Gear (⚙) is the Unicode character at U+2699 in Miscellaneous Symbols. Official name: GEAR. It is commonly used as a settings or preferences icon in tech UI.
Remember
Character ⚙
Unicode U+2699
Hex entity ⚙
Decimal ⚙
CSS escape \2699
Named entity (none)
Meaning gear / cog (settings symbol)
Not the same emoji gear variants · SVG icons · wrench tools
Prefer ⚙ or ⚙ in HTML (no named form). You can also type ⚙ in a UTF-8 document. Keep a visible label (for example “Settings”) next to decorative uses.
Reference
Quick Reference
One table for every form you will actually use.
Form
Code
Where it goes
Named entity
None
—
Hex entity
⚙
HTML markup (preferred)
Decimal entity
⚙
HTML markup
Direct character
⚙
HTML text (UTF-8)
CSS escape
\2699
Stylesheet content
When to Use Which
Situation
Use
Compact settings mark in text
⚙ plus visible “Settings” text
Production UI icon
Prefer SVG or an icon component (easier to style)
Decorative glyph only
aria-hidden="true" on the glyph + separate label
Plain text without symbols
Write Settings or Preferences
Generated text via ::before / ::after
content: "\2699"
See it
Live Preview
Symbol alone, in a sample label, and with entity forms.
Glyph⚙
Large glyph⚙
Sample⚙ Settings
Compared⚙ ⚒ ⛏
With entitiesHex: ⚙ | Decimal: ⚙
Code
Complete HTML Example
One page that shows gear with hex, decimal, CSS escape, and a typed character. Use View Output or open the live editor.
Built with Hex: ⚙
Built with Decimal: ⚙
Built with CSS: ⚙
Typed: ⚙
⚙ Settings
[button showing ⚙]
How It Works
1. Hex:⚙ inserts code point U+2699 → ⚙.
2. Decimal: same code point as 9881 → ⚙. Same visual as hex.
3. CSS: use \2699 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends ⚙.
4. Typed / a11y: paste ⚙ in a UTF-8 document when you need the gear glyph. Use aria-hidden="true" when text already says “Settings”, or aria-label on icon-only buttons.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with gear.
Name
No named entity
There is no HTML5 named entity for U+2699. Use ⚙ or ⚙. Do not invent &gear;.
UI
SVG often fits apps better
Unicode gear is great for demos and compact text. For production settings buttons, SVG icons are usually easier to size and recolor.
Font
Font / emoji presentation
Some systems draw ⚙ as emoji-style color. Appearance varies by font and OS — test on your target devices.
a11y
Do not rely on the glyph alone
Screen readers may skip or misname ⚙. Prefer nearby text, aria-hidden="true" on decorative glyphs, or aria-label on icon-only controls.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\2699 belongs in CSS strings. ⚙ / ⚙ belong in HTML.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish entities with ; — write ⚙, not ⚙.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Gear (U+2699) and its entity forms (⚙, ⚙, CSS \\2699) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Visible glyphs depend on Miscellaneous Symbols font coverage.
✓ Universal support
Gear (⚙)
Encode with hex, decimal, CSS escape, or type the character — same code point everywhere encoding is supported.
100%Browser coverage
Google ChromeSupported
Yes
Microsoft EdgeSupported
Yes
Mozilla FirefoxSupported
Yes
Apple SafariSupported
Yes
OperaSupported
Yes
Internet ExplorerAll versions
Yes
U+2699Full support
Bottom line: Prefer ⚙ in HTML (no named form). Use ⚙ when decimal form is required, and \\2699 only inside CSS content.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: gear is U+2699 (decimal 9881) — glyph ⚙.
HTML: no named entity — use ⚙ / ⚙ / type ⚙.
CSS: use \2699 inside content for generated text.
Meaning: treat ⚙ as a settings mark — always pair with accessible text.
One line:U+2699 → ⚙ / ⚙ / CSS \2699 (no named form).
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ⚙ (hex), ⚙ (decimal), type ⚙ directly in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \2699 in content. There is no named HTML entity for U+2699.
U+2699 (GEAR). Hex 2699, decimal 9881. It belongs to the Miscellaneous Symbols block (U+2600–U+26FF).
No. HTML5 does not define a named entity for U+2699. Prefer ⚙ or ⚙.
Use it as a compact settings/cog mark in text or simple UI demos. For production interfaces, an SVG or icon font is often easier to size and color.
HTML numeric entities (⚙ or ⚙) go in markup. The CSS escape \2699 goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after).
U+2699 is a Miscellaneous Symbols character. Some platforms render it with emoji-style presentation; others use a text glyph. Appearance depends on font and OS.
🤔
Did you know?
Gear is Unicode U+2699 (decimal 9881) — glyph ⚙ (GEAR) in Miscellaneous Symbols. There is no HTML5 named entity; use ⚙ or ⚙. Common as a settings/preferences icon in UI. Prefer an SVG icon for production apps when you need scalable, styleable graphics; use ⚙ for compact text or simple demos. Pair decorative glyphs with visible labels for accessibility.
