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I have dual boot configuration with Fedora and Windows XP. Keyboard is normal US standard keyboard. Now that I am working for a UK based client, I need to use pound sign quite often. Currently I am copy pasting it, and it is a bit annoying. If it is possible to type pound sign using US keyboard, then that will be great. Please post any method you know other than copy pasting.

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3 Answers 3

up vote 18 down vote accepted

For US Keyboard:

  • Windows:

    1. Alt+0163 (on numpad with Num Lock on)

    2. Alt++ (numpad)a3

  • Mac: ⌥ Option+3

  • Linux:

    1. Compose L - / Compose - L

    2. Control-Shift(hold down) then ua3

To enable Windows 2., set the registry keyHKCU\Control Panel\Input Method\EnableHexNumpad to 1 (REG_SZ) and reboot.

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I have tested Windows and Linux (fedora) and it works fine. But I couldn't test this in Mac. Please test and post comment below. Thanks –  WarFox Jun 5 '11 at 11:00
I'm on a Mac. It works –  user78429 Jun 5 '11 at 11:15
thanks for confirming –  WarFox Jun 6 '11 at 5:47
On Linux you could enable a compose key and then: <compose> + L + = should give you £. –  muffinresearch May 2 '12 at 11:01
@Dennis, the hex version for Windows doesn't work for me; just gives a ♥ (as though Num+ and a did nothing) –  Nick T May 24 '12 at 4:18

On Windows and Linux, use the "U.S. International" keyboard layout, which is US with additional modifiers and characters used abroad. The £ is on RightAlt+Shift+4.

You can also get £ on Windows by entering Alt+0163 or Alt+156.

On Mac OS X, simply press Option-3 for £, or use the British layout, where £ and # are exchanged (Option-3 and Shift-3). Otherwise, they're very similar (check with Keyboard Viewer).

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RightAlt+Shift+4 is not helping me. Alt+0163 is working in windows. I haven't checked in Linux. –  WarFox Jun 5 '11 at 10:42
It is not working in my Fedora installation –  WarFox Jun 5 '11 at 10:59
AltGr+Shift+4 is indeed the correct combination for the U.S. International layout, and I can confirm that it works: £££££££££££ –  JdeBP Jun 5 '11 at 14:03
@JdeBP On Linux? –  Daniel Beck Jun 5 '11 at 14:17
I typed that on Windows NT 5.0. Linux is harder to test this on, let alone access the WWW from, where I am right at the moment. But you can always ask Diederik Willemsen to confirm the same instead. –  JdeBP Jun 5 '11 at 14:47

On a European keyboard on Linux type AltGr + Shift + 3.

You can always find it out by greping the keyboard layout config files under /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/* for sterling.

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