Left Half Block Alt Code and Symbol

The Alt code for Left Half Block is 221. Hold Alt, type 221 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. Left Half Block also has the Unicode codepoint U+258C, so you can type it with Alt+9612 on Windows, search for U+258C in macOS's Character Viewer, use ▌ in HTML, or \258C 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. Copy the Left Half Block character from this page when you need it in a form, chat message or document that does not accept Alt codes. Left Half Block has no named HTML entity, so use the numeric escape ▌ or the hex escape ▌.

Codes for this symbol

Copy any value by clicking it.
Method	Value
Legacy Alt code
Alt + decimal
Alt + X hex
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, named HTML entity.

How to type left half block on Windows

Turn Num Lock on so the numeric keypad is active.
Hold the left Alt key.
Type 2 2 1 on the numeric keypad.
Release Alt. The Left Half Block character (▌) appears.

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

How to type left half block on macOS

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

How to use left half block in code

HTML: or
CSS: content:"\258C"; ()
Python: \u258C or chr(0x258C)
JavaScript: \u258C or String.fromCodePoint(0x258C)
JSON: "\u258C"

Frequently asked questions

What is the Alt code for Left Half Block?

The legacy Alt code for Left Half Block is 221. Hold Alt, type 2 2 1 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+9612 not work?

Alt+9612 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 Left Half Block?

The Unicode codepoint for Left Half Block is U+258C. You can use this value in HTML as ▌, in CSS as \258C, 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+258C, then click it.

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