Downwards White Arrow ⇩

⇩ (U+21E9) 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: Downwards White 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: The character U+21E9, the DOWNWARDS WHITE ARROW, appears in the Arrows block. It signals movement or focus to a lower item in a list or menu. In many interfaces, it helps users locate the next option or scroll target. In documents, it can indicate a step downward or a flow that continues below. The symbol is simple and unobtrusive, making it suitable for buttons or links that lead to more content. Understanding its use helps designers balance clarity and space. For design decisions, see the Arrows category and explore related signs in the Confusables tool. This helps ensure consistency across pages and components. When used with other icons, it supports quick navigation without extra text. The placement of the arrow should feel natural and reachable for keyboard and screen reader users. Consistency with other directional symbols improves comprehension. Copyglyph resources in the Arrows category guide how to pair this symbol with labels. Practically, it reinforces steps, next sections, and expandable menus across interfaces.

Copy and input: the quickest method is to copy the character here. You can also insert it by its codepoint U+21E9 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.

Related confusable: view similar characters.