Ampersand (&) vs. And
The ampersand is the character “&”; the word “and” is ordinary conjunction text. Microsoft house style generally prefers “and” in prose and headings except where an ampersand belongs to a name, interface label, or technical expression, illustrating that the choice is contextual rather than universal.
Use “and” in ordinary prose unless a name, interface, technical expression, or governing house style specifically calls for “&”.
Key details
Important caveats
Style Boundary
Do not treat one organization’s ampersand preference as a universal grammar rule.
Further guidance
Character Difference
Unicode identifies AMPERSAND as U+0026.
Use
In ordinary prose, many style systems prefer the word “and”; ampersands remain appropriate where a proper name, UI string, or technical syntax requires them.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Basic Latin — Unicode Names List (opens in a new tab)Unicode Consortium · Unicode character identities for quotation mark, apostrophe, ampersand, solidus, and vertical line
- Ampersand — Microsoft Writing Style Guide (opens in a new tab)Microsoft Learn · Microsoft house-style guidance on using ampersand versus the word and