The leftwards arrow ← is the plain text arrow. Type 2190 then Alt+X in Word. It shows direction back, marks assignment in some pseudocode conventions, and denotes reverse implication in logic. A coloured emoji version exists separately at U+2B05.
01 All shortcuts at a glance
| Platform | Shortcut | |
|---|---|---|
| Windows (any app) | Win+. or Win+; emoji/symbol picker, or Character Map (Win+R → charmap) |
|
| Mac | Control+Command+Space to open Character Viewer, search "Leftwards Arrow" |
|
| Word / Outlook | Type 2190, then press Alt+X |
|
| Linux (IBus) | Ctrl+Shift+U, then 2190, then Enter |
|
| HTML / CSS | ← · \2190 (CSS) |
02 Step by step, per platform
A real, followable procedure for every platform, not a thin restatement of the shortcut.
Windows
- Open Character Map: Win+R, type charmap, press Enter.
- Search or scroll for Leftwards Arrow (U+2190).
- Select it, click Copy, then paste where you need it.
Mac
- Press Control+Command+Space to open the Character Viewer.
- Type "Leftwards Arrow" in the search field.
- Double-click the result to insert it.
Microsoft Word
- Type 2190.
- Press Alt+X immediately after, it converts the hex code to ←.
03 Characters in this set
04 Troubleshooting & confusables
| Looks like it | But it's actually | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ⬅ (U+2B05) | Leftwards black arrow, usually shown as an emoji | For a coloured arrow. Its appearance changes across platforms. |
| ⇐ (U+21D0) | Leftwards double arrow | For reverse logical implication, meaning "is implied by". |
| <- | Two ASCII characters | The assignment operator in R, and common in pseudocode and comments. |
05 FAQ
What is the Unicode code point for the left arrow?
It is U+2190, decimal 8592. There is no Windows Alt code for it.
What does ← mean in pseudocode?
Assignment, so x ← 5 means store 5 in x. It avoids the ambiguity of the equals sign, which also means equality in the same text.
How is it different from the emoji arrow?
The text arrow at U+2190 renders in the surrounding font colour and size. The emoji at U+2B05 renders as a coloured graphic with its own design on each platform.
What does ⇐ mean in logic?
Reverse implication, read as "is implied by". Paired with ⇒ it gives ⇔, meaning the two statements are equivalent.
How do I type it on a phone?
Most keyboards have no arrow on the symbol layer, so copy it. The emoji keyboard has the coloured version under the symbols section.