HTML Entity for Left Arrow To Bar (⇤)
What You'll Learn
How to display the Left Arrow To Bar (⇤) in HTML using the named entity, hexadecimal, decimal, and CSS escape methods. This symbol is U+21E4 (LEFTWARDS ARROW TO BAR) in the Arrows block (U+2190–U+21FF)—a leftwards arrow to a vertical bar, commonly used for tab/indent notation, back-to-margin navigation, and UI controls.
Render it with ⇤ (named), ⇤, ⇤, or CSS \21E4. Related: U+21E5 (⇥, right arrow to bar / ⇥), U+2190 (←, simple left arrow / ←).
⚡ Quick Reference — Left Arrow To Bar
U+21E4Arrows block
⇤Hexadecimal reference
⇤Decimal reference
⇤Most readable option
Name Value
──────────── ──────────
Unicode U+21E4
Hex code ⇤
HTML code ⇤
Named entity ⇤
CSS code \21E4
Meaning Leftwards arrow to bar (tab / back-to-margin)
Related U+21E5 = right arrow to bar (⇥)
U+2190 = left arrow (←)Complete HTML Example
A simple example showing the Left Arrow To Bar (⇤) using the named entity, hexadecimal code, decimal HTML code, and a CSS content escape:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
#point:after{
content: "\21E4";
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Symbol using Hexadecimal: ⇤</p>
<p>Symbol using HTML Code: ⇤</p>
<p>Symbol using HTML Entity: ⇤</p>
<p id="point">Symbol using CSS Entity: </p>
</body>
</html>🌐 Browser Support
The Left Arrow To Bar (⇤) renders in modern browsers when the font includes Arrows block glyphs:
👀 Live Preview
See the Left Arrow To Bar (⇤) in tab and navigation contexts:
🧠 How It Works
Named HTML Entity
⇤ is the named entity for the Left Arrow To Bar (leftwards arrow to bar). It is easy to read in tab and navigation markup.
Hexadecimal Code
⇤ uses the Unicode hexadecimal value 21E4. The x prefix indicates hexadecimal format.
Decimal HTML Code
⇤ uses the decimal Unicode value 8676 for the same symbol.
CSS Entity
\21E4 is used in CSS stylesheets in the content property of pseudo-elements like ::after.
Same visual result
All four methods produce ⇤. Unicode U+21E4 is in the Arrows block. Next: Left Arrow Vertical Stroke.
Use Cases
The Left Arrow To Bar (⇤) is commonly used in:
Indicate tab key, back-tab, or indent/outdent in keyboard shortcuts and help.
Back to start, home, or left margin in app headers and toolbars.
Document flow, shortcuts, or specification notation that uses this arrow.
Text editor or form controls for decrease indent or move-to-start.
Indicate left-to-margin or tab-style direction in process diagrams.
Move to first column or left edge in data tables and forms.
💡 Best Practices
Do
- Prefer
⇤in HTML for readability - Pair ⇤ with text (e.g., “Tab” or “Back to start”) or
aria-labelfor accessibility - Use fonts that support the Arrows block (U+21E4)
- Set
<meta charset="utf-8"> - Keep one encoding style per project for consistency
- Distinguish ⇤ from ← when tab-to-bar meaning matters
Don’t
- Confuse
⇤(U+21E4) with←(U+2190) - Confuse
⇤with⇥(U+21E5, right arrow to bar) - Use CSS
\21E4inside HTML text nodes - Rely on the symbol alone without context in critical UI
- Mix named and numeric entities inconsistently in the same component
Key Takeaways
Four ways to render U+21E4 in web content
⇤ ⇤ ⇤For CSS, use \21E4 in the content property
Unicode U+21E4 — LEFTWARDS ARROW TO BAR
Arrows block (U+2190–U+21FF)
Previous: Left Arrow Through Subset (⥺) Next: Left Arrow Vertical Stroke
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
⇤ (named), ⇤ (hex), ⇤ (decimal), or \21E4 in CSS content. All four methods render ⇤ correctly.U+21E4 (LEFTWARDS ARROW TO BAR). Arrows block (U+2190–U+21FF). Hex 21E4, decimal 8676. Often used for tab or back-to-margin notation.⇤, ⇤, ⇤) go in markup. The CSS escape \21E4 is used in stylesheets, typically on ::before or ::after. Both produce ⇤.⇤ is the named HTML entity for U+21E4. You can also use ⇤ (decimal), ⇤ (hex), or \21E4 in CSS.Explore More HTML Entities!
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