Left-Right Arrow emoji meaning
People use it to show a relationship or swap between two items, places, or ideas, like 'NYC ↔️ LA' for a flight route or 'me ↔️ my bed' for a back-and-forth state. It also appears in translations or conversions, such as 'English ↔️ Spanish'.
The official Unicode name for ↔️ is left-right arrow. It belongs to the symbols group and the arrows subgroup. Keyboards and search boxes find it with keywords such as arrow, left-right.
It was added in Emoji 0.6 · 2010, so it displays on every current phone, computer and browser.
How to get ↔️ on iPhone and iPad
- Tap the emoji key (the smiley face) or the globe key on the keyboard.
- Tap Search Emoji at the bottom and type left-right arrow.
- Tap ↔️ to insert it.
If the emoji keyboard is missing, turn it on in Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard → Emoji.
How to get ↔️ on Android
On Gboard, tap the emoji button next to the space bar, then use the search bar at the top and type "left-right arrow". On Samsung Keyboard, tap the emoji icon and use the search field the same way. Or copy ↔️ from this page and paste it.
How to type ↔️ on Windows
- Click where you want the emoji.
- Press Win+. (the Windows key and the period key) to open the emoji panel.
- Type "left-right arrow" and click ↔️.
The panel remembers recently used emoji, so it will be one click away next time.
How to type ↔️ on a Mac
Press Control+⌘+Space to open the emoji picker, type "left-right arrow" and double-click ↔️. On a MacBook with a Touch Bar, or on recent macOS versions, the fn or globe key also opens the picker.
↔️ in Word and Google Docs
Both accept emoji as normal text. On Windows use Win+., on Mac use Control+⌘+Space, or paste ↔️ from this page. In Google Docs you can also go to Insert → Emoji. In Word, Insert → Symbol lists emoji under the Segoe UI Emoji font.
↔️ in HTML, CSS and code
| Format | Code |
|---|---|
| HTML decimal | ↔️ |
| HTML hex | ↔️ |
CSS content | "\2194\FE0F" |
| JavaScript | "\u{2194}\u{FE0F}" |
| Python | "\u2194\uFE0F" |
| URL encoded | %E2%86%94%EF%B8%8F |
| Shortcode (GitHub, Slack, Discord) | :left_right_arrow: |
Because ↔️ is standard Unicode, you can paste it straight into any UTF-8 file. The escapes are for when the file encoding is uncertain or the emoji must be entered in code.
Frequently asked questions
What does the left-right arrow emoji mean? +
A double-headed arrow pointing left and right, used to show a connection, exchange, or back-and-forth movement between two things. Its official Unicode name is "left-right arrow".
What does ↔️ mean in texting? +
It usually shows a two-way relationship or exchange between two things, like going back and forth between two places or states.
What is ↔️ often paired with? +
It is commonly placed between two words, names, or places to show a connection or comparison, such as 'before ↔️ after'.
How do I get the left-right arrow emoji on my keyboard? +
On iPhone, open the emoji keyboard and search "left-right arrow". On Android, tap the emoji key on Gboard and search the same. On Windows press Win + . (period), and on Mac press Control + Command + Space, then type the name. Or simply copy ↔️ from this page.
What is the Unicode for ↔️? +
The left-right arrow emoji is U+2194. In HTML use ↔️.
Why does ↔️ look different on other phones? +
Every platform draws its own artwork for the same emoji character. Apple, Google, Samsung and Microsoft each have their own design, so ↔️ looks slightly different but means the same thing everywhere.