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Some Alt codes are not working

Anonymous
2025-01-26T17:54:21+00:00

Hi,

I use Alt codes a lot, but I've noticed that some of them have not been working for a while. I thought it was a specific app not admiting them, but I've tested if they work in all software that I could and I've noticed that they only start working after Alt+30, and even then, it shows the wrong symbol.

Let me explain with an example: usually Alt+1 should be a smily face ☺, but when I type it, nothing happens. The same exact thing happens with all the Alt codes before 30. They either show nothing or create a page jump, but they show no special character. Alt+30 shows a - symbol, but it should be a triangle (▲).

Some Alt codes do work, tho: Alt+174 and Alt+175 (« and » respectively), for instance. I think they start working correctly from Alt+33 and onward, but it's hard to check since there are so many possible codes.

I've tried changing the language settings, I've created a string in regedit (Equipo\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Input Method) called EnableHexNumpad and set the value to 1. None of those solutions have worked. I am not sure what is happening or how to solve it. I have tried the solution provided by an user that seemed to have the same problem here: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/alt-code-combinations-have-changed/7a5d9b31-8f46-459c-b1a2-b3c1175d65c0 but it hasn't worked for me either.

I've use a QWERTY keyboard.

I'd appreciate the help. Thanks in advance.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Input and language

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-01-28T11:24:40+00:00

    Hi Francisco,

    I am not sure what exactly fixed the issue, but it's solved!
    Here's what I did:

    I checked the "Beta: Use Unicode UTF-8" box and restarted my computer. It didn't help, and even less Alt symbols showed (many of them appeared as blank squares). I tested using different fonts, because just last night I tested if «» showed correctly and they where just not working now. It wasn't a font issue.

    I had uninstalled all language settings and keyboards other than my main one, so now I was thinking that maybe it was my default language and settings that were corrupted.

    Those cannot be uninstalled unless you add a different language setting first, so I downloaded another language setting, changed my PC to it, deleted my default setting, unchecked the "Beta: Unicode" box again and rebooted. Then, I downloaded my main language again, installed it, changed the system settings to it, and restarted the computer once more.

    Now everything's working as intended! ♥♥♥♥☺☺☺☺

    Thank you for your help. I wouldn't have thought of uninstalling my system's default language and re-downloading it if it wasn't for this conversation!

    Have a great day. ☺

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  1. Francisco Montilla 30,235 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-01-28T14:22:13+00:00

    Hi Raquel,

    I'm glad to hear that your issues have been resolved!

    I'll go ahead and mark this question as resolved. Your feedback is always appreciated, as it helps me improve and provide even better support every day.

    If you have any other questions or run into any issues in the future, don't hesitate to reach out. The experts and I are always here to help. :)

    Best regards,

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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  2. Francisco Montilla 30,235 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-01-27T14:46:18+00:00

    Hi there,

    I apologize for the delay in responding and truly appreciate your patience. This is a public forum, and as a fellow user, I do my best to reply as quickly as possible with helpful information. I’m here to assist you and work together on a solution.

    Thanks for confirming your keyboard setup and the languages you use. Since you already ruled out laptop NumLock issues and switched between languages without success, here are a few additional points to consider:

    • Re-check if the “Beta: Use Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support” box is enabled under Control Panel > Region > Administrative > Change system locale. If it’s enabled, try unchecking it and restarting, as this setting can disrupt older Alt code behavior.
    • Some Alt codes (especially those below 32) are actually control characters in older code pages (like CP437 or CP1252), so Alt+1 might not always produce the expected symbol depending on the app. Trying four-digit codes (for instance, Alt+0001 or Alt+0003) might help in some editors like Notepad.
    • Confirm no third-party software or IME (for Japanese input) is intercepting key combinations. Temporarily close or disable any background apps related to custom keyboards, macros, or screen overlays to see if it makes a difference.
    • Test in plain Notepad or WordPad to confirm whether Alt codes show anything at all. If they work there but fail in certain browsers or programs, the issue may be app-specific rather than system-wide.

    Let me know if any of these checks uncover a clue, or if something changes after adjusting the locale settings. We can continue exploring options until we find a fix. Take care! :)

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-01-26T23:44:05+00:00

    Hi Francisco, thanks for your reply.

    • I am typing on the numeric keypad. I've used Alt codes before extensively and, as I pointed out, some of them do work. They wouldn't work either otherwhise, so we can rule that one out.
    • I'm not on a laptop, NumLock is enabled.
    • How can I confirm I'm using the standard Windows codepage? I am not sure if I could have changed it somehow, but I am using the standard Windows language packages (Spanish, English, Catalan and Japanese. I've tried them all and the Alt codes 1–33, the same thing happens regardless of keyboard language-configuration.
    • I rebooted as well after the EnableHexNumpad registry change.
    • I've been using Win+V shortcut, it's quite useful, thanks! But I would like to fix the issue if possible anyway :'(

    What information would be helpful? My keyboard is a QWERTY Spanish keyboard, I've checked the drivers are up-to-date (unless I'm missing something?) I rotate between different language configurations for it, (Windows language packages that can be found under Time and language >Language and region settings. I've tried disabling them and using only one, just in case using more than one was causing some conflict, but it doesn't seem to have helped.

    Thanks again for your time! (Alt+3, which would be a heart symbol T^T)

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  4. Francisco Montilla 30,235 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-01-26T20:34:14+00:00

    My name is Francisco. I’m an Independent Advisor, and I’ll be glad to help you today.

    Possible reasons why some Alt codes aren’t working:

    • Make sure you’re typing them on the numeric keypad (the numbers above the letters on most keyboards won’t work).
    • If you have a laptop, enable the NumLock function first and use the embedded numeric keypad.
    • Confirm you’re using the standard Windows code page (CP1252). Some languages/keyboards or Unicode settings can alter how Alt codes behave.
    • Reboot after enabling EnableHexNumpad in the registry. If you haven’t restarted, the setting may not take effect.
    • Use the Character Map (charmap.exe) as a workaround if Alt codes remain broken.
    • If you are in Windows 10/11, you may use Windows + V shortcut, its new built-in tool for these characters.

    If the problem persists, let me know any extra details about your keyboard layout or Windows language settings, and we’ll investigate further.

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