How to start with PopChar

Installation and registration

After purchasing, download and install PopChar on your computer. In the app, you will need to register PopChar to activate the full version. Simply click on the key icon and enter the registration data you received via email or your existing license key. If you need help please read this article.

Customize your experience

You can customize PopChar in the settings tab. Choose a keyboard shortcut for opening PopChar and select where to display the "P" icon. 

The "View & Insert" tab lets you adjust font sizes and set default fonts for each application. In the HTML settings, choose between readable entity names and numeric codes. 

Screenshot of the PopChar app on macOS showing the Activation settings window in front of the Arial character table. The settings panel includes options to position PopChar (top-left, status item, top-right), assign a hotkey to open PopChar, animate window transitions, and automatically close the window after selecting a character or clicking outside it. The Start PopChar at Login option is also visible. Demonstrates how users can customize PopChar’s activation and behavior preferences.

Get to know the interface

When you open PopChar, you will see a well-organized character table. The font selector at the left of the window allows you to easily browse characters in different fonts. 

To insert a specific character into your document, simply place the cursor where you want the character to appear. Then, open PopChar, locate the character you need, click on it, and it will be inserted into your document instantly.

Search for characters

When searching for a character you can use the search field. If you do not know the exact name of the character, you can simply draw the symbol with PopChar’s drawing option using your mouse or touchpad. PopChar will recognize your drawing and display similar symbols. 

You can also use the categories. On the left side, right next to “From selected font” you will find category options that help you navigate quickly to specific types of characters.

Favorite and recent characters

PopChar includes a Favorites group at the top of the character table. To add a character, simply right-click (or Ctrl-click) and choose “Add to Favorites.” Favorite characters show a heart icon but stay in their original locations. To remove one, right-click it and select “Remove from Favorites.” 

PopChar displays favorites available in the current font, or you can switch to “Union of All Available Fonts” to see them all. You can also use Reverse Search to find which fonts contain a specific character. Favorites can be shared between computers using the Export Favorites and Import Favorites options.

Screenshot of the PopChar app on macOS showing the Favorites and Recent Characters sections in the Arial font. The Favorites group (green) includes commonly used symbols like &, ©, ß, ä, and →. The Recent Characters group (purple) displays recently inserted accented letters and symbols. Demonstrates how PopChar helps users quickly access and manage frequently used and recently selected characters within the character table.

Below the Favorites group, a "Recent Characters" section lists characters you have recently used. Depending on the settings, these are automatically updated and are limited to a few lines. Recent characters are indicated by a purple clock symbol, and the number displayed can be adjusted in the settings.

The magnifier function

PopChar includes a magnifier option that reveals more details about a character with mouseover (e.g. Unicode). To activate this feature, click the magnifier icon in the bottom left corner of the character list view.

Screenshot of the PopChar app on macOS showing the character info window for the Rightwards Arrow (→) symbol. The details include the Unicode code point #8594 [U+2192] and the HTML code →. Demonstrates how PopChar displays detailed character information, including HTML and Unicode references, when a symbol is selected from the character table.

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