The UNICODE function in Google Sheets returns the Unicode value of the first character in a text string. This value can be used to identify the character.
You can use this function to convert text to numbers or validate data.
Contents
Syntax
=UNICODE(text)
text – The text string you want to find the code for.
Related Functions
CHAR – Convert a Unicode number to a character
CODE – Return the Unicode value of the first character in a text string (Same as this page’s function)
UNICHAR – Convert a Unicode number to a character (same as CHAR)
Example 1 – Find the Code for an Arrow
First, let’s say your spreadsheet has an arrow character, such as ↑. You can use this function to find its Unicode value.
=UNICODE("↑")
This would return 8593, which is the Unicode value for the “↑” symbol.
Example 2 – Check if a Letter is Upper-Case
To validate data, you could use the UNICODE function to check if a value is within a specific range of Unicode values. For example, the following formula would return TRUE if the value in cell A1 is a capital letter:
=IF(AND(UNICODE(A1) > 64, UNICODE(A1) < 91),TRUE,FALSE)
Use an Add-On for Special Characters
Use the Insert Special Characters add-on to find characters by searching instead of using codes.
Live Examples in Google Sheets
Make a copy of this Google Sheet to use the examples in your own spreadsheet.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the UNICODE function is a powerful tool that you can use to manipulate text in Google Sheets. If you need to work with different character sets or encoding systems, or if you need to perform specific operations based on character codes, this function is a great option.