Leftwards Arrow
U+2190Arrows
Also known as left-pointing arrowleft arrow
Copy and paste ←. The Leftwards Arrow character has Unicode code point U+2190 and decimal HTML code ←.
Symbol codes
- Unicode
U+2190- Alt Code
Alt+27- HTML Code
←- CSS Code
\2190- HTML Entity
←- HEX Code
←
Technical properties
Unicode 18.0.0
- Code point
- U+2190
- Decimal
- 8592
- Unicode name
- LEFTWARDS ARROW
- Block
- Arrows · U+2190–U+21FF
- General category
- Math Symbol (Sm)
- Script
- Common
- Introduced
- Unicode 1.1
- JavaScript
- "\u2190"
Appears in
About Leftwards Arrow
← is encoded in Unicode as code point U+2190 (decimal 8592). Its official Unicode name is LEFTWARDS ARROW.
It belongs to the Arrows block (U+2190–U+21FF), its General Category is Math Symbol (Sm), and it was added in Unicode 1.1, released in 1993. Its script value is Common: it is shared across writing systems rather than belonging to one.
Sources: Unicode Character Database 18.0.0, the HTML Standard’s list of named character references, and Unicode’s code page mappings.
How to type or insert Leftwards Arrow
- Any device
- Select Copy symbol, then paste with Ctrl+V, or ⌘+V on a Mac.
- Windows Alt code
- With Num Lock on, hold Alt, type 27 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt.
- Microsoft Word
- Type
2190, then press Alt+X. - macOS Character Viewer
- Press Control+⌘+Space and search for “leftwards arrow”.
- Linux (GTK and IBus)
- Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type
2190, then press Space. - HTML
←or←. In a UTF-8 page you can also paste the character itself.- CSS
content: "\2190";in a::beforeor::afterrule.- JavaScript
"\u2190"
Common questions about Leftwards Arrow
What is the Leftwards Arrow symbol?
← (Leftwards Arrow) is a math symbol in Unicode’s Arrows block. Its code point is U+2190, and it has been part of the standard since Unicode 1.1 (1993). It is also known as left-pointing arrow and left arrow.
How do I copy and paste the Leftwards Arrow symbol?
Select Copy symbol at the top of this page, then paste with Ctrl+V on Windows and Linux or ⌘+V on a Mac. On a phone, tap Copy symbol, then touch and hold where you want it and choose Paste. ← pastes as ordinary text, so it works in documents, messages, and code.
How do I type the Leftwards Arrow symbol on Windows?
Turn on Num Lock, hold Alt, type 27 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. In Microsoft Word, type 2190 and press Alt+X to turn the code into ←. In any app, open Character Map from the Start menu, search for “leftwards arrow”, then select and copy the character.
How do I type the Leftwards Arrow symbol on a Mac?
Press Control+⌘+Space to open the Character Viewer, search for “leftwards arrow”, and double-click the result to insert it.
How do I type the Leftwards Arrow symbol on an iPhone or Android phone?
The simplest way is to copy it from this page and paste it where you need it. If you use it often, save it as a text shortcut: on iPhone, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement; with Gboard on Android, go to Gboard settings > Dictionary > Personal dictionary.
Can I use the Leftwards Arrow symbol in Word, Google Docs, and social media?
Yes. ← is a standard Unicode character, so you can paste it into Microsoft Word, Google Docs, emails, and posts or bios on Instagram, X, Facebook, and TikTok. In Google Docs you can also choose Insert > Special characters and search for “leftwards arrow”. In Word, choose Insert > Symbol > More Symbols, set from to Unicode (hex), and enter 2190 as the character code.
Is the Leftwards Arrow symbol an emoji?
No. ← is a text symbol, not an emoji. It takes the color and size of the surrounding text, and its exact shape depends on the font.
Why does the Leftwards Arrow symbol show as a box or question mark?
An empty box or a question mark means the font on that device has no glyph for ←. The character is still there: it appears correctly wherever a font covers Unicode’s Arrows block, and free font families such as Google Noto cover nearly all of Unicode.
What are the HTML and CSS codes for the Leftwards Arrow symbol?
In HTML, write ← (decimal) or ← (hexadecimal), or the named entity ←. In CSS, use content: "\2190"; in a ::before or ::after rule, and in JavaScript "\u2190". See all HTML codes.