Leftwards Arrow Alt Code and Symbol

The Alt code for Leftwards Arrow is 27. Hold Alt, type 27 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. Leftwards Arrow also has the Unicode codepoint U+2190, so you can type it with Alt+8592 on Windows, search for U+2190 in macOS's Character Viewer, use ← in HTML, or \2190 in CSS. If your keyboard has no numeric keypad, use the Character Viewer, the HTML entity, or copy the character directly — the Alt key method requires a physical numpad. The code comes from the OEM console picture table, so the ← picture appears only when an OEM raster font is active; in a modern application using a TrueType font the same keystroke may insert nothing visible or a control character. HTML also defines the named entity ← for Leftwards Arrow, but the numeric form ← is safer when compatibility is uncertain.

Codes for this symbol

Copy any value by clicking it.
MethodValue
Legacy Alt code
Alt + decimal
Alt + X hex
HTML named entity
HTML decimal
HTML hex
CSS escape
Python escape
JavaScript escape
UTF-8 bytes
Unicode codepoint
Unicode block
Unicode category

Not available for this symbol: macOS Option shortcut.

How to type leftwards arrow on Windows

  1. Turn Num Lock on so the numeric keypad is active.
  2. Hold the left Alt key.
  3. Type 2 7 on the numeric keypad.
  4. Release Alt. The Leftwards Arrow character (←) appears.

If your keyboard has no numeric keypad, see how to type symbols without a numpad.

How to type leftwards arrow on macOS

There is no direct Option shortcut for Leftwards Arrow. Open the Character Viewer with ⌃⌘Space, search for "Leftwards Arrow" and click the character to insert it.

How to use leftwards arrow in code

  • HTML: or , also
  • CSS: content:"\2190"; ()
  • Python: \u2190 or chr(0x2190)
  • JavaScript: \u2190 or String.fromCodePoint(0x2190)
  • JSON: "\u2190"
  • LaTeX: $\leftarrow$ (math mode)

Frequently asked questions

What is the Alt code for Leftwards Arrow?

The legacy Alt code for Leftwards Arrow is 27. Hold Alt, type 2 7 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt.

How do I type ← without a numpad?

Use the Windows Character Viewer (Win+.), the macOS Character Viewer (⌃⌘Space), an HTML entity such as ←, or copy the character directly from this page.

Why does Alt+8592 not work?

Alt+8592 only works on a keyboard with a physical numeric keypad. It also requires the application to accept the numeric-keypad input path. Laptops without a numpad need an alternative method.

What is the Unicode for Leftwards Arrow?

The Unicode codepoint for Leftwards Arrow is U+2190. You can use this value in HTML as ←, in CSS as \2190, and in Word with Alt+X.

How do I type ← on a Mac?

Open the Character Viewer with ⌃⌘Space and search for the character name or U+2190, then click it.