How to Write I Love You on a Calculator: What Works and What Does Not

How this guide was checked: every word in the tables was converted to digits and turned back into letters with a short script, and the facts link to the sources listed at the end.

Quick answer: You cannot spell I love you in full on a calculator, because the upside-down trick has no letters V, Y, or U. The easy way is to type 143, a number code that counts the letters in each word. You can also spell shorter words such as BLISS or HELLO by typing digits and turning the calculator upside down.

Most calculators only show numbers, so a love message has to be a code or a short word. This guide shows the exact digits to type, and you can try the word maker in the middle of the page.

Why the Upside Down Trick Cannot Spell I Love You

Calculator spelling works because of the seven-segment display on many calculators. Read upside down, some digits look like letters. To see how many compatible people may live near you, try our compatible people estimator.

The phrase I love you needs the letters I, L, O, V, E, Y, O, and U. Five of those are on the table, but V, Y, and U are not, so the full phrase cannot be shown. The word LOVE fails for the same reason.

The Number Code That Works: 143

The code 143 counts the letters in each word. I has one letter, love has four, and you has three. It was used on pagers in the 1990s, when messages could only be numbers. Fred Rogers is also reported to have kept his weight at 143 pounds for the last thirty years of his life.

A legend links the code to the Minot’s Ledge lighthouse in Massachusetts, which is nicknamed the I Love You lighthouse.

How to show it on a calculator:

1. Press 1, then 4, then 3, so the display reads 143.
2. Keep the calculator right side up, because the code is read normally.
3. Show it to the person, or send a photo of the screen.
4. If someone shows you 143, reply with 1432, which means I love you too.

Do not turn 143 upside down. Read that way, it shows EHI, which is not a word. For a math twist, type 11 × 13 and press equals. The answer is 143.

Other Number Codes for I Love You

All of these are read right side up, so none of them need the upside-down trick.

How to Turn a Word Into Digits

Follow these rules and every word works.

1. Replace each letter with its digit from the table above.
2. Type the digits backward, because turning the calculator also reverses the order.
3. If the number starts with a zero, put a decimal point after it, because most calculators drop a leading zero. HELLO becomes 0.7734.
4. Skip 6 and 9. Sources disagree on which one is a small g and which is a capital G, so leaving them out keeps every word safe.

Also check how many digits your calculator can show, because many basic ones stop at eight.

Example with ZOE: the letters give 2, 0, and 3. Reversed, that is 302, so you type 302 and turn the calculator upside down.

Example with HELLO: the letters give 4, 3, 7, 7, and 0. Reversed, that is 07734, so you type 0.7734.

Try the Upside Down Word Maker

Sweet Words You Can Spell

Names with letters such as A, M, R, or N cannot be spelled, so test a name in the word maker before you plan a surprise.

Love Words That Cannot Be Spelled

Why Do Phone Calculators Often Not Work?

The trick was made for seven-segment displays. Phone calculators draw digits in a normal font, so the shapes look less like letters when turned upside down. A basic handheld calculator works best. The codes such as 143 still work on any screen, because they are read right side up.

If you want a playful score instead of a code, try our free love calculator. The FLAMES Love Calculator gives a word result, and the Love Meter gives an instant reading. Like number tricks? See the paper method for love percentage, which scores two names by hand.