Zeta Symbol Ζ ζ — Copy, Paste and Type It

Q: How do I type the zeta symbol on a keyboard?

On Windows, press Win + . → Symbols → Greek, or in Microsoft Word type 03B6 and press Alt + X. On a Mac, switch to the Greek keyboard and press Z (Shift + Z for the capital). Or simply copy it from the top of this page.

Q: What is the LaTeX command for zeta?

Use \zeta for lowercase ζ, inside math mode. There is no \Zeta command for the capital: it looks identical to the Latin Z, so you type Z.

Q: What is the Unicode and HTML code for zeta?

Lowercase ζ is U+03B6, written in HTML as ζ or ζ. Capital Ζ is U+0396, written Ζ or Ζ.

The zeta symbol is the 6th letter of the Greek alphabet, written ζ in lowercase and Ζ in uppercase. It is pronounced /ˈziːtə/ (“ZAY-tuh or ZEE-tuh”). Click a symbol to copy it.

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Copy the zeta symbol

Greek small letter zeta U+03B6 · The lowercase letter

Greek capital letter Zeta U+0396 · The uppercase letter

Zeta codes — Unicode, HTML, LaTeX and Alt codes

Char	Unicode	HTML entity	HTML decimal	HTML hex	CSS	JavaScript	LaTeX	Windows	Mac
ζ	`U+03B6`	`ζ`	`ζ`	`ζ`	`\03B6`	`\u03B6`	`\zeta`	`03B6` then `Alt + X` (Word)	Greek keyboard `Z`
Ζ	`U+0396`	`Ζ`	`Ζ`	`Ζ`	`\0396`	`\u0396`	`Z (no \Zeta command)`	`0396` then `Alt + X` (Word)	Greek keyboard `Shift + Z`

Need the characters without any explanation? Open the Greek letters copy-paste sheet.

How to type the zeta symbol

Windows

Fastest: press Win + . to open the emoji panel, choose the Symbols tab (Ω), then Greek.
There is no classic Alt code for zeta — the old DOS code page only included a handful of Greek letters (α Γ π Σ σ τ Φ Θ Ω δ φ ε). Use one of the other methods.
Microsoft Word: type 03B6 and press Alt + X for ζ; 0396 then Alt + X for Ζ. Word converts it in place.

Mac

Add the Greek keyboard in System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources, then Z types ζ and Shift + Z types Ζ.
Or open the Character Viewer with Ctrl + Cmd + Space and search “zeta”.

iPhone and Android

iOS: Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard → Greek. Tap the globe key to switch.
Android (Gboard): Settings → Languages → Add keyboard → Greek.
Or copy the character from the top of this page.

LaTeX

\zeta — lowercase ζ in math mode
Z or \mathrm{Z} — capital Ζ (there is no \Zeta)

HTML, CSS and code

HTML: ζ or ζ or ζ
CSS: content: "\03B6";
JavaScript / JSON: "\u03B6" — Python: "\u03b6"
In source code, prefer the escape over the pasted glyph — it survives every file encoding.

Full typing guide for every platform, including Linux and Google Docs → how to type Greek letters.

What does zeta mean?

Mathematics

ζ(s) — the Riemann zeta function; ζ(2) = π²/6
the Riemann hypothesis concerns the zeros of ζ(s)

Engineering

ζ — the damping ratio of an oscillating system

Chemistry

ζ-potential — the zeta potential of particles in a colloid

Zeta at a glance

Position: 6th of 24
Uppercase / lowercase: Ζ ζ
Greek name: ζήτα
Pronunciation: /ˈziːtə/
Numeric value: 7
Became: Latin Z and Cyrillic З

Frequently asked questions

What is the zeta symbol?

Zeta (Ζ ζ) is the 6th letter of the Greek alphabet, pronounced /ˈziːtə/ (“ZAY-tuh or ZEE-tuh”). It is most often used for the Riemann zeta function, damping ratio.

How do I type the zeta symbol on a keyboard?

On Windows, press Win + . → Symbols → Greek, or in Microsoft Word type 03B6 and press Alt + X. On a Mac, switch to the Greek keyboard and press Z (Shift + Z for the capital). Or simply copy it from the top of this page.

What is the LaTeX command for zeta?

Use \zeta for lowercase ζ, inside math mode. There is no \Zeta command for the capital: it looks identical to the Latin Z, so you type Z.

What is the Unicode and HTML code for zeta?

Lowercase ζ is U+03B6, written in HTML as ζ or ζ. Capital Ζ is U+0396, written Ζ or Ζ.

← See all 24 Greek symbols