HTML Entity for Left Double Arrow (⇐)

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+21D0

HTML Entity for Left Double Arrow (U+21D0) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is the Left Double Arrow Entity?

Left Double Arrow (⇐) is the Arrows character at Unicode U+21D0 (LEFTWARDS DOUBLE ARROW). It is often used for implication, maps, and strong leftward direction — thicker than the single ←.

Remember

Character     ⇐
Unicode       U+21D0
Hex entity    &#x21D0;
Decimal       &#8656;
Named entity  &lArr;  (alias &Leftarrow;)
CSS escape    \21D0
Not the same  &larr; (←) — case-sensitive!

All of these produce the same glyph: ⇐. Prefer ⇐ when you want an explicit entity; watch the capital A.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Named entity	`⇐`	HTML markup (best entity default)
Hex entity	`⇐`	HTML markup
Decimal entity	`⇐`	HTML markup
CSS escape	`\21D0`	Stylesheet `content`
Direct character	`⇐`	UTF-8 HTML text

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Readable HTML entity source	`⇐` (or `&Leftarrow;`)
Need a numeric entity	`⇐` or `⇐`
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\21D0"`
Single (thin) left arrow	Use ← (U+2190)
Arrow with vertical bar	Use left double arrow bar

See it

Live Preview

Left Double Arrow in common UI and math contexts.

Back link ⇐ Previous

Large glyph ⇐

Named entity ⇐ → ⇐

vs single ← ⇐ | ←

With entities Hex: ⇐ | Decimal: ⇐ | Named: ⇐

Code

Complete HTML Example

One page that shows Left Double Arrow with hex, decimal, named, and CSS. Use View Output or open the live editor.

Hex + Decimal + Named + CSS

All four ways to produce ⇐ in a single document.

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Left Double Arrow (⇐) in HTML</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\21D0";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Using Hex Code: &#x21D0;</p>
  <p>Using HTML Code: &#8656;</p>
  <p>Using Named Entity: &lArr;</p>
  <p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p><a href="#">&lArr; Previous</a></p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Hex: U+21D0 → ⇐ in HTML. The browser turns it into ⇐.

2. Decimal: same code point as 8656 → ⇐. Same result as hex.

3. Named: ⇐ is the HTML5 name (alias &Leftarrow;). Capital A is required.

4. CSS: use \21D0 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ⇐ after the paragraph text.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with Left Double Arrow.

Case

`⇐` ≠ `←`

Lowercase ← is ← (U+2190). Uppercase A in ⇐ gives ⇐ (U+21D0).

Look-alikes

⇐ ≠ ← ≠ ⇠

Double, single, and dashed left arrows are different characters.

Alias

`&Leftarrow;` works too

&Leftarrow; is an HTML5 alias for the same character as ⇐.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\21D0 belongs in CSS. ⇐ / ⇐ / ⇐ belong in HTML.

A11y

Add nearby words

Pair the glyph with text like “Previous”, or use aria-label on icon-only controls.

Semicolon

End references

Always finish with ; — write ⇐, not &lArr.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Left Double Arrow (U+21D0) and its entity forms (⇐, ⇐, ⇐, CSS \\21D0) are supported in all modern browsers.

✓ Universal support

Left Double Arrow (⇐)

Encode with named, hex, decimal, or CSS escape — or type ⇐ directly in UTF-8 HTML.

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+21D0 / ⇐ Full support

Bottom line: Prefer ⇐ for readable HTML. Remember capital A. Use \\21D0 only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: this symbol is U+21D0 (decimal 8656).
HTML: prefer ⇐ — or use ⇐ / ⇐.
CSS: use \21D0 inside content for generated text.
Watch out: ⇐ ≠ ← — named entities are case-sensitive.

One line: U+21D0 → ⇐ / ⇐ / ⇐ / CSS \21D0.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display Left Double Arrow (⇐) in HTML using entities?

Use ⇐ (named), ⇐ (hex), ⇐ (decimal), or the CSS escape \21D0 in the content property. You can also type ⇐ directly in UTF-8 HTML.

What is the Unicode value for Left Double Arrow?

U+21D0 (LEFTWARDS DOUBLE ARROW). Hex 21D0, decimal 8656. It belongs to the Arrows block (U+2190–U+21FF).

Is there a named HTML entity for U+21D0?

Yes. ⇐ is the primary HTML5 named entity. &Leftarrow; is a supported alias. You can also use ⇐ or ⇐.

When should I use this HTML entity?

Use it for logic/implication notation, maps, and strong leftward navigation. Prefer ⇐ for readable HTML; add nearby words or aria-label for accessibility.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+21D0?

HTML entities (⇐, ⇐, or ⇐) go in markup. The CSS escape \21D0 is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ⇐.

How is ⇐ different from ←?

← (U+2190) is the single leftwards arrow ←. ⇐ (U+21D0) is the double leftwards arrow ⇐. Named entities are case-sensitive.

Did you know?

Left Double Arrow is Unicode U+21D0 (decimal 8656) — LEFTWARDS DOUBLE ARROW. HTML5 provides ⇐ (alias &Leftarrow;). Prefer it for readable source. Case matters: ← is the single arrow ←; ⇐ is the double arrow ⇐.

Next: Left Double Arrow Bar

Learn the HTML entity for Left Double Arrow Bar — next in this sequence.

Left Double Arrow Bar 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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