Leftwards Arrow With Double Vertical Stroke Symbol
⇺ is a leftwards arrow symbol (U+21FA) that visually indicates movement or direction to the left.
U+21FA
⇺ (U+21FA) is a left-pointing arrow marked with a double vertical stroke. It’s commonly used as a directional marker in text, UI labels, and diagrams. Below you’ll find meaning, practical uses, and copy-friendly code points.
Leftwards Arrow With Double Vertical Stroke Symbol Meaning
The symbol ⇺, named “LEFTWARDS ARROW WITH DOUBLE VERTICAL STROKE” (Unicode U+21FA), is primarily a directional cue pointing left. The double vertical stroke gives it a distinct “annotated arrow” look, which can help distinguish it from simple arrows like ← when you want extra clarity in diagrams, workflows, or navigation hints. In everyday writing, it’s often treated as a stylistic arrow for “go back,” “previous,” or “move left,” especially in interfaces, documentation, and markup-like text. Its most common role is communication of direction rather than a specific mathematical or formal meaning.
Common uses
- •Indicating “back/previous” in user interfaces or help text
- •Labeling steps in diagrams where progress moves to the left
- •Marking items in lists or timelines that should be reviewed again
- •Creating visual emphasis in documentation or spec outlines
- •Using as an icon-like character in plain text layouts
Examples
⇺ Leftwards Arrow with Double Vertical Stroke
- ⇺⇺ back to the previous step
- ⇺Select an option, then continue ⇺
- ⇺Use ⇺ to move left in the timeline view
- ⇺Configuration A leads to ⇺ Configuration B
- ⇺Return to the start: press ⇺
Variations
Ready to copy
Technical codes
| Unicode | U+21FA | |
| HTML Entity | ⇺ | |
| HTML Code | ⇺ | |
| CSS | \21FA | |
| Alt Code | Alt + 8698 | |
| Decimal | 8698 |
How to type Leftwards Arrow With Double Vertical Stroke Symbol (⇺)
On Windows
Hold Alt and type 8698 on the numeric keypad. In Word, type 21FA then press Alt + X.
On Mac
Switch to the Unicode Hex Input keyboard, then hold Option and type 21FA. Or press Control + Command + Space and search.
On Linux
Press Control + Shift + U, type 21fa, then press Enter or Space.
Anywhere
Copy ⇺ with the button above and paste it wherever you need it — this works on every device and in every app, with no keyboard shortcut to remember.
FAQ
What is the Unicode code point for ⇺?
⇺ is Unicode U+21FA.
How can I copy ⇺ from this page?
Copy the character directly (⇺) from the page. You can also use the provided HTML entity codes in the developer section of your workflow.
What does ⇺ mean in plain text?
It typically means a move or direction to the left, often used like “back” or “previous” as a visual arrow cue.
Can ⇺ be used in HTML, CSS, or JavaScript?
Yes. The HTML entity is ⇺ and the CSS/JavaScript escapes are \\21FA and \\u{21FA} respectively.