Put ▶ and → side by side and both seem to say “go right.” Interfaces often take advantage of that shared directional feel, which is why the two can end up described as if they were variations of the same symbol.
Underneath that shared direction, the shapes are different: ▶ is a filled triangle, while → has a shaft and an arrowhead.
The Difference Is Built into the Shape
For the triangle, the code point is U+25B6 BLACK RIGHT-POINTING TRIANGLE. The shafted → has a separate identity: U+2192 RIGHTWARDS ARROW.
The triangle is a three-sided shape with its point facing right. The arrow shows a direction with a line leading into an arrowhead. Fonts can alter proportions and stroke weight, but the distinction between “solid triangle” and “shaft plus head” usually remains visible.
The Unicode name tells you what character you have, not what an app must do with it. One product may use a triangle for playback; another may use an arrow for moving to the next screen.
▶ Is Familiar as Play, but Its Unicode Name Is Still Triangle
The association between a right-pointing triangle and “play” is strong enough that most people recognize it immediately on media controls. Even so, U+25B6 is named BLACK RIGHT-POINTING TRIANGLE, not PLAY.
Unicode also has a more media-oriented relative: ⏵, U+23F5 BLACK MEDIUM RIGHT-POINTING TRIANGLE. The Names List annotates it as “forward” and notes it as preferred to U+25B6 for that use.
The same “forward” idea can be implemented in several ways. An older document may contain ▶, a media-oriented text label may use ⏵, and a modern app may draw a triangle icon of its own. They can look functionally equivalent to a reader without being the same thing underneath.
There is another practical complication: many play buttons contain no Unicode character at all. The familiar triangle may be SVG artwork, an icon-library glyph, CSS, or another graphic. A screenshot tells you what the control looks like, not necessarily what text—if any—sits underneath it.
→ Has a Much Broader Life Outside Interface Navigation
→ can indicate direction, transition, movement, mapping, progression, or a relationship defined by a technical field. In prose or a diagram it may connect one item to another. In mathematics and formal notation, the surrounding subject can give it a more specific meaning.
“Next” is only one possible reading. A right arrow in an equation is not a navigation button, and an arrow on a sign is not a mathematical operator. The shaft is a useful visual clue because it expresses a path or connection more explicitly than a stand-alone triangle does.
Interfaces Often Reuse Both Shapes
Menus, carousels, file browsers, disclosure controls, and slideshows may use either a triangle or an arrow to suggest movement. There is no rule requiring every product to reserve one shape for one action.
A small triangle might open a submenu or expand a tree item. A right arrow might mean “continue,” “next,” or “open.” Another design system can make different choices.
A button’s behavior is useful context, but it is not proof of its Unicode identity. The control could be showing U+25B6, U+2192, a different character, or no text character at all.
Several Other Right-Pointing Shapes Sit Nearby
Unicode contains a cluster of similar forms, including ▷ WHITE RIGHT-POINTING TRIANGLE, ▸ BLACK RIGHT-POINTING SMALL TRIANGLE, and ► BLACK RIGHT-POINTING POINTER.
►, U+25BA, can look like a stretched play triangle in some fonts. ⏵, U+23F5, is another close neighbor with an explicit “forward” annotation. So “it looks like a play icon” still leaves several possible code points.
If the shape points upward instead, a different confusion appears. The comparison of Delta Δ, Increment ∆, and Triangle △ deals with that family.
A Triangle Can Be a Symbol Without Being a Button
A triangle is one of the simplest geometric symbols, which is exactly why interfaces and diagrams reuse it so often. The silhouette is easy to recognize, but the role assigned to it can change from one context to the next.
The same flexibility also creates confusion. A triangle can act as a play cue, a disclosure marker, a direction indicator, or simply a geometric character. The visible role does not tell you by itself whether the implementation is text or graphics.
When the Exact Mark Matters
If you are reproducing existing text, keep the character the source actually uses: U+25B6 for ▶, U+2192 for →, or another value when that is what is present. Designing a new interface is different; an SVG or icon component may make more sense than choosing a text symbol simply because its silhouette looks right.
“Points right” is a useful description, but it still leaves several possibilities: triangle, arrow, pointer, media-control symbol, or a graphic with no text value at all. In searchable text or technical documentation, that difference is worth resolving instead of treating every right-facing mark as the same symbol.