The white square □ is a hollow outlined square. Type 25A1 then Alt+X in Word. As with every Unicode shape name, white means unfilled rather than coloured. It is often mistaken for the missing-glyph box that appears when a font lacks a character.
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 "White Square" |
|
| Word / Outlook | Type 25A1, then press Alt+X |
|
| Linux (IBus) | Ctrl+Shift+U, then 25a1, then Enter |
|
| HTML / CSS | □ · \25a1 (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 White Square (U+25A1).
- Select it, click Copy, then paste where you need it.
Mac
- Press Control+Command+Space to open the Character Viewer.
- Type "White Square" in the search field.
- Double-click the result to insert it.
Microsoft Word
- Type 25A1.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
| A missing-glyph box | A font fallback placeholder, not a character | Never deliberately. If a box appears unexpectedly, the font lacks that glyph. |
| ☐ (U+2610) | Ballot box | The semantically correct empty checkbox for a printed form. |
| ▫ (U+25AB) | White small square | A smaller hollow square, better sized for inline use. |
05 FAQ
What is the Unicode code point for the white square?
It is U+25A1, decimal 9633. There is no Windows Alt code for it.
How do I tell it from a missing-glyph box?
A missing glyph is usually narrower, may contain hex digits, and appears where you did not put a shape. If you can copy it and it pastes as U+25A1, it is the real character.
Should I use it as a checkbox?
For a printed form, the ballot box at U+2610 is the better choice, and its checked counterpart is U+2611. For a web form, use a real input element.
Does white mean the colour?
No. Unicode uses white to mean hollow and black to mean filled, regardless of what colour the text is rendered in.
Why do my squares vary in size?
Font designers draw geometric shapes to different metrics, and fallback fonts differ again. Specifying a font that covers the shapes range keeps them consistent.