Tab Key Symbol (⇥)

Q: What is the HTML code for the tab key symbol?

Use the named entity &rarrb; or the numeric reference ⇥ (hex ⇥). All three display ⇥ in every browser.

The tab key symbol ⇥ is Unicode U+21E5, the keyboard symbol representing the Tab key used for indentation and interface navigation. Press Copy to put it on your clipboard.

Unicode: U+21E5
HTML: &rarrb;
Word: 21E5 Alt+X

How to type the tab key symbol (⇥)

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 21E5 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 Rightwards Arrow to Bar, 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 tab and double-click it.
With the Unicode Hex Input keyboard enabled (System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources), hold Option and type 21E5.

Linux & ChromeOS

Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 21e5, 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 ;tab. 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 21E5, then press Alt + X.
Insert → Symbol → More Symbols. Set “from” to Unicode (hex), type 21E5 in “Character code” and click Insert.

Google Docs

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

Excel & Google Sheets

Enter =UNICHAR(8677) in a cell. It works in Excel 2013 and later and in Google Sheets.

HTML

Write &rarrb; or ⇥ in your HTML.

What does ⇥ mean?

The ⇥ symbol, officially named RIGHTWARDS ARROW TO BAR in Unicode (U+21E5), denotes the Tab (tabulator) key on computer keyboards. The icon depicts a forward arrow stopping against a vertical barrier, mirroring the mechanical typewriter tabulator mechanism that advanced the typing carriage to a predetermined stop or column. In modern software, Tab advances text indentation in code editors, navigates between interactive form controls on the web, and autocompletes commands in developer command-line interfaces.

Typists can pair Tab with the shift key symbol ⇧ to navigate backward through forms, or explore related editing controls like the enter key symbol ⏎ and backspace symbol ⌫ in our keyboard symbols collection.

Common uses

Web navigation: pressing Tab moves keyboard focus between links, input fields, and buttons on web pages
Coding indentation: inserting standard indentation stops (typically two or four spaces) in code editors
Shell command completion: pressing Tab in Bash, Zsh, or PowerShell autocompletes filenames and commands
Spreadsheet navigation: moving the active cell selection to the next column on the right

Tab 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.

Codes for ⇥
Unicode code point	`U+21E5`
HTML entity (named)	`&rarrb;`
HTML decimal	`⇥`
HTML hex	`⇥`
CSS content	`content: "\21E5";`
JavaScript	`"\u21E5"`
Python	`"\u21E5"`
Python (by name)	`"\N{RIGHTWARDS ARROW TO BAR}"`
Java / C#	`"\u21E5"`
UTF-8 bytes	`E2 87 A5`
UTF-16	`21E5`
URL encoded	`%E2%87%A5`

⇥ 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
	Leftwards Arrow to Bar `U+21E4`	Leftwards arrow to bar, representing back-tabbing (Shift + Tab).
	Rightwards Arrow `U+2192`	Rightwards arrow, a generic directional arrow without a stopping bar.
	South East Arrow to Corner `U+21F2`	South east arrow to corner, used on keyboards for the End key.

Symbols similar to ⇥

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

⇥ character properties

Official Unicode name: RIGHTWARDS ARROW TO BAR
Also known as: tab symbol, tabulator symbol, rightwards arrow to bar, horizontal tab, indent key
Code point: U+21E5
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 did "Tab" originally stand for?

"Tab" is short for "tabulator", a feature invented for mechanical typewriters that allowed typists to jump directly to preset columns when creating financial tables and ledgers without repeatedly tapping the space bar.

How do I reverse tab navigation in a web browser?

Press Shift + Tab (symbolised as ⇤). This reverses the direction of keyboard focus, shifting the highlight back to the previous input field or button.

Is there an alt code for the tab 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 21E5 then Alt + X in Word, or find it in Character Map.

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

What is the HTML code for the tab key symbol?

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

What is the Unicode for the tab key symbol?

⇥ is U+21E5, officially named RIGHTWARDS ARROW TO BAR, in the Arrows block. It has been part of Unicode since version 1.1 (1993).