Rightwards Arrow
The rightwards arrow is U+2192. It is the arrow in flowcharts, in step-by-step interface copy such as File then Save, and in mathematical notation for a mapping. It is a real character, not the ligature your code editor draws when you type a hyphen and a greater-than sign.
| Symbol | → | |
|---|---|---|
| Unicode | U+2192 | |
| Name | Rightwards Arrow | |
| HTML (named) | → | |
| HTML (decimal) | → | |
| HTML (hex) | → | |
| CSS content | \2192 | |
| JavaScript / JSON | \u2192 | |
| UTF-8 bytes | 0xE2 0x86 0x92 | |
| UTF-16 units | 0x2192 | |
| Windows alt code | Alt 26 (ASCII), Alt 8594 |
How do you type the rightwards arrow on each platform?
| Where | How to type it |
|---|---|
| Any device | Click the → at the top of this page. It goes straight to your clipboard, and you paste it with Ctrl+V on Windows or Cmd+V on a Mac. This is the only method that behaves identically everywhere. |
| Windows | Hold Alt and type 26 (ASCII), Alt 8594 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. The number row above the letters does not work for this. |
| macOS | Add Unicode Hex Input under Keyboard settings, switch to it, then hold Option and type 2192. Without that input source, open the Character Viewer with Control+Command+Space and search for rightwards arrow. |
| Linux and ChromeOS | Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 2192, then press Enter or the space bar. This works in GTK applications and with IBus. |
| Microsoft Word | Type 2192 in the document, then press Alt and X together with the cursor immediately after the last digit. Word replaces the digits with →. |
| Google Docs | Insert, then Special characters, then paste U+2192 or type rightwards arrow in the search box. You can also draw the shape in the sketch pad on the right. |
| Excel and Google Sheets | Use the formula UNICHAR(8594) in a cell. Copy the cell and paste it as a value if you want the character rather than the formula. |
| HTML | Write →, or the numeric reference →, or →. On a page served as UTF-8 the character itself also works. |
| CSS | Use content: "\2192" inside a ::before or ::after rule. Terminate the escape with a space if the next character is also a hexadecimal digit. |
| JavaScript | The escape \u2192 produces this character inside a string literal, and the same escape is valid in JSON. |
More detail per platform: Windows alt codes, special characters on a Mac, special characters in Word and HTML entities.
Which characters look like the rightwards arrow?
Several characters render almost identically to this one, and picking the wrong one breaks search, sorting and screen readers even when it looks right on screen. The rightwards arrow → is U+2192. These are the ones it is confused with.
| Character | Code point | Name | What it is really for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⇒ | U+21D2 | Rightwards Double Arrow | The double-stroke arrow. In logic it means implies, which is not the same as maps to. |
| ➜ | U+279C | Heavy Round-Tipped Rightwards Arrow | A dingbat arrow with a filled head. Decorative rather than notational. |
| ➡ | U+27A1 | Black Rightwards Arrow | Has an emoji presentation, so many platforms render it in colour. |
| ↦ | U+21A6 | Rightwards Arrow From Bar | The maps-to arrow in mathematics. Specifically not interchangeable with the plain arrow. |
Frequently asked questions
Is the arrow in my code editor a real character?
Usually not. Many programming fonts draw a hyphen followed by a greater-than sign as a single arrow shape. The file still contains two ASCII characters. Copy U+2192 from this page if you need the real arrow.
How do I copy the rightwards arrow symbol?
Click the → above or the copy button and it is placed on your clipboard. Paste it anywhere with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V. It is a real text character, so it works in documents, chats and code.
What is the Unicode code point for rightwards arrow?
The rightwards arrow has the Unicode code point U+2192. In HTML you can write it as → or →, or with the named entity →.
What is the alt code for the rightwards arrow symbol?
On Windows, hold the Alt key and type Alt 26 (ASCII), Alt 8594 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. Copying the → from this page is quicker and works on any device.
Does the rightwards arrow symbol work everywhere?
In almost every modern app and font, yes. If a font does not include this glyph you may see a placeholder box, but the underlying character U+2192 is still correct and will render in a font that supports it.
Related symbols
Browse the full arrow symbols hub, or return to the searchable symbol grid.