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Unicode

Syntax:

UNICODE(text)

  • text: A text string, where the function will return the Unicode character number of the first character in the string.

Description:

The UNICODE function in Excel returns the numeric Unicode value of the first character in a text string. It is useful for identifying the Unicode number for specific characters and working with text encoded in Unicode format.

Examples:

  1. =UNICODE("A")
    Result: 65. Returns the Unicode number for the letter A.
  2. =UNICODE("☃")
    Result: 9731. Provides the Unicode value for the snowman symbol.
  3. =UNICODE("😄")
    Result: 128516. Returns the Unicode value for the smiling face emoji.
  4. =UNICODE("€")
    Result: 8364. Outputs the Unicode number for the euro currency symbol.

Notes:

  • The UNICODE function focuses on the first character of the input text string. To evaluate another position in a string, extract the relevant character first (e.g., using the MID or LEFT function).
  • This function pairs naturally with UNICHAR to perform the reverse process: converting a Unicode number back into its corresponding character.
  • If the input text is empty, the UNICODE function will return a #VALUE! error.
  • Non-printable or unsupported characters in your system may not display but will still have valid Unicode values.