SymbolHub

Enter Key Symbol (⏎)

The enter key symbol ⏎ is Unicode U+23CE, the symbol for the Enter or Return key that submits commands and starts a new line of text. Press Copy to put it on your clipboard.

Unicode
U+23CE
HTML
⏎
Word
23CE Alt+X

How to type the enter key 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 23CE and press Alt + X. Alt + X converts the hex code before the cursor into the character, and back again.
  2. Press Win + R, type charmap and press Enter. Tick “Advanced view”, search for Return Symbol, then Select and Copy. Character Map is built into every version of Windows.

Mac

  1. Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search for return and double-click it.
  2. With the Unicode Hex Input keyboard enabled (System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources), hold Option and type 23CE.

Linux & ChromeOS

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 23ce, then press Enter or Space. Works in GTK and IBus apps (GNOME, Firefox, Chrome, LibreOffice) and on ChromeOS.

iPhone & iPad

  1. Copy ⏎ from this page, then go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement and add it with a shortcut such as ;ente. The shortcut then turns into the symbol as you type, in every app.

Android

  1. Copy ⏎ here, then open Gboard settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary and add it with a shortcut.

Microsoft Word

  1. Type 23CE, then press Alt + X.
  2. Insert → Symbol → More Symbols. Set “from” to Unicode (hex), type 23CE in “Character code” and click Insert.

Google Docs

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

Excel & Google Sheets

  1. Enter =UNICHAR(9166) in a cell. It works in Excel 2013 and later and in Google Sheets.

HTML

  1. Write ⏎ or ⏎ in your HTML.

What does ⏎ mean?

The ⏎ symbol, catalogued in Unicode as RETURN SYMBOL (U+23CE), represents the Enter or Return key on computer keyboards and hardware interfaces. The glyph illustrates an arrow pointing downward and then sweeping leftward, visualising the classic "carriage return and line feed" action of mechanical typewriters, which dropped the paper down one line and slid the typing platen back to the left margin. In modern computing, pressing Enter executes entered command lines, submits web form entries, and breaks paragraphs in word processors. You can compare it with the tab key symbol ⇥ and backspace symbol ⌫ across our guides to keyboard symbols and mac keyboard symbols.

Common uses

  • Submitting data: sending messages in chat clients and submitting forms in web browsers
  • Paragraph formatting: creating a hard line break or new paragraph in word processors and code editors
  • Command execution: running terminal scripts and shell instructions in command-line environments
  • Spreadsheet calculations: confirming entered formulas and advancing down to the next row

Enter Key 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+23CE
HTML decimal⏎
HTML hex⏎
CSS contentcontent: "\23CE";
JavaScript"\u23CE"
Python"\u23CE"
Python (by name)"\N{RETURN SYMBOL}"
Java / C#"\u23CE"
UTF-8 bytesE2 8F 8E
UTF-1623CE
URL encoded%E2%8F%8E

⏎ 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
Leftwards Arrow with Hook
U+21A9		Leftwards arrow with hook, a common visual variation used on Apple Return keys.
Downwards Arrow with Corner Leftwards
U+21B5		Downwards arrow with corner leftwards, another return symbol variant often used in mathematics and text.
Erase to The Left
U+232B		Backspace symbol (erase to the left), which features a backward arrow inside an outlined keycap.

Symbols similar to ⏎

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

⏎ character properties

Official Unicode name
RETURN SYMBOL
Also known as
return symbol, enter symbol, carriage return, return key, new line symbol
Code point
U+23CE
Unicode block
Miscellaneous Technical (U+2300–U+23FF)
General category
Other symbol (So)
Added in
Unicode 3.2 (2002)
Plane
Basic Multilingual Plane (0)
Emoji
No, it is a text symbol

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Enter and Return?

Historically, Return moved the typewriter carriage back to the left margin, while Enter confirmed numeric data entry on numeric keypads. On modern computer keyboards, the main keyboard key is often called Return on Mac and Enter on Windows, performing identical duties.

How do I insert a line break without sending a message in chat apps?

In applications like Slack, Discord, or WhatsApp Web, press Shift + Enter to insert a soft newline without triggering the message submission.

Is there an alt code for the enter key 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 23CE then Alt + X in Word, or find it in Character Map.

How do I type the enter key 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 “return” and double-click it, or copy it from this page.

What is the HTML code for the enter key 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 enter key symbol?

⏎ is U+23CE, officially named RETURN SYMBOL, in the Miscellaneous Technical block. It has been part of Unicode since version 3.2 (2002).