Left Right Arrow ↔
↔ (U+2194) 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: Left Right 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: LEFT RIGHT ARROW depicts a directional arrow symbol used in text as a pointer between directions. In messaging, it shows movement or choice, such as switching screens or indicating a path forward and back. In user interfaces, it becomes a navigation cue for next steps, tabs, or menus. In documents, it marks flow, orientation, or a comparison between options. The meaning can shift with context, so pairing the arrow with clear nearby text helps readers understand intent. Appearance varies across platforms, apps, and fonts, so color, style, and detail may differ. For accessibility, ensure surrounding text conveys the intended meaning. Cross‑platform, the symbol should still read as a direction cue, and consider a text alternative if color signaling is unavailable.
Copy and input: the quickest method is to copy the character here. You can also insert it by its codepoint U+2194 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.
Technical details
- Codepoint:
U+2194 - General Category:
Sm - Age:
1.1 - Bidi Class:
ON - Block:
Arrows - Script:
Common - UTF-8:
E2 86 94 - UTF-16:
2194 - UTF-32:
00002194 - HTML dec:
↔ - HTML hex:
↔ - JS escape:
\u2194 - Python \N{}:
\N{LEFT RIGHT ARROW} - Python \u:
\u2194 - Python \U:
\U00002194 - URL-encoded:
%E2%86%94 - CSS escape:
\2194
How to type / insert
Fast copy: click the Copy button near the top of this page.
By codepoint: in many editors and IDEs, you can insert via the Unicode code U+2194 or a built‑in character picker.
HTML: use the numeric entity ↔ (hex) or ↔ (decimal) when an HTML entity is needed.
Compatibility & troubleshooting
Font support: if the symbol does not render, the current font likely lacks this codepoint. Choose a font with broad Unicode coverage or allow a fallback font.
Web pages: ensure your CSS font stack includes a general fallback; avoid relying on images for common symbols to preserve accessibility and copyability.