, including USD, GBP, and EUR
• Receive cashback on EUR, GBP and USD held in your account
• Order a Wise debit card which you can use with our Smart Conversion technology
• Set up Auto Conversions based on your desired rate in the Wise app or use our Wise Rate Tracker to request exchange rate notifications directly to your email
• Create Wise Virtual Cards, and save on online shopping
• Get instant notifications of all your purchases via the Wise app so you can track your expenses. If you lose your card, you can easily cancel it in the app to keep your money safe
• Have a supporting, English-speaking customer service.

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Sources

Sources last checked on 23 March 2026.

Cover photo: jevgeni mironov on Unsplash