H-bar in LaTeX

The LaTeX command for hbar Planck (ℏ) is \hbar (reduced Planck constant).

\hbar

Physics · Unicode ℏ (U+210F) · no package needed

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Which command should you use?

Command	Package	Use it when
`\hbar` recommended	none	Reduced Planck constant, h divided by 2 pi.
`\hslash`	`amssymb`	Variant with a slanted stroke.
`\frac{h}{2\pi}`	none	Written out in full.

Table 1. Ways to write hbar Planck in LaTeX. Every line was compiled with pdfLaTeX (TeX Live 2026) loading only the package shown.

Common mistake. \bar{h} puts a bar above the letter instead of across its stem; use \hbar.

How to type H-bar

Write \hbar inside math mode, that is between $…$ for inline math or in a \[ … \] or equation block for display math. It is part of core LaTeX math, so no extra package is required.

Example

$E = \hbar \omega$

E = \hbar \omega

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FAQ

How do you write hbar Planck (ℏ) in LaTeX?

Use \hbar in math mode; it needs no extra package. For example, $E = \hbar \omega$.

Which package provides \hbar?

None: \hbar is built into LaTeX, so no extra package is required.

What is the most common mistake with hbar Planck in LaTeX?

\bar{h} puts a bar above the letter instead of across its stem; use \hbar.