Copy an arrow from the panel above when you need a text character. In Microsoft Word, type its hexadecimal Unicode value and press Alt-X. On a Mac with the Unicode Hex Input source active, hold Option and enter the four hexadecimal digits. These methods insert arrow glyphs; pressing a physical arrow key only moves the cursor in most text fields.
Choose the correct arrow symbol
Unicode assigns separate characters to the basic left, up, right, down, two-way, and diagonal arrows. The compact set here runs from U+2190 LEFTWARDS ARROW through U+2199 SOUTH WEST ARROW. Direction is part of each character's identity, so rotating a picture of an arrow is not equivalent to inserting a different Unicode arrow.
Use ← for left, ↑ for up, → for right, ↓ for down, ↔ for left and right, and ↕ for up and down. The diagonal characters are ↖, ↗, ↘, and ↙. Fonts can draw the shafts and arrowheads differently while preserving the underlying code point.
Distinguish arrow keys from arrow glyphs
The physical arrow keys are controls. In a document they usually move the insertion point or a selection. They do not normally insert ←, ↑, →, or ↓. Likewise, the two plain-text characters -> are a hyphen-minus followed by a greater-than sign, not U+2192 RIGHTWARDS ARROW.
Copying the Unicode character is the fastest reliable method when an app has no symbol command. For other common text characters, use the degree symbol guide or the bullet point guide.
Type arrows in Microsoft Word
Microsoft documents Word's hexadecimal conversion method. Type a code such as 2192, then press Alt-X to convert it to →. Use 2190 for ←, 2191 for ↑, and 2193 for ↓. The same rule applies to the other verified code points in the copy panel.
If a hexadecimal letter or digit immediately before the code becomes part of the conversion, select only the four-digit code and press Alt-X again. This method is specific to applications that implement Word-style Alt-X conversion. It is not a system-wide shortcut.
Use a Windows character picker
Microsoft's Word character guidance also points to Character Map for copying Unicode characters. Open Character Map, choose a font that contains the intended arrow, select the character, copy it, and paste it into the destination app. Confirm the direction before inserting it.
Do not rely on an unsourced legacy Alt-number list for these arrows. Windows legacy Alt input can depend on the application, numeric keypad, leading zero, and active code page. The verified Word hexadecimal route or a character picker avoids presenting one legacy number as a portable arrow shortcut.
Type arrows on a Mac with Unicode Hex Input
The Unicode Consortium documents macOS Unicode Hex Input as an input source. After enabling and selecting it, hold Option and type the four hexadecimal digits for the character, such as 2192 for →. Release Option after the four digits.
This Unicode Hex Input method does not describe a normal Mac keyboard-layout shortcut. Apple Keyboard Viewer shows what the active input source produces when modifier keys are held, so use it when you want to inspect the current layout rather than assume that every Mac layout has the same arrow mapping.
Use arrow symbols in HTML
A UTF-8 HTML document can contain the arrow characters directly. WHATWG also defines named references including ←, ↑, →, ↓, and ↔. Decimal → and hexadecimal → both represent U+2192 →.
Character references are HTML source syntax. A plain-text editor can display the ampersand and letters literally because it does not parse HTML. When direction is important, inspect the resulting character rather than trusting a visual substitution performed by an editor.
Fix the wrong arrow or output
- 1.Check the code point when the arrow points in the wrong direction.
- 2.Remember that an arrow key controls the cursor and is not a text-entry key.
- 3.Select only the four-digit code if Word includes adjacent hexadecimal text in an Alt-X conversion.
- 4.Choose a font containing the character if the arrow appears as an empty box.
- 5.Use the verified Word, Character Map, Unicode Hex Input, HTML, or direct-copy route instead of an unverified legacy Alt number.
- 6.Replace
->only when the intended stored character is actually →.
Common questions
Why does the arrow key move the cursor instead of typing an arrow?
The key is an editing or navigation control in most text fields. Insert a Unicode arrow through copy and paste, Word Alt-X, a character picker, or Unicode Hex Input instead.
Is -> the same as →?
No. -> contains two Basic Latin characters. → is one character, U+2192 RIGHTWARDS ARROW.
Is there one universal Windows Alt code for every arrow?
Windows Alt behavior varies by numeric form, code page, and application, so there is no portable legacy arrow set. Word's hexadecimal Alt-X conversion is the verified method described above.
