Rightwards Arrow Over Leftwards Arrow Symbol
⇄ is a bidirectional arrow showing movement or direction in both ways.
U+21C4
The symbol ⇄ is commonly used to indicate back-and-forth movement or mutual exchange. It’s a Unicode character you can copy directly or paste using common HTML/CSS/JavaScript escapes. Use it in UI labels, diagrams, and text to clearly communicate two-way flow.
Rightwards Arrow Over Leftwards Arrow Symbol Meaning
⇄ (Unicode U+21C4) is read as a rightwards arrow over a leftwards arrow, meaning “both directions” or “swap/transfer back and forth.” In practice, it often conveys bidirectional action such as moving items between two lists, toggling a setting, or showing that information can flow both ways. Compared with a simple left or right arrow, ⇄ visually emphasizes return movement and two-way interchange. You’ll also see it in technical notes, flowcharts, and interface text when the same action applies in either direction or when direction can change.
Common uses
- •Labeling a two-way transfer feature (e.g., move items between lists)
- •Indicating bidirectional communication or sync (request/response, up/down flow)
- •Signaling swapping or toggling between two states (on/off, enabled/disabled)
- •Marking a “back and forth” action in instructions or help text
- •Using in diagrams to show reversible movement along a path
Examples
⇄ Rightwards Arrow Over Leftwards Arrow
- ⇄Move items ⇄ between “Available” and “Selected”.
- ⇄Data sync runs ⇄ both directions automatically.
- ⇄Press ⇄ to swap the two columns.
- ⇄The signal can travel ⇄ depending on the device mode.
- ⇄Switch ⇄ to view results from both perspectives.
Variations
Ready to copy
Technical codes
| Unicode | U+21C4 | |
| HTML Entity | ⇄ | |
| HTML Code | ⇄ | |
| CSS | \21C4 | |
| Alt Code | Alt + 8644 | |
| Decimal | 8644 |
How to type Rightwards Arrow Over Leftwards Arrow Symbol (⇄)
On Windows
Hold Alt and type 8644 on the numeric keypad. In Word, type 21C4 then press Alt + X.
On Mac
Switch to the Unicode Hex Input keyboard, then hold Option and type 21C4. Or press Control + Command + Space and search.
On Linux
Press Control + Shift + U, type 21c4, 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 does ⇄ mean?
⇄ is a bidirectional arrow that indicates movement or exchange in both directions—often read as right and left together.
How do I copy ⇄ into HTML or a webpage?
You can copy it directly, or use the HTML entity: ⇄.
What is the Unicode code point for ⇄?
The Unicode code point is U+21C4, with CSS escape \\21C4 and JavaScript escape \\u{21C4}.
Is ⇄ the same as ↔?
They are similar in concept (left-right/bidirectional), but they are different characters with different shapes. ⇄ specifically uses the “right arrow over left arrow” design.