Open Box Symbol
The ␣ symbol (U+2423) displays a visible placeholder for a space character.
U+2423
The ␣ character is commonly used to make invisible whitespace visible. It helps when you need to show, debug, or document spaces in text.
Open Box Symbol Meaning
␣ is the Unicode character named “OPEN BOX” with code point U+2423. In many contexts, it’s used as a visible stand-in for a regular space character, making whitespace easier to see in plain text, UI mockups, and documentation. Because normal spaces can be hard to distinguish from missing characters or multiple spaces, the open box is useful for debugging alignment and formatting issues. Designers and writers sometimes include it in examples to clarify spacing behavior. Developers can copy it directly or use the provided escapes (HTML entity, CSS escape, or JavaScript escape) when they need consistent rendering across systems.
Common uses
- •Showing trailing or consecutive spaces in strings during debugging
- •Documenting spacing rules in plain-text style guides and writing examples
- •Highlighting whitespace differences in code reviews or localization QA
- •Creating visible placeholders in UI prototypes for “space” inputs
- •Teaching typography/formatting by making whitespace visible to readers
Examples
␣ Open Box Symbol
- ␣Hello␣world
- ␣A␣␣B (two spaces)
- ␣Name:␣␣Value
- ␣Leading␣space
- ␣Trailing␣space␣
Variations
Ready to copy
Technical codes
| Unicode | U+2423 | |
| HTML Entity | ␣ | |
| HTML Code | ␣ | |
| CSS | \2423 | |
| Alt Code | Alt + 9251 | |
| Decimal | 9251 |
How to type Open Box Symbol (␣)
On Windows
Hold Alt and type 9251 on the numeric keypad. In Word, type 2423 then press Alt + X.
On Mac
Switch to the Unicode Hex Input keyboard, then hold Option and type 2423. Or press Control + Command + Space and search.
On Linux
Press Control + Shift + U, type 2423, 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 the Open Box symbol mean?
␣ is the Unicode character named “OPEN BOX” with code point U+2423. In many contexts, it’s used as a visible stand-in for a regular space character, making whitespace easier to see in plain text, UI mockups, and documentation. Because normal spaces can be hard to distinguish from missing characters or multiple spaces, the open box is useful for debugging alignment and formatting issues. Designers and writers sometimes include it in examples to clarify spacing behavior. Developers can copy it directly or use the provided escapes (HTML entity, CSS escape, or JavaScript escape) when they need consistent rendering across systems.
Is ␣ the same as the normal space character?
It’s not the same character. ␣ is the Unicode “OPEN BOX” (U+2423) that is often used as a visible placeholder for a space.
How do I copy the symbol into my text?
Copy the character “␣” from this page and paste it wherever you need to display whitespace clearly.
What are the Unicode and escape values for ␣?
Unicode code point: U+2423. HTML entity: ␣. CSS escape: \\2423. JavaScript escape: \\u{2423}.
Why would I use ␣ instead of showing spaces normally?
Normal spaces can be difficult to see and can look identical when there are multiple spaces, tabs, or trailing spaces. ␣ makes those differences visible.