Leftwards Black Arrow
Block: Miscellaneous Symbols and Arrows
- Symbol
- ⬅
- Unicode
U+2B05- Unicode name
- LEFTWARDS BLACK ARROW
- Block
- Miscellaneous Symbols and Arrows
- Category
- Symbol, Other
- Type
- Unicode symbol
Leftwards Black Arrow (⬅) is encoded as U+2B05 and has the formal Unicode name LEFTWARDS BLACK ARROW. Unicode classifies it as Symbol, Other in the Miscellaneous Symbols and Arrows block. Its name places it in the arrow/directional family, which gives the page a narrower identity than the glyph alone. Separately encoded named neighbors include ⮕ Rightwards Black Arrow (U+2B95); those records should be compared by name and code point rather than merged because their shapes or terminology are related.
Unicode Identity First, Local Meaning Second
⬅ is encoded as U+2B05 and classified as Symbol, Other. Its formal name narrows it to the arrow/directional family rather than leaving the mark as an unidentified shape.
The Unicode identity and the surrounding document answer different questions: the code point tells you which character is present, while the surrounding formula, interface, document, or notation system determines the local interpretation. Keeping those layers separate prevents a visual guess from being treated as a character definition.
If this is not the character you meant, use what is this symbol (⬅)? to identify the mark from pasted text, Unicode, or its visual shape.
Unicode Distinctions Around ⬅
Unicode stores ⬅ as U+2B05, while nearby records include ⮕ Rightwards Black Arrow (U+2B95). These are separate encoded identities, not alternate font drawings of one character.
The comparison is useful because a shared word in the name, a mirrored direction, or a similar outline can make two symbols appear interchangeable. When the distinction matters, compare the complete Unicode name and code point before replacing one record with another.
Why Leftwards Black Arrow Can Look Different Across Platforms
Unicode defines the character or sequence, but the visual artwork comes from the font, emoji set, and rendering system. As a result, shape, color, proportions, and detail can vary without changing the encoded identity.
For identification, compare code points and sequence data rather than expecting pixel-for-pixel consistency. This is especially important for emoji and symbols whose presentation is highly stylized by platforms.
Digital Representations of U+2B05
U+2B05 = decimal 11013 = HTML ⬅ / ⬅. A Unicode escape-style form is u2B05. Its UTF-8 bytes are E2 AC 85.
Use these identifiers in markup, source code, exports, or character diagnostics when the glyph alone is not enough.