HTML Entity for Ballot Box (☐)

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+2610

HTML Entity for ballot box (☐) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is the Ballot Box Entity?

Ballot box (☐) is Unicode U+2610 in the Miscellaneous Symbols block. It is the empty ballot / unchecked checkbox-style glyph used in surveys, print lists, and static UI. HTML has no standard named entity — use numeric or CSS forms (or type the character in UTF-8).

Remember

Character     ☐
Unicode       U+2610
Hex entity    &#x2610;
Decimal       &#9744;
Named entity  (none)
CSS escape    \2610
Related       ☑ U+2611 · ☒ U+2612

All of these produce the same glyph: ☐. Prefer typing ☐ in UTF-8 when you can; use ☐ / ☐ or CSS for generated content. For interactive checkboxes, use <input type="checkbox"> with a real <label>.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Direct character	`☐`	HTML text (UTF-8)
Named entity	None	—
Hex entity	`☐`	HTML markup
Decimal entity	`☐`	HTML markup
CSS escape	`\2610`	Stylesheet `content`

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Empty / unchecked ballot glyph	`☐` or type `☐`
Checked ballot glyph	☑ (U+2611)
Ballot with X	☒ (U+2612)
Interactive form control	`<input type="checkbox">` + `<label>`
Icon via CSS	`content: "\2610"` on `::before`

See it

Live Preview

Empty ballot box in list and trio context.

Inline Option A ☐ Option B ☐

Large glyph ☐

Ballot trio ☐ empty ☑ check ☒ X

Print-style list ☐ RSVP ☐ Bring ID ☐ Arrive early

With entities Hex: ☐ | Decimal: ☐

Code

Complete HTML Example

One page that shows ☐ with hex, decimal, CSS escape, and a typed character. Use View Output or open the live editor.

Hex + Decimal + CSS + Typed

Four ways to produce ☐ in a single document (no named entity).

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Ballot Box (☐) in HTML</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\2610";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Ballot box using Hex Code: &#x2610;</p>
  <p>Ballot box using HTML Code: &#9744;</p>
  <p id="point">Ballot box using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p>Typed directly: ☐</p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Hex: U+2610 → ☐ in HTML. The browser turns it into ☐.

2. Decimal: same code point as 9744 → ☐. Same result as hex.

3. CSS: use \2610 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ☐ after the paragraph text.

4. Typed ☐: fine in UTF-8 source. All four lines show the same glyph.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with the ballot box (☐).

Named

No &name; form

U+2610 has no standard named entity — use ☐ or ☐.

a11y

Not a real checkbox

For forms, use <input type="checkbox"> with a <label>. ☐ is a glyph, not a control.

☑ / ☒

Know the ballot trio

Empty ☐, check ☑, X ☒ — different code points.

Fonts

Check symbol coverage

Some UI fonts omit a polished U+2610. Prefer fonts with solid Miscellaneous Symbols coverage.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\2610 belongs in CSS. ☐ / ☐ belong in HTML.

Semicolon

End references

Always finish with ; — write ☐, not &#x2610.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Ballot box (U+2610) and its entity forms (☐, ☐, CSS \\2610) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Glyph quality depends on font support for Miscellaneous Symbols.

✓ Universal support

Ballot Box (☐)

Type ☐, or encode with hex, decimal, or CSS escape — same glyph everywhere encoding is supported.

100% Browser coverage

Google Chrome Supported

Yes

Microsoft Edge Supported

Yes

Mozilla Firefox Supported

Yes

Apple Safari Supported

Yes

Opera Supported

Yes

Internet Explorer All versions

Yes

U+2610 / entities Full support

Bottom line: Prefer a typed ☐ or ☐ for static ballots. Use decimal when generating markup, and \\2610 only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: ballot box is U+2610 (decimal 9744).
HTML: use ☐ or ☐ (no named entity).
CSS: use \2610 inside content for generated icons.
Watch out: ☐ is a glyph — use real checkboxes for forms.

One line: U+2610 → ☐ / ☐ / CSS \2610.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display the ballot box (☐) in HTML?

Use ☐ (hex), ☐ (decimal), or the CSS escape \2610 in the content property. All render ☐. You can also paste ☐ directly if your file is UTF-8. There is no standard named entity.

What is the Unicode value for ballot box?

U+2610 (hex 2610, decimal 9744). Unicode names it BALLOT BOX. It belongs to the Miscellaneous Symbols block.

Is there a named HTML entity for ☐ (U+2610)?

No. HTML5 / WHATWG does not define a named character reference for U+2610. Prefer ☐, ☐, or a typed ☐ in UTF-8.

Should I use ☐ instead of a real checkbox?

No for interactive forms. Use <input type="checkbox"> with a <label>. Use ☐ as a visual glyph in static lists, prints, or icons — not as the only control.

How is ☐ different from ☑ and ☒?

☐ is empty (U+2610). ☑ is ballot box with check (U+2611). ☒ is ballot box with X (U+2612). They are consecutive code points for a coherent ballot trio.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for ☐?

HTML entities (☐ or ☐) go in markup. The CSS escape \2610 is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ☐.

Did you know?

Ballot box is Unicode U+2610 (decimal 9744) in the Miscellaneous Symbols block — official name BALLOT BOX. There is no standard named HTML entity. It pairs with ☑ (U+2611) and ☒ (U+2612). For interactive controls, prefer <input type="checkbox"> with a real label.

Next: Ballot Box with Check

Learn the HTML entity for the ballot box with check (☑).

Next tutorial →

About the author

Mari Selvan M P 🔗

Developer, cloud engineer, and technical writer

Experience 12 years building web and cloud systems
Focus Full Stack Development, AWS, and Developer Education

I write practical tutorials so students and working developers can learn by doing—from databases and APIs to deployment on AWS.

AWS Certified Developer – Associate (Credly)

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