Leftwards Arrow with Loop ↫
↫ (U+21AB) 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 with Loop 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: The LEFTWARDS ARROW WITH LOOP is a symbol in the Arrows block. Its codepoint is U+21AB in the Common script. This glyph shows a leftward arrow with a looping tail. It is used to signal backward movement or return in various interfaces. In documents, arrows commonly indicate direction and navigation cues. The symbol helps users understand how to move through a sequence or go back to a previous screen or step. In practical use, designers place it beside back buttons or in menus to reinforce action. The character acts as a simple visual cue that many readers recognize. People may see it in software, forms, or help guides where navigation matters. When shown in different contexts, the loop adds a note of reversal or retry. The design stays clear at small sizes and stays legible on most displays. Overall, this arrow with a loop serves the goal of guiding users toward backward navigation in a concise visual form.
Copy and input: the quickest method is to copy the character here. You can also insert it by its codepoint U+21AB 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+21AB - General Category:
So - Age:
1.1 - Bidi Class:
ON - Block:
Arrows - Script:
Common - UTF-8:
E2 86 AB - UTF-16:
21AB - UTF-32:
000021AB - HTML dec:
↫ - HTML hex:
↫ - JS escape:
\u21AB - Python \N{}:
\N{LEFTWARDS ARROW WITH LOOP} - Python \u:
\u21AB - Python \U:
\U000021AB - URL-encoded:
%E2%86%AB - CSS escape:
\21AB
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+21AB 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.