SymbolHub

Biohazard Symbol (☣)

The biohazard symbol ☣ is Unicode U+2623, the biological hazard sign. Press Copy to put it on your clipboard.

Unicode
U+2623
HTML
☣
Word
2623 Alt+X

How to type the biohazard symbol (☣)

The quickest way is to press Copy above and paste. To type ☣ yourself, use the method for your device below.

Windows

  1. In Word or Outlook, type 2623 and press Alt + X. Alt + X converts the hex code before the cursor into the character, and back again.
  2. Press Win + . to open the emoji panel, then search for “biohazard”.

Mac

  1. Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search for biohazard and double-click it.
  2. With the Unicode Hex Input keyboard enabled (System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources), hold Option and type 2623.

Linux & ChromeOS

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 2623, then press Enter or Space. Works in GTK and IBus apps (GNOME, Firefox, Chrome, LibreOffice) and on ChromeOS.

iPhone & iPad

  1. Open the emoji keyboard and search for “biohazard” to insert ☣️, the colour emoji. For the plain text ☣, copy it from this page.
  2. Copy ☣ from this page, then go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement and add it with a shortcut such as ;bioh. The shortcut then turns into the symbol as you type, in every app.

Android

  1. In Gboard, tap the emoji key and search for “biohazard” to insert ☣️. For the plain text ☣, copy it from this page.
  2. Copy ☣ here, then open Gboard settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary and add it with a shortcut.

Microsoft Word

  1. Type 2623, then press Alt + X.
  2. Insert → Symbol → More Symbols. Set “from” to Unicode (hex), type 2623 in “Character code” and click Insert.

Google Docs

  1. Insert → Special characters, then search for “biohazard” or draw it in the box.

Excel & Google Sheets

  1. Enter =UNICHAR(9763) in a cell. It works in Excel 2013 and later and in Google Sheets.

HTML

  1. Write ☣ or ☣ in your HTML.

What does ☣ mean?

☣ is the biohazard symbol, which warns of infectious material such as medical waste, blood samples or dangerous micro-organisms. It was developed in 1966 by Charles Baldwin and colleagues at Dow Chemical, who wanted a shape that was striking, symmetrical and not already associated with anything else. Laboratories and hospitals use it on containers and doors, and online it often marks something as dangerous or disgusting.

Common uses

  • Lab safety signs and sharps-bin labels
  • Writing about viruses, pandemics or medical waste

Biohazard Symbol codes for HTML, CSS and programming

Every code below produces ☣. Use the HTML entity in web pages, the CSS escape in content, and the escape sequence in source code.

Unicode code pointU+2623
HTML decimal☣
HTML hex☣
CSS contentcontent: "\2623";
JavaScript"\u2623"
Python"\u2623"
Python (by name)"\N{BIOHAZARD SIGN}"
Java / C#"\u2623"
UTF-8 bytesE2 98 A3
UTF-162623
URL encoded%E2%98%A3

☣ vs look-alike characters

These characters look similar to ☣ but have a different meaning and code. Pasting the wrong one can break search, sorting and screen readers.

CharNameWhen to use it
Radioactive
U+2622		Radioactive sign, for radiation hazards.
Microbe
U+1F9A0		Microbe emoji, a picture of a germ rather than a warning sign.

Symbols similar to ☣

Click to copy, or open a symbol for its codes. See the full cool symbols collection.

☣ character properties

Official Unicode name
BIOHAZARD SIGN
Also known as
biological hazard sign, biohazard sign
Code point
U+2623
Unicode block
Miscellaneous Symbols (U+2600–U+26FF)
General category
Other symbol (So)
Added in
Unicode 1.1 (1993)
Plane
Basic Multilingual Plane (0)
Emoji
Has an emoji form: ☣️ (add U+FE0F)

Frequently asked questions

Who created the biohazard symbol?

It was designed in 1966 by engineer Charles Baldwin and a team at Dow Chemical, and it was then adopted by US health authorities and later worldwide.

Is there an alt code for the biohazard symbol?

No. ☣ is outside the Windows-1252 and code page 437 character sets, so no Alt + number code produces it. Copy it from this page, type 2623 then Alt + X in Word, or find it in Character Map.

How do I type the biohazard symbol on a Mac?

There is no single Option shortcut for ☣ on the US layout. Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search for “biohazard” and double-click it, or copy it from this page.

What is the HTML code for the biohazard symbol?

☣ has no named HTML entity. Use the numeric reference ☣ or ☣, or paste the character directly into a UTF-8 page.

What is the Unicode for the biohazard symbol?

☣ is U+2623, officially named BIOHAZARD SIGN, in the Miscellaneous Symbols block. It has been part of Unicode since version 1.1 (1993).