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UNICODE Function in Excel

Returns the Unicode code point for the first character of a text string.

Syntax

  • =UNICODE(text)

Arguments

  • text (required): Text to get Unicode from

Examples

  • =UNICODE("A") - Unicode for A - Result: 65
  • =UNICODE("★") - Unicode for star - Result: 9733

Excel UNICODE function documentation

  • UNICODE returns the numeric Unicode code point of the first character in text.
  • Syntax: =UNICODE(text). Critical for multilingual data quality diagnostics.
  • Use UNICODE to spot inconsistent characters that look identical but have different code points.
  • Text function category: [/categories/text/](/categories/text/).

UNICODE syntax and data quality checks

  • text is required and only the first character is evaluated.
  • Combine MID with UNICODE to inspect specific character positions.
  • UNICODE is more reliable than CODE for global-language datasets.
  • Pair with UNICHAR to reconstruct or verify expected characters.

Step-by-step: audit suspicious multilingual IDs

  • Step 1 - Keep source IDs in A2:A500.
  • Step 2 - In B2 use =UNICODE(LEFT(A2,1)).
  • Step 3 - Compare code points for records that should match.
  • Step 4 - Standardize with replacements where inconsistent code points are found.

UNICODE vs CODE vs UNICHAR

  • UNICODE reads first-character Unicode code points for modern diagnostics.
  • CODE is legacy-focused and less expressive for international scripts.
  • UNICHAR converts numeric code points back into display characters.
  • Formatting of numeric labels can use [TEXT](/functions/text/) if needed.

Worked examples to copy

  • First code point: =UNICODE(A2).
  • Second character code point: =UNICODE(MID(A2,2,1)).
  • Roundtrip check: =UNICHAR(UNICODE(A2)).
  • Validation flag: =IF(UNICODE(A2)=65,"A","Other").

People also ask

  • UNICODE vs CODE in Excel? - UNICODE is best for modern multilingual text.
  • Can UNICODE detect hidden differences? - Yes, code-point comparisons expose look-alike characters.
  • Why only first character? - Use MID to inspect any position before UNICODE.
  • Can I convert back from number to character? - Yes, with UNICHAR.

Common errors

  • Returns code for first character only

Use cases

  • Character analysis
  • Symbol identification
  • Text processing

Frequently asked questions

  • How do I find the Unicode code for any character? Type or paste the character in a cell (A1), then use =UNICODE(A1). For example, paste ★ and UNICODE returns 9733. You can then use UNICHAR(9733) to recreate that character in formulas.
  • What is the difference between UNICODE and CODE? CODE returns ASCII values (0-255), limited to basic characters. UNICODE returns full Unicode code points (up to 1,114,111), supporting all characters including emojis, Chinese, Arabic, etc. Use UNICODE for international text.
  • How do I get Unicode codes for all characters in a string? UNICODE only returns the first character's code. For all characters, use MID: =UNICODE(MID(A1, ROW(INDIRECT("1:"&LEN(A1))), 1)) as an array formula, or create helper columns with =UNICODE(MID($A$1, ROW(), 1)).

Editorial review

  • Reviewed by Excel.Directory Editorial Team. Updated May 2026.

When to use UNICODE

  • Character analysis — common Text scenario for UNICODE.
  • Symbol identification — common Text scenario for UNICODE.
  • Text processing — common Text scenario for UNICODE.

UNICODE in the Text category

  • Browse all Text functions at /categories/text/ for related formulas.
  • UNICODE syntax: =UNICODE(text)
  • text (required): Text to get Unicode from
  • Confirm UNICODE arguments match the syntax shown above before filling down.
  • Lock table and range references with $ when copying formulas across rows or sheets.

Formula checklist before you copy down

  • Confirm UNICODE arguments match the syntax shown above before filling down.
  • Lock table and range references with $ when copying formulas across rows or sheets.
  • If results look wrong, check for text stored as numbers and invisible spaces with TRIM.
  • Spot-check three known input rows manually against expected output.

Related Excel functions

  • UNICHAR (/functions/unichar/): Returns the Unicode character for a given number.
  • CODE (/functions/code/): Returns the numeric code for the first character in a text string.
  • CHAR (/functions/char/): Returns the character specified by a number (ASCII or Unicode code).

Errors to watch for

  • Returns code for first character only — review causes on linked error pages in the directory.

Copy-paste audit workflow

  • Enter UNICODE on three test rows with known expected output documented on a QA tab.
  • Fill down only after absolute references are locked on lookup tables and rate tables.
  • Compare against manual calculation or a calculator for financial and statistical functions.
  • Search this directory for comparison guides when choosing between similar functions in the same category.

UNICODE worked examples to copy

  • =UNICODE("A") — Unicode for A. Expected result: 65.
  • =UNICODE("★") — Unicode for star. Expected result: 9733.

UNICODE reference summary for crawlers and offline review

  • UNICODE belongs to the Text category in Excel. Returns the Unicode code point for the first character of a text string.
  • Full syntax: =UNICODE(text). Open /functions/unicode/ for parameters, FAQs, and related pages.
  • Common mistakes: Returns code for first character only
  • Pair this function with comparison guides when another Excel formula might fit the same task better.
  • Review fix-excel-formula-errors when unexpected errors appear after upgrading Excel or sharing across locales.