Formatting Issues

How to Fix Symbols Appearing as Letters in Excel Custom Number Formats

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing an issue where copied symbols display as regular letters when used in custom number formats.

Product: Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Pasting special characters or symbols to create a customized cell number format.
Observed behavior: The intended symbols (such as arrows) render as standard alphabetical characters (like P and Q, corresponding to character codes 71 and 70) instead of their graphical representations.

Before you start

Verify which specific symbol font (such as Wingdings 3 or Webdings) your copied characters originally belonged to before adjusting the cell formatting.

Solution 1Recommended

Apply the Correct Symbol Font to the Cells

Change the font of the affected cells to match the original symbol font so that the character codes render as arrows rather than letters.

Excel custom number formats dictate what character codes are displayed, but they do not store font information. When you paste a special symbol that relies on a specific font mapping, Excel will display the base character code (like P or Q) if the cell is currently set to a standard text font like Calibri or Arial.

Select the Affected Cells

Highlight the spreadsheet cells containing the custom number format where the symbols are displaying incorrectly as letters.

Open the Font Menu

Navigate to the 'Home' tab on the top ribbon menu and click on the Font dropdown list.

Select the Symbol Font

Scroll down and select 'Wingdings 3' (or the specific font originally used for the symbols). The letters P and Q will instantly change to the correct arrow symbols.

Consider Unicode Alternatives: If you need both readable text and symbols in the same cell, changing the entire cell's font to Wingdings will make standard text unreadable. In such cases, use standard Unicode arrows in your custom format, which display correctly in standard fonts.

Advanced Spreadsheet Formatting

Manage Custom Formats and Symbols Easily in WPS Spreadsheet

WPS Spreadsheet provides a highly compatible and intuitive interface for managing custom number formats, ensuring your special characters, symbols, and unique layouts display exactly as intended.

1. Open Your Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and open your target spreadsheet file.
2. Apply Custom Format: Right-click the target cells, select 'Format Cells', navigate to the 'Custom' category, and paste your symbol codes.
3. Change Cell Font: Go to the 'Home' tab and change the cell's font to 'Wingdings 3' to ensure the arrows display properly.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xls) files, including their custom number formats.Built-in seamless support for standard symbol fonts like Wingdings and Webdings.Lightweight performance with a familiar interface for zero learning curve.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my custom format arrows turn into a 'P' or 'Q' in Excel?

The letters P and Q share the same underlying character codes as certain arrows in specialized fonts like Wingdings 3. If your cell uses a standard font like Arial, Excel simply shows the regular alphabetic characters.

How can I display both text and arrows in the same cell's custom format?

Instead of using Wingdings, insert standard Unicode symbol characters (such as Unicode arrows) directly into your custom number format. Standard Unicode arrows render correctly without needing to change the cell's font away from Calibri or Arial.

Can I format only part of a cell with Wingdings?

If you manually type text in a cell, you can highlight a single character and change its font. However, when using a custom number format, the font setting applies to the entire cell. You cannot have mixed fonts driven by a custom number format.

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