SymbolHub

Scales Symbol (⚖)

The scales symbol ⚖ is Unicode U+2696, the balance scale of justice and law. Press Copy to put it on your clipboard.

Unicode
U+2696
HTML
⚖
Word
2696 Alt+X

How to type the scales 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 2696 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 “balance scale”.

Mac

  1. Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search for balance scale and double-click it.
  2. With the Unicode Hex Input keyboard enabled (System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources), hold Option and type 2696.

Linux & ChromeOS

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 2696, 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 “balance scale” 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 ;scal. The shortcut then turns into the symbol as you type, in every app.

Android

  1. In Gboard, tap the emoji key and search for “balance scale” 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 2696, then press Alt + X.
  2. Insert → Symbol → More Symbols. Set “from” to Unicode (hex), type 2696 in “Character code” and click Insert.

Google Docs

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

Excel & Google Sheets

  1. Enter =UNICHAR(9878) 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 a balance scale, the traditional emblem of justice. Lady Justice holds one to show that evidence is weighed fairly, so the symbol marks law firms, courts and legal topics. It can also mean weighing up options or comparing two things, and it echoes the scales of the zodiac sign Libra ♎.

Common uses

  • Law firm names and legal articles
  • Comparisons: Option A ⚖ Option B
  • Libra horoscopes

Scales 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+2696
HTML decimal⚖
HTML hex⚖
CSS contentcontent: "\2696";
JavaScript"\u2696"
Python"\u2696"
Python (by name)"\N{SCALES}"
Java / C#"\u2696"
UTF-8 bytesE2 9A 96
UTF-162696
URL encoded%E2%9A%96

⚖ 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
Libra
U+264E		Libra, the zodiac sign whose emblem is the scales.
Balance scale
U+2696 U+FE0F		The emoji form of the same character.

Symbols similar to ⚖

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

⚖ character properties

Official Unicode name
SCALES
Also known as
balance scale, scales of justice, justice symbol
Code point
U+2696
Unicode block
Miscellaneous Symbols (U+2600–U+26FF)
General category
Other symbol (So)
Added in
Unicode 4.1 (2005)
Plane
Basic Multilingual Plane (0)
Emoji
Has an emoji form: ⚖️ (add U+FE0F)

Frequently asked questions

What does ⚖ mean?

It is a balance scale, the symbol of justice and law, and more generally of weighing or balancing two sides.

Is there an alt code for the scales 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 2696 then Alt + X in Word, or find it in Character Map.

How do I type the scales 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 “balance scale” and double-click it, or copy it from this page.

What is the HTML code for the scales 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 scales symbol?

⚖ is U+2696, officially named SCALES, in the Miscellaneous Symbols block. It has been part of Unicode since version 4.1 (2005).