Known Participant

Question

Can't insert star character in Photoshop CS6

Forum|Forum|23 days ago
March 12, 2026
4 replies
84 views

I’m using Photoshop CS6 and Windows 10.

I want to insert a star (★) character within a text layer Photoshop CS6.

If I type Alt+9733, which is supposed to be the Alt number for this character in Windows, Photoshop inserts a Clubs (♣) character instead. So does my browser, ironically - although almost all other Windows apps display a star character when I type Alt+9733.

If I copy and paste a star character (such as the above one) into Photoshop, then the font in Photoshop changes to Myriad Pro, (goodness why it chooses that font in particular!) which displays a rectangle with a cross through it like this:

If I try to change the font from Myriad Pro to, say, Arial, it won’t let me - it insists on displaying the character I’ve pasted in Myriad Pro and I can’t change the font.

Is there any Alt code that will work in Photoshop CS6, as Alt+9733 doesn’t?

Alternatively, is there any way of pasting a star character into Photoshop CS6 without causing the font to change to one that doesn’t support symbols?

Jeff Arola

Community Expert

I believe in your case, since Photoshop CS6 doesn’t have a Glyphs Panel, you’ll have to use the Windows Character Map to select the Wingdings font, find the Star, Select/Copy it, then back in Photoshop CS6 click in the text where you want to insert the Star then change the Font to Wingdings, Edit>Paste to get the Star.

In case your not sure how to get the Windows Character Map, click on the Search icon or box in the Taskbar and start typing Character Map and you should see it appear there.

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

since Photoshop CS6 doesn’t have a Glyphs Panel...

================

I’ve forgotten more about CS6 than I remember. It was such a long, long time ago.🤔

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

Glyph and text on same Text Layer.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

Symbols require compatible fonts.

Open the Glyphs Panel from Window Menu.

Select Windings 2, Entire Font. See screenshot.

Scroll down to the Stars.

Once you find your desired symbol, double-click to add it to top Glyph bar.

Create a new Text Layer. Double click Glyph Bar to add it.

Hope that helps.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

D

DaveRadoAuthor

Known Participant

There’s no glyphs panel in CS6.

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

Another reason to upgrade. 😜

I didn’t realize it was added later. So many things have changed since 2012.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

jane-e

Community Expert

@DaveRado

I just did a search and am reading several posts that say Microsoft has removed the star character from the Alt codes.

Does it show in the Character panel?

How did you insert it into your post?

The rectangle with the X means you are missing the typeface. What happens if you select it and change it to Wingdings or Webdings or Zapf Dingbats (whichever one you have).

Jane

D

DaveRadoAuthor

Known Participant

No Alt+9733 still inserts a star character in Word and if I then copy the star from there to here - or to anywhere other than Photoshop, I get a star (★).

However, if I paste it into Photoshop, it changes to font to Myriad Pro and won’t then let me change it to any other font. If I select the character I pasted in and try to change the font, it just reverts back to Myriad Pro..

If I press Alt+9733 in this post, or in Photohop or in Notepad, it inserts a Clubs (♣) character instead of a star. But if I press Alt+9733 in Word and then paste the resulting star character into any Windows app except Photoshop, I get a star.

Dave

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