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UNICODE Function
Summary
The Excel UNICODE function returns the Unicode code point number (decimal value) for the first character in a text string. This is essential for working with international characters, special symbols, and non-ASCII text in spreadsheets.
Syntax
UNICODE(text)Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| text | Text |
Yes | The text string containing the character whose Unicode value you want to retrieve. Only the first character is evaluated. |
Using the UNICODE Function
UNICODE is valuable when you need to identify character codes for data validation, text processing, or troubleshooting encoding issues. It helps convert visible characters to their numeric representations for formulas, lookups, or custom functions.
Common UNICODE Examples
Space Character Unicode
=UNICODE(" ")Returns 32, the Unicode code point for a space character.
Uppercase Letter Unicode
=UNICODE("B")Returns 66, the Unicode code point for uppercase B.
Emoji Unicode
=UNICODE("😊")Returns the Unicode code point for the smiling face emoji.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Errors and Solutions
#VALUE! error
Cause: Text contains partial surrogates, invalid data types, or malformed Unicode sequences
Solution: Ensure the text argument contains valid Unicode characters
Notes
- Only evaluates the first character of the text string
- Returns decimal Unicode code point (not hexadecimal)
- Space character returns 32
- Compatible with all modern Excel versions supporting Unicode
Compatibility
Available in: Excel 2013, Excel 2016, Excel 2019, Excel 2021, Excel 365
Not available in: Excel 2010 and earlier versions
Content last reviewed: December 9, 2025
Update frequency: As needed
Excel versions tested: Excel 2013+, Excel 2016, Excel 2019, Excel 365