HTML Entity for Ballot Box (☐)
What You'll Learn
How to display the ballot box (☐) — the empty ballot / unchecked checkbox glyph — in HTML using numeric character references and CSS. This symbol is U+2610 in the Miscellaneous Symbols block (roughly U+2600–U+26FF). It pairs naturally with ☑ (U+2611) and ☒ (U+2612) for three-state ballot rows.
There is no named HTML entity for this character. Use ☐ or ☐ in markup, or \2610 in stylesheet content on pseudo-elements.
⚡ Quick Reference — Ballot Box
U+2610Miscellaneous Symbols
☐Hexadecimal reference
☐Decimal reference
—None (use numeric refs)
Name Value
──────────── ──────────
Unicode U+2610
Hex code ☐
HTML code ☐
Named entity —
CSS code \2610Complete HTML Example
This example demonstrates the ballot box using hexadecimal code, decimal HTML code, and a CSS content escape on a pseudo-element:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
#point:after{
content: "\2610";
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Ballot Box using Hexa Decimal: ☐</p>
<p>Ballot Box using HTML Code: ☐</p>
<p id="point">Ballot Box using CSS Entity: </p>
</body>
</html>🌐 Browser Support
U+2610 is widely supported wherever Unicode Miscellaneous Symbols render correctly:
👀 Live Preview
See the empty ballot box and how it sits next to checked and X variants:
🧠 How It Works
Hexadecimal Code
☐ references code point U+2610 using hex digits 2610 after the #x prefix.
Decimal HTML Code
☐ is the decimal equivalent (9744) for the same ballot-box glyph.
CSS Entity
\2610 is the CSS escape for U+2610, used in the content property of ::before or ::after.
Same visual result
Hex, decimal, and CSS escapes all produce ☐. There is no named HTML entity. For real unchecked controls, use <input type="checkbox"> with proper labels and ARIA where needed.
Use Cases
The ballot box (☐) is commonly used for:
Static to-do rows, print layouts, and email where a box outline is enough.
Mockups and instructions showing an empty choice before submission.
Ballot options that are not selected in read-only result views.
Decorative unchecked state beside ☑ / ☒ in themed tables.
Checklist templates and how-to copy that must stay plain HTML.
PDF or report generators that emit Unicode ballot marks.
Pair ☐ with visible text or real inputs—glyphs alone are not a substitute for aria-checked semantics.
💡 Best Practices
Do
- Use
<input type="checkbox">for anything users must toggle or submit - Align ☐ with ☑ and ☒ in the same font size and column for scanability
- Pick hex or decimal and stay consistent across the page
- Use
\2610only inside CSScontent, not raw in HTML text - Add visible labels (“Unchecked,” option text) next to decorative boxes
Don’t
- Rely on ☐ alone to communicate interactive unchecked state
- Assume assistive tech infers meaning from the glyph without labels
- Mix unrelated square dingbats that look like ☐ but encode different meanings
- Paste CSS escapes into HTML body content
- Shrink ☐ below readable size in dense tables without line-height tuning
Key Takeaways
Two numeric references render the same glyph
☐ ☐In CSS content, use the escape
\2610Unicode U+2610 is the empty ballot box; no standard named entity
Use U+2611 / U+2612 when you need checked or X ballot marks in the same system
Prefer native checkboxes plus text for anything that participates in form submission
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
☐ (hex), ☐ (decimal), or \2610 in CSS content. There is no named entity; all valid methods render ☐.U+2610 (hex 2610, decimal 9744). It lives in the Miscellaneous Symbols block.\2610 escape belongs in stylesheets (for example on pseudo-elements). Do not paste CSS escapes into HTML text nodes.☐, ☐, or \2610 in CSS depending on whether you are authoring markup or styles.Explore More HTML Entities!
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