Braille Blank (⠀)
The braille blank ⠀ is Unicode U+2800, an empty Braille cell character representing blank space in tactile writing, also popular for creating invisible text online. Press Copy to put it on your clipboard.
- Unicode
U+2800- HTML
⠀- Word
2800 Alt+X
How to type the braille blank (⠀)
The quickest way is to press Copy above and paste. To type ⠀ yourself, use the method for your device below.
Windows
- In Word or Outlook, type 2800 and press Alt + X. Alt + X converts the hex code before the cursor into the character, and back again.
- Press Win + R, type charmap and press Enter. Tick “Advanced view”, search for Braille Pattern Blank, then Select and Copy. Character Map is built into every version of Windows.
Mac
- Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search for braille blank and double-click it.
- With the Unicode Hex Input keyboard enabled (System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources), hold Option and type 2800.
Linux & ChromeOS
- Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 2800, then press Enter or Space. Works in GTK and IBus apps (GNOME, Firefox, Chrome, LibreOffice) and on ChromeOS.
iPhone & iPad
- Copy ⠀ from this page, then go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement and add it with a shortcut such as ;brai. The shortcut then turns into the symbol as you type, in every app.
Android
- Copy ⠀ here, then open Gboard settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary and add it with a shortcut.
Microsoft Word
- Type 2800, then press Alt + X.
- Insert → Symbol → More Symbols. Set “from” to Unicode (hex), type 2800 in “Character code” and click Insert.
Google Docs
- Insert → Special characters, then search for “braille blank” or draw it in the box.
Excel & Google Sheets
- Enter
=UNICHAR(10240)in a cell. It works in Excel 2013 and later and in Google Sheets.
HTML
- Write
⠀or⠀in your HTML.
What does ⠀ mean?
The Braille blank (Unicode name BRAILLE PATTERN BLANK, code point U+2800) is the first character in the Unicode Braille Patterns block, representing a standard 6-dot or 8-dot Braille cell in which none of the raised tactile dots are active. In tactile reading systems designed for blind and visually impaired individuals, the character serves as the exact spatial equivalent of a word space, reserving the width of a Braille cell so that fingertips can discern word boundaries on embossed paper or refreshable Braille displays. In modern online culture, U+2800 is widely adopted across social media, gaming profiles, and forums because, like the Hangul filler, it bypasses whitespace filtering to enable blank profile names, multi-line paragraph spacing, and formatting in complex text art. It forms an essential bridge between Braille symbols and digital space characters.
Common uses
- Representing empty cell word boundaries in tactile embossed Braille literature
- Creating blank usernames and invisible bios on Instagram, Discord, and Twitter/X
- Formatting multi-line spacing on social platforms that automatically collapse empty lines
- Constructing detailed Braille and ASCII art text graphics without breaking row alignments
Braille Blank 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 point | U+2800 | |
|---|---|---|
| HTML decimal | ⠀ | |
| HTML hex | ⠀ | |
| CSS content | content: "\2800"; | |
| JavaScript | "\u2800" | |
| Python | "\u2800" | |
| Python (by name) | "\N{BRAILLE PATTERN BLANK}" | |
| Java / C# | "\u2800" | |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 A0 80 | |
| UTF-16 | 2800 | |
| URL encoded | %E2%A0%80 |
⠀ 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.
| Char | Name | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
Hangul FillerU+3164 | Hangul filler (U+3164), an invisible Korean alphabetic placeholder glyph. | |
Em SpaceU+2003 | Em space (U+2003), a wide typographic space character. | |
SpaceU+0020 | Standard ASCII space (U+0020), which collapses in web browsers and gets stripped in form inputs. |
Symbols similar to ⠀
Click to copy, or open a symbol for its codes. See the full unicode space characters collection.
⠀ character properties
- Official Unicode name
- BRAILLE PATTERN BLANK
- Also known as
- Braille pattern blank, blank braille symbol, invisible braille character, empty braille cell, blank braille space
- Code point
- U+2800
- Unicode block
- Braille Patterns (U+2800–U+28FF)
- General category
- Other symbol (So)
- Added in
- Unicode 3.0 (1999)
- Plane
- Basic Multilingual Plane (0)
- Emoji
- No, it is a text symbol
Frequently asked questions
What is the purpose of U+2800 in Braille?
It represents a blank Braille cell where no tactile dots are raised, functioning as a word separator in embossed Braille documents and refreshable displays.
Why do people use the Braille blank on social media?
Social networks often delete empty lines or block standard spaces in names. Because U+2800 is a distinct Braille symbol, algorithms treat it as valid text while it appears completely blank on screen.
How wide is a Braille blank?
Its width depends on the active font, but it generally matches the fixed cell width of all other characters in the Braille Patterns block (U+2800 to U+28FF).
Is there an alt code for the braille blank?
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 2800 then Alt + X in Word, or find it in Character Map.
How do I type the braille blank 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 “braille blank” and double-click it, or copy it from this page.
What is the HTML code for the braille blank?
⠀ 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 braille blank?
⠀ is U+2800, officially named BRAILLE PATTERN BLANK, in the Braille Patterns block. It has been part of Unicode since version 3.0 (1999).