Arrow Symbols Table
| Symbol | Unicode name | Code point | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| → | Rightwards arrow | U+2192 | Flow, sequence, breadcrumbs |
| ← | Leftwards arrow | U+2190 | Back, reply, undo markers |
| ↑ | Upwards arrow | U+2191 | Increase, upload, ranking |
| ↓ | Downwards arrow | U+2193 | Decrease, download, ranking |
| ↔ | Left right arrow | U+2194 | Exchange, resizable, correspondence |
| ↕ | Up down arrow | U+2195 | Vertical resize, both ways |
| ↘ | North west arrow | U+2196 | Trend up-left, external link (rotated use) |
| ↙ | North east arrow | U+2197 | Trend up-right, external link |
| ⇒ | Rightwards double arrow | U+21D2 | Logical implication (implies) |
| ⇔ | Left right double arrow | U+21D4 | If and only if, equivalence |
| ↦ | Rightwards arrow from bar | U+21A6 | Maps-to in function definitions |
| ⇌ | Rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoon | U+21CC | Chemical equilibrium |
| ↩ | Leftwards arrow with hook | U+21A9 | Reply, return in email and UIs |
| ➞ | Heavy wide-headed rightwards arrow | U+2794 | Buttons and slides (Dingbats block) |
Arrows are the quiet workhorses of text: the right arrow → points through instructions and breadcrumbs, the double arrow ⇒ carries logical implication in mathematics, the left-right pair ↔ marks correspondence and chemical equilibrium, and every one of them is a Unicode character with an official name and code point - not an emoji, not an image, but a first-class text glyph that has been in the standard since the earliest blocks (the Arrows range U+2190-U+21FF).
The table separates the two families people constantly confuse: the simple stroke arrows (→ U+2192, ← U+2190, ↑ U+2191, ↓ U+2193) that flow inside sentences and UIs, and the double-stroke arrows (⇒ U+21D2, ⇔ U+21D4) that mathematics and formal logic reserve for implication and equivalence - plus the fat decorative set (➔ U+2794) from the Dingbats block that presentation software loves. Same direction, different job, different block - and the code point is the only reliable way to tell them apart when a font renders them alike.
How to use
- Pick the arrow by its job, not its look: → for flow and sequence in writing and menus, ⇒ for therefore-implication in notes and math, ↔ for mutual or reversible relationships, ↑↓ for order and ranking, ↩ for the reply or return marker, ⤴ for the trend-up callout. The name column gives each glyph its official Unicode identity, which is what you search for when the shape is hard to type.
- Type them without hunting menus: on Windows, Alt+26 gives → and Alt+27 gives ← on the numeric keypad; on Mac the character viewer (Ctrl+Cmd+Space) groups them under Arrows; in HTML the code point works directly (→ for →). In plain text workflows the table's code points are copy-paste safe - search U+2192 and you get the true arrow, not a lookalike.
- Watch the emoji trap: some fonts and platforms render ↘ or ➔ variants as colored emoji (Arrow_right with a variation selector), which breaks monospace alignment and prints differently. If a document needs text-styled arrows, paste the base code point without the VS16 emoji selector - the table lists the plain text forms, which is what code, terminals and print stylesheets expect.
Frequently asked questions
What is the right arrow symbol called?
The basic one is RIGHTWARDS ARROW, U+2192 - the 15th character of Unicode's Arrows block, which runs from U+2190 to U+21FF and covers hundreds of directional glyphs. Its left, up and down siblings are U+2190, U+2191 and U+2193, and the four are the arrows that text editors, breadcrumbs and chemical equations actually use. The double-stroke ⇒ is a different character entirely: RIGHTWARDS DOUBLE ARROW, U+21D2, the implication sign.
What does the ⇒ double arrow mean?
In mathematics and formal logic, ⇒ (U+21D2) reads as implies: A ⇒ B means A being true forces B to be true, while the double-ended ⇔ (U+21D4, U+21D4 LEFT RIGHT DOUBLE ARROW) reads as if and only if. Outside math the same glyphs appear as a heavier therefore-arrow in slides and notes. The distinction from → matters: → in logic often marks a function or mapping, so the stroke count is doing semantic work, not decoration.
How do I type an arrow on my keyboard?
Windows: hold Alt and type 26 on the numeric keypad for → (27 for ←, 24 for ↑, 25 for ↓). Mac: Ctrl+Cmd+Space opens the character viewer's arrow section. Phones: long-press the hyphen or use the emoji picker's arrow section. HTML and Markdown accept the code points directly - → or the literal character. The table's code-point column is the portable route that works in every input method.
Why do some arrows show as emoji on my phone?
Certain arrow characters have emoji presentations - if the text carries a VS16 variation selector (or the platform defaults to emoji for that code point), → renders as a colored emoji arrow instead of a text glyph. The fix for plain-text contexts is the unselected base character, which is what the table records; the fix for deliberate emoji styling is appending U+FE0F. Alignment-sensitive layouts (code, terminals, tables) should always take the text form.
What is the difference between → and ➔?
Block and job: → (U+2192) lives in the Arrows block and is a text glyph that flows inside sentences, equations and interfaces; ➔ (U+2794, HEAVY WIDE-HEADED RIGHTWARDS ARROW) lives in the Dingbats block and is a display arrow meant for buttons, slides and decorative lists - fatter, biased toward emoji rendering, and unwelcome in monospace text. The table carries both families with their code points so documents can pick deliberately.
Which arrows do math and chemistry actually use?
Mathematics leans on ⇒ (implies), ⇔ (equivalence), ↦ (U+21A6, maps-to, with its bar marking function arguments) and → for sequences and limits. Chemistry uses ⇌ (U+21CC, two harpoons, the equilibrium arrow that plain ⇔ cannot replace), → for yields in reaction equations, and ↑↓ beside formulas for gas evolution and precipitation. The rest of the block - curved, harpoon, diagonals - is typography and diagramming territory.