HTML Entity for Black Smiling Face (☻)
What You'll Learn
How to display Black Smiling Face (☻) in HTML and CSS. This character is U+263B in the Miscellaneous Symbols block (U+2600–U+26FF), approved in Unicode 1.1 (1993). Its Unicode name is BLACK SMILING FACE—a black-outline smiley, one of the earliest emoticon-style symbols in digital typography. The counterpart White Smiling Face (☺ U+263A) has a simpler outline.
There is no named HTML entity for U+263B. Use ☻ or ☻ in markup, or \263B in stylesheet content. The symbol suits web design, messaging, social media, and mood indicators. Use aria-hidden="true" when purely decorative, or visible text for meaningful emotional cues.
⚡ Quick Reference — Black Smiling Face
U+263BMiscellaneous Symbols (U+2600–U+26FF)
☻Hexadecimal reference
☻Decimal reference
—None (use numeric refs)
Name Value
──────────── ──────────
Unicode U+263B
Hex code ☻
HTML code ☻
Named entity —
CSS code \263BComplete HTML Example
This example shows U+263B using hexadecimal and decimal character references, plus a CSS content escape on a pseudo-element:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
#point:after{
content: "\263B";
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Black Smiling Face using Hexa Decimal: ☻</p>
<p>Black Smiling Face using HTML Code: ☻</p>
<p id="point">Black Smiling Face using CSS Entity: </p>
</body>
</html>🌐 Browser Support
U+263B is widely supported in modern browsers; smiley glyph artwork varies by typeface:
👀 Live Preview
See the glyph at different sizes and beside the white smiling face (font-dependent):
🧠 How It Works
Hexadecimal Code
☻ references code point U+263B using hex digits 263B after the #x prefix.
Decimal HTML Code
☻ is the decimal equivalent (9787) for the same Black Smiling Face character.
CSS Entity
\263B is the CSS escape for U+263B, 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 U+263B.
Use Cases
The Black Smiling Face (☻) is commonly used for:
Mood indicators, positive feedback, and playful design elements.
Chat interfaces, status indicators, and emoji-style expressions.
Posts, captions, comments, and positive sentiment indicators.
User satisfaction, review ratings, and approval indicators.
Congratulations, thank-you messages, and upbeat content.
Classic emoticon aesthetics and vintage interface styling.
Pair ☻ with text or aria-label when the symbol conveys emotional meaning.
💡 Best Practices
Do
- Use hex or decimal consistently—there is no named entity for U+263B
- Pair ☻ with ☺ (white smiling face) for contrast or mood variations
- Match the symbol to a positive, casual, or playful tone in your content
- Choose fonts that support the Miscellaneous Symbols block (U+2600–U+26FF)
- Use
\263Bonly inside CSScontent, not inside HTML text nodes - Use
aria-hidden="true"when purely decorative; add text when meaning matters
Don’t
- Confuse U+263B with U+263A (white smiling face) or modern emoji 😊 (different code points)
- Rely on ☻ alone to communicate critical emotional or status information
- Assume every font renders smileys crisply at small sizes
- Use smiley glyphs as the only feedback cue without visible text
- Mix CSS escapes into HTML text nodes (use numeric refs in markup)
Key Takeaways
Two numeric references render the same glyph
☻ ☻CSS content escape
\263BU+263B is BLACK SMILING FACE; pairs with White Smiling Face U+263A
Miscellaneous Symbols block U+2600–U+26FF; no named HTML entity
Pair emoticon glyphs with text or ARIA when meaning must be clear
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
☻ (hex), ☻ (decimal), or \263B in CSS content. There is no named entity; all valid methods render ☻.U+263B (hex 263B, decimal 9787). Miscellaneous Symbols (U+2600–U+26FF). Unicode name BLACK SMILING FACE.\263B escape belongs in stylesheets (for example on pseudo-elements). Do not paste CSS escapes into HTML text nodes.☻, ☻, or \263B in CSS depending on whether you are authoring markup or styles.Explore More HTML Entities!
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