Leftwards Arrow ←

← (U+2190) is a standard Unicode character that you can copy and paste anywhere text is accepted. This page provides a concise reference with safe tips, internal links, and practical guidance so you can use it reliably across apps and platforms.

What it is and where it’s used: Leftwards Arrow is part of the Symbols family (block: Arrows). If you need styled or decorative alternatives, try our Fancy Text tool to generate compatible text that works in most modern interfaces.

History & usage: LEFTWARDS ARROW depicts a leftward direction. Arrows commonly indicate direction and navigation cues in interfaces and documents. Use it as a back action in apps and websites to return to the previous screen. Use it to show the previous step in a multistep workflow or form. Use it in diagrams to indicate movement or history toward an earlier state. For accessibility, provide alt text or aria labels and ensure sufficient contrast for cross‑platform rendering.

Copy and input: the quickest method is to copy the character here. You can also insert it by its codepoint U+2190 in many development tools or editors. Some operating systems provide a character viewer or input palette that lets you search by name or code and insert the glyph into documents.

Display and fallback: if you see an empty box (tofu) or a placeholder rectangle, the active font might not include this codepoint. Switching to a font with broader Unicode coverage or using a fallback font usually fixes the issue. On the web, ensure the page’s font stack includes a general‑purpose fallback.

Related references: browse the Categories for similar characters. When choosing a symbol, prefer the official codepoint for semantic clarity and better compatibility with search, copy, and accessibility tooling.

See our category page for related symbols.