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Short answer: type \% to print a percent sign in LaTeX. A bare % is the comment character, so it prints nothing and hides the rest of its line. For measured quantities, the siunitx package offers \qty{10}{\percent}, which sets the number and the percent sign together.
This page is for researchers and analysts writing papers, theses or reports in LaTeX who see a missing percent sign, text that vanishes after a %, or a compile error around one. After reading it you should be able to print the symbol correctly in running text, tables and quantities, and recognise the usual failure modes.
What it is used for in research
Percentages appear in results text, table cells, figure captions and confidence-interval reporting. LaTeX reserves a small set of characters for its own syntax, and the percent sign is one of them: according to the LaTeX2e unofficial reference manual, “the percent sign % is for comments”. Typing it raw therefore does not produce the symbol.
Install or access (official source only)
No separate install is needed for \%; it works in any LaTeX document. The siunitx package is distributed through CTAN (the Comprehensive TeX Archive Network) at ctan.org/pkg/siunitx. Add it to the preamble with:
\usepackage{siunitx}Step-by-step task
Percent sign in text (latex percent sign, percent sign latex)
- Put a backslash directly before the percent sign:
The sample shrank by 12\% after treatment. - Compile. The output reads “The sample shrank by 12% after treatment.”
The reference manual’s rule for reserved characters is general: “simply put a backslash \ in front of the character” so that it prints as itself. Its own example is \$1.23, and the percent sign follows the same rule. The reserved list is # $ % & { } _ ~ ^ \; the last three need different commands (\~{}, \^{}, \textbackslash{}).
Percent symbol in a quantity with siunitx (percent in latex)
- Load the package:
\usepackage{siunitx}. - Write the quantity with the
\percentunit:\qty{10}{\percent}.
The siunitx manual says \percent “is also provided for use in units” and is accepted alongside the SI as detailed in section 5.4.7 of the SI Brochure. Its own example shows the default spacing: a space is inserted between number and unit in \qty{10}{\percent}. The manual also notes that the quantity-product and angle options do not apply to the units \degree, \arcminute, \arcsecond and \percent.
Printing a percent sign in typewriter font
The reference manual shows \verb!% ! style input for reserved characters in a typewriter font, for example \verb!# $ % & { } _ ~ ^ \!, with ! as the delimiter.
Output and how to read it
| You type | What LaTeX does | Source |
|---|---|---|
12% |
Starts a comment; the percent sign does not print | LaTeX2e reference manual, Reserved characters |
12\% |
Prints 12% | LaTeX2e reference manual, Reserved characters |
\qty{10}{\percent} |
Prints the value and percent sign with a space between them by default | siunitx manual |
Troubleshooting
The rest of my line disappeared
A bare % begins a comment, so everything after it on that line is not typeset. Replace it with \%.
The percent sign vanishes inside a table, link or URL
The same rule applies in every context: an unescaped % is read as a comment. Escape it as \%. If a table row ends abruptly or a later column goes missing, look for a raw % in that row.
Output pasted from other software
Text exported from statistics software, spreadsheets or code that already contains % must be escaped before it is pasted into a LaTeX source file. Generated strings need the backslash added by the generating code, not by hand afterwards.
Free alternatives (table)
Both approaches below are free to use: one is built into LaTeX, the other is an openly distributed package on CTAN.
| Approach | Best for | Needs a package |
|---|---|---|
\% |
A percent sign anywhere in running text, tables or captions | No |
\qty{10}{\percent} (siunitx) |
Numbers with units that should be formatted consistently with other SI quantities | Yes: siunitx |
FAQ
How do I write a percent sign in LaTeX?
Type \%. The backslash tells LaTeX to print the percent sign instead of starting a comment.
Why does the % symbol comment out my text?
Because LaTeX reserves it for comments, as the reference manual states. Everything after an unescaped % on that line is ignored.
Is there a LaTeX command for percent in units?
Yes: siunitx provides \percent, used as in \qty{10}{\percent}.
Which other characters need a backslash?
The reference manual lists # $ % & { } _ ~ ^ \ as reserved. All but the last three take a backslash; tilde, circumflex and backslash need \~{}, \^{} and \textbackslash{}.
Related reading
- Drawing a number line in LaTeX
- LaTeX bibliography styles explained
- Collaborative writing in LaTeX and Overleaf
Sources (official docs)
- LaTeX2e unofficial reference manual, “Reserved characters” (public domain; latexref.xyz and CTAN mirrors). Read 2026-11-07.
- siunitx manual, CTAN: ctan.org/pkg/siunitx. Read 2026-11-07.
