SymbolHub

Writing Hand Symbol (✍)

The writing hand symbol ✍ is Unicode U+270D, the hand holding a pen or pencil used for writing, signing, and author bylines. Press Copy to put it on your clipboard.

Unicode
U+270D
HTML
✍
Word
270D Alt+X

How to type the writing hand 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 270D 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 “writing hand”.

Mac

  1. Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search for writing hand and double-click it.
  2. With the Unicode Hex Input keyboard enabled (System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources), hold Option and type 270D.

Linux & ChromeOS

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 270d, 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 “writing hand” 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 ;writ. The shortcut then turns into the symbol as you type, in every app.

Android

  1. In Gboard, tap the emoji key and search for “writing hand” 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 270D, then press Alt + X.
  2. Insert → Symbol → More Symbols. Set “from” to Unicode (hex), type 270D in “Character code” and click Insert.

Google Docs

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

Excel & Google Sheets

  1. Enter =UNICHAR(9997) 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 writing hand symbol ✍ (Unicode name WRITING HAND) depicts a right hand grasping a pen or pencil in the act of writing across a surface. Encoded in Unicode 1.1 at code point U+270D from the legacy Zapf Dingbats font set, it has long served as a shorthand graphic for writing, composition, author credit, and document signing.

In modern publishing and digital interfaces, ✍ regularly marks author bylines, newsletter headers, editorial commentary, and guest columns. It is also used on legal websites and digital forms to indicate signature fields (“sign here”), note-taking features, and collaborative drafts. In casual messaging, people send ✍ to show they are taking notes, preparing a response, or studying diligently.

Common uses

  • Author bylines and editorial credits: ✍ Written by Jane Doe
  • Signature line indicators on printable agreements and contracts
  • Note-taking prompts, checklists, and revision summaries
  • Status messages signifying active drafting: “Working on chapter 4 ✍”

Writing Hand 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+270D
HTML decimal✍
HTML hex✍
CSS contentcontent: "\270D";
JavaScript"\u270D"
Python"\u270D"
Python (by name)"\N{WRITING HAND}"
Java / C#"\u270D"
UTF-8 bytesE2 9C 8D
UTF-16270D
URL encoded%E2%9C%8D

✍ 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
Writing hand
U+270D U+FE0F		The emoji form of writing hand, rendered in color.
Pencil
U+270F U+FE0F		Pencil symbol, representing editing or drafting without the hand.
Memo
U+1F4DD		Memo emoji, depicting a pad of paper and pencil.
Nib
U+2712 U+FE0F		Black nib emoji, representing formal calligraphy and journalism.

Symbols similar to ✍

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

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✍ character properties

Official Unicode name
WRITING HAND
Also known as
hand with pen, writing symbol, author symbol, signing hand
Code point
U+270D
Unicode block
Dingbats (U+2700–U+27BF)
General category
Other symbol (So)
Added in
Unicode 1.1 (1993)
Plane
Basic Multilingual Plane (0)
Emoji
Has an emoji form: ✍️ (add U+FE0F)

Frequently asked questions

How do I type ✍ on my keyboard?

In Microsoft Word, type 270D and press Alt + X. On mobile phones, search for "writing" in the emoji picker or copy it from this page.

What does ✍ mean in social media bios?

It typically signifies that the person is an author, writer, poet, copywriter, or journalist.

Is there an alt code for the writing hand 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 270D then Alt + X in Word, or find it in Character Map.

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

What is the HTML code for the writing hand 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 writing hand symbol?

✍ is U+270D, officially named WRITING HAND, in the Dingbats block. It has been part of Unicode since version 1.1 (1993).