SymbolHub

Return Symbol (↵)

The return symbol ↵ is Unicode U+21B5, the Enter key arrow. Press Copy to put it on your clipboard.

Unicode
U+21B5
HTML
↵
Word
21B5 Alt+X

How to type the return 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 21B5 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 Downwards Arrow with Corner Leftwards, 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 downwards arrow with corner leftwards and double-click it.
  2. With the Unicode Hex Input keyboard enabled (System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources), hold Option and type 21B5.

Linux & ChromeOS

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 21b5, 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 ;retu. 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 21B5, then press Alt + X.
  2. Insert → Symbol → More Symbols. Set “from” to Unicode (hex), type 21B5 in “Character code” and click Insert.

Google Docs

  1. Insert → Special characters, then search for “downwards arrow with corner leftwards” or draw it in the box.

Excel & Google Sheets

  1. Enter =UNICHAR(8629) 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 symbol printed on many Enter keys and used in text to mean “press Enter” or a line break. Its HTML name is ↵, short for carriage return, the typewriter action it recalls. Keyboard shortcut guides often write it after a command, as in “type ls ↵”. For the Mac Return key, Apple uses ↩ instead.

Common uses

  • Tutorials: “Type the command and press ↵”
  • Search boxes: “Press ↵ to search”
  • Showing hidden line breaks in text editors

Return 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+21B5
HTML entity (named)↵
HTML decimal↵
HTML hex↵
CSS contentcontent: "\21B5";
JavaScript"\u21B5"
Python"\u21B5"
Python (by name)"\N{DOWNWARDS ARROW WITH CORNER LEFTWARDS}"
Java / C#"\u21B5"
UTF-8 bytesE2 86 B5
UTF-1621B5
URL encoded%E2%86%B5

↵ 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
Return Symbol
U+23CE		Return symbol (U+23CE), another common Enter key glyph.
Leftwards Arrow with Hook
U+21A9		Leftwards arrow with hook, the Mac Return key symbol.

Symbols similar to ↵

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

↵ character properties

Official Unicode name
DOWNWARDS ARROW WITH CORNER LEFTWARDS
Also known as
enter symbol, carriage return arrow, downwards arrow with corner leftwards
Code point
U+21B5
Unicode block
Arrows (U+2190–U+21FF)
General category
Other symbol (So)
Added in
Unicode 1.1 (1993)
Plane
Basic Multilingual Plane (0)
Emoji
No, it is a text symbol

Frequently asked questions

What is the Enter key symbol?

Most PC keyboards show ↵ or ⏎. Both are available on this site; ↵ has the HTML entity ↵.

Is there an alt code for the return 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 21B5 then Alt + X in Word, or find it in Character Map.

How do I type the return 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 “downwards arrow with corner leftwards” and double-click it, or copy it from this page.

What is the HTML code for the return symbol?

Use the named entity ↵ or the numeric reference ↵ (hex ↵). All three display ↵ in every browser.

What is the Unicode for the return symbol?

↵ is U+21B5, officially named DOWNWARDS ARROW WITH CORNER LEFTWARDS, in the Arrows block. It has been part of Unicode since version 1.1 (1993).