Keyboard Symbols ⌘ ↩ ⌫

Here is a list of Unicode symbols to represent computer keyboard keys.

Mouse hover or click on a unicode character ⌘ to see its name and codepoint.

Control key

✲ (OPEN CENTRE ASTERISK) is printed on Microsoft Keyboards .

⎈ (HELM SYMBOL) is used on MacBook Pro keyboard, French Canadian Layout for the Control key, and sometimes used to indicate Control key in Linux documentation.

^ (CIRCUMFLEX ACCENT) (aka caret) is the character on normal keyboard, shifted 6. It is the classic notation to indicate ASCII control character in programing, and also used as a notation for pressing Control key for inputting control sequence. The symbol is mostly used in 1970s to 1990s, in documentation or from online posts by user.

⌃ (UP ARROWHEAD) , the actual character used by Apple website as of 2017-07, in menu, in documentation.

The caret character ^ and UP ARROWHEAD ⌃ are not good to represent the Control key, because it confuses with the printable caret character on the keyboard, the shifted digit 6 key.

Windows Logo Key

Windows Logo Key (suggestion) ❖

This symbol is sometimes used by small keyboard makers.

The Windows Logo key and the Apple Command key both send the same USB scancode.

On Linux, by convention, the Windows logo key is called Super. (not to be confused with a real Super key on Lisp Machine keyboards. [see Symbolics keyboard PN 365407] )

Command key

Command key ⌘

Alt key

⎇. Dedicated Unicode symbol for the Alt key.

⇮, used on Canadian Multilingual Layout

Option key

⌥, used on Apple computers.

Note: Alt on PC keyboard and ⌥ option on Apple Keyboards send the same USB scancode. [see Difference Between Apple and Microsoft keyboards]

Meta Key, Super Key

The BLACK DIAMOND ◆ is used on Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard. Solaris documentation calls it the Meta key. The Meta key is a key on Lisp Machine Keyboards and heavily used by emacs. [see A Curious Look at Emacs's One Thousand Keybindings]

Hyper Key

Hyper key suggestions ✦ ✧. Hyper is key on Lisp Machine Keyboards.

Shift key

Most keyboard uses a fat white up arrow ⇧, or just print shift.

Caps lock

Most popular: 🄰 🅰 [see Logitech Non-Gaming Keyboards] [see Microsoft Keyboards] [see Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000]

Also common: ⇪, [see Apple Keyboard Key Symbols ⌘ ⌥]

French Canadian standard for capslock key: ⇬ Used in Canadian Multilingual Layout

Input symbols from Unicode: 🔠 🔡

Number lock (Numlock)

⇭. Used in Canadian Multilingual Layout

Related symbols: 🔢 🔤

I haven't seen any symbol used as label for Number Lock key.

Return/Enter key

Symbols used: ↩ ↵ ⏎

This is the return key above the right Shift key. [see Keyboard Enter/Return Key Symbol]

• Apple uses arrow with a round hook ↩ on their international version keyboards. For US version, they use the word “return”.
• Microsoft uses a variant of ↵, with long horizontal line.
• Some other keyboards use an outline 90° sharp turn RETURN SYMBOL ⏎.

Enter ⌤ This is the enter key on number pad. This symbol is used by Apple. [see Apple Keyboard Key Symbols ⌘ ⌥]

Enter ⎆. This is unicode symbol named ENTER SYMBOL.

Note: There are 2 return/enter keys on standard PC keyboard: one on main section above right shift key, one on number pad. The keyboard hardware sends different key signals.

• On PC/Windows keyboards, they are both labeled “enter”.
• On Apple keyboards, the main one is labeled “return”, and the one on number pad is “enter”.

Menu/App key

Suggestions: ▤ ☰ 𝌆

This key is invented by Microsoft. It is meant to be a application specific key. [see Keyboard Menu/App Key]

Compose key

Standard symbol for Compose key: ⎄

the Compose Key is rare. It's on Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard, but it doesn't use any symbol. [see Alt Graph Key, Compose Key, Dead Key]

Tab key

Actual use: ⭾ ↹ ⇥

Related symbols: ⇄ ⇤ ↤ ↦

Apple Keyboards for USA use the word “tab”. NON-US version use ⇥. [see Apple Keyboard Key Symbols ⌘ ⌥]

Escape key

Escape key ⎋

Most PC keyboards use “Esc” as label.

Apple keyboard for USA use “esc”. Some international Apple keyboard use ⎋. [see MacBook Pro keyboard, French Canadian Layout] Apple documentation use ⎋. Matias Mini Tactile Pro Keyboard use ⎋

[see Escape Key]

Backspace

⌫ ⟵

The backspace key is the key on the top right of a PC keyboard. For example, look at IBM Model M keyboard. [see IBM Model M keyboard (1985)]

Microsoft keyboard lable this key as “Backspace” together with a long left arrow ⟵ printed beneath it. [see Microsoft Keyboards]

Apple Keyboards for US labels it “delete”. Their non-English version uses ⌫ or ⟵ [see Apple Keyboard Key Symbols ⌘ ⌥] [see Apple Keyboard History ⌨]

Don't confuse this key with the Delete ⌦ key in the home/end key cluster.

Arrow Keys

Common: ↑ ↓ ← → ◀ ▶ ▲ ▼ ◁ ▷ △ ▽ ⇦ ⇨ ⇧ ⇩ ⬅ ➡ ⮕ ⬆ ⬇

More unicode arrows at Unicode Arrows →

Home/End Keys

Apple keyboard use: ⤒ ⤓. Before 2018, it use: ↖ ↘

Other suggestions: ⇤ ⇥

[see Mac Keyboard Viewer]

Page Up/Down

Common: ⇞ ⇟ ↑ ↓ ▲ ▼ △ ▽

Apple keyboard uses ⇞ ⇟ before 2018, after uses ↑ ↓ . [Apple Keyboard Key Symbols ⌘ ⌥]

Logitech Non-Gaming Keyboards usually use ▲ ▼

Previous/Next Page

⎗ ⎘

These are for browser previous/next page. The ⎗ ⎘ are used by Thinkpad keyboard around 2000 to 2011.

(forward) Delete

Delete key ⌦

The delete keys is in the cluster of {home, end, page up, page down, insert}

Insert

Insert symbol ⎀

This is Unicode U+2380: INSERTION SYMBOL. This symbol is used by copy editors, to indicate insertion.

Most keyboards label it “Insert” or “Ins”.

IBM Model M 3193 uses this symbol, but with the hat ^ at top.

Clear Key

clear ⎚ ⌧

The clear key is the key on the number pad on Apple Keyboards .

It is labeled as “clear”.

Print Screen Key

⎙ PRINT SCREEN SYMBOL

I haven't seen this symbol used on keyboard.

Scroll Lock (ScrLk)

Suggestions:

• ⤓
• ⇳ 🔒

System Request (SysRq)

Suggestions:

• 🗱 LIGHTNING MOOD BUBBLE
• 🗲 LIGHTNING MOOD

[see Print Screen, SysRq, ScrLk, Pause, Break Keys]

Pause/Break

pause key ⎉

break key ⎊

These are standard symbols for pause/break used in electronic circuits.

In the beginning, keyboard's pause/break key(s) have similar meaning to the electronic pause/break, but not today.

[see Print Screen, SysRq, ScrLk, Pause, Break Keys]

I haven't see keyboard using these symbols.

Help Key

Help key suggested symbols.

⍰ ❓ ❔ ℹ 🛈

Help key is in Apple Keyboard Problems and Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard

This key is typically labeled just “help”.

Sleep Key

☾

[see Astrology Symbols 🌛]

Eject

Eject ⏏

mail key

mail ✉

[see Office Emoji 📌]

browser home page key

home 🏠 🏡 ⌂

Cut

Cut ✂ ✄

Undo, Redo

Undo, redo ⎌ ↶ ↷ ⤺ ⤻

[see Unicode Arrows →]

Reload/Refresh Key

Reload/Refresh ⟲ ⟳ ↺ ↻

The symbol ⟳ is used by Chromebook for browser refresh.

Microsoft Edge browser has ↻ symbol for the reload button.

Search Key, Magnify Key

🔍 🔎. The manifying glass 🔍 is used on Chromebook Keyboard for web search function, as replacement for the CapsLock key.

Screen Brightness Key

brightness. 🔅 🔆

Multimedia Keys

mute 🔇 no sound 🔈 sound down 🔉 sound up 🔊

🕨 🕩 🕪

stop ◼ play/pause ⏯, prev song ⏮, next song ⏭, fast backward ⏪, fast forward ⏩, fast upward ⏫, fast downward ⏬

[see Unicode: User Interface Icons 🗑]

Apple Fn key

🌐

Number Pad Keys

[see Unicode Circled Numbers ① ② ③]

Sample Use of Keyboard Symbols

• Short Survey of Keyboard Shortcut Notations
• Emacs's Keybinding Layout Diagram

Apple's Logographs to Represent Keys

Here is the Apple's key symbols in Unicode.

⌘	Command key	U+2318: PLACE OF INTEREST SIGN
⌥	Option/Alt	U+2325: OPTION KEY
^	Control key	U+5E: CIRCUMFLEX ACCENT
⇧	Shift key	U+21E7: UPWARDS WHITE ARROW
⌤	Enter	U+2324: UP ARROWHEAD BETWEEN TWO HORIZONTAL BARS
↩	Return	U+21A9: LEFTWARDS ARROW WITH HOOK
↑	Up Arrow	U+2191: UPWARDS ARROW
↓	Down Arrow	U+2193: DOWNWARDS ARROW
→	Right Arrow	U+2192: RIGHTWARDS ARROW
←	Left Arrow	U+2190: LEFTWARDS ARROW
⇞	Page Up	U+21DE: UPWARDS ARROW WITH DOUBLE STROKE
⇟	Page Down	U+21DF: DOWNWARDS ARROW WITH DOUBLE STROKE
↖	Home	U+2196: NORTH WEST ARROW
↘	End	U+2198: SOUTH EAST ARROW
⌫	Delete	U+232B: ERASE TO THE LEFT
⌦	Forward Delete	U+2326: ERASE TO THE RIGHT
⎋	Escape	U+238B: BROKEN CIRCLE WITH NORTHWEST ARROW

2018-05-01

Mac keyboard key unicode symbol change

[see Mac Keyboard Viewer]

Mac finally changed its home/end key symbols from the incomprehensible ↖ ↘ to the make sense ⤒ ⤓.

Though, arrows was ⇠ ⇢ ⇡ ⇣ is now ▲ ▼ ◀ ▶.

I guess that match the symbol printed on keycaps.

While page up/down ⇞ ⇟ became generic ↑ ↓. Also worse.

Note that logitech non-gaming keyboards also use ▲ ▼ ◀ ▶. for arrow key's key label.

[see Logitech Non-Gaming Keyboards]

Note that the home/end keys on Mac moves to top/bottom of file. While on Microsoft Windows and linux, it moves to beginning/end of line.

See also: Keyboard Home/End Keys Arrangement

for laptop key labels, see Evolution of Laptop Keyboard