HTML Entity for Star (★)

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+2605

HTML Entity for black star (U+2605) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is Star?

Black star (★) is the Unicode character at U+2605 in Miscellaneous Symbols. Official name: BLACK STAR. It is the filled five-pointed star commonly used for ratings, favorites, and decoration.

Remember

Character     ★
Unicode       U+2605
Named entity  &starf;
Hex entity    &#x2605;
Decimal       &#9733;
CSS escape    \2605
Not the same  ☆ · ⋆ · ✩

Prefer &starf; in HTML markup (&bigstar; is an alias). You can also type ★ in UTF-8, or use numeric forms when needed. For an outlined star, use ☆ (U+2606) instead.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Named entity	`&starf;`	HTML markup (preferred)
Alias	`&bigstar;`	Same glyph as `&starf;`
Direct character	`★`	HTML text (UTF-8)
Hex entity	`★`	HTML markup
Decimal entity	`★`	HTML markup
CSS escape	`\2605`	Stylesheet `content`
White star (related)	☆ (U+2606)	Outlined counterpart

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Filled / black star (ratings, favorites)	`&starf;` or type `★`
Outlined / white star	☆ (U+2606)
Math star operator	⋆ (`&star;`)
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\2605"`

See it

Live Preview

Black star rendered alone and next to related stars.

Large glyph ★

Notation Rating: ★★★☆☆

Compared ★ (starf) | ☆ (white) | ⋆ (star)

Hint Compare: Filled ★ vs Outline ☆

With entities Named: ★ | Hex: ★ | Decimal: ★

Code

Complete HTML Example

One page that shows the black star with named, hex, decimal, CSS escape, and a typed character. Use View Output or open the live editor.

Named + Hex + Decimal + CSS + Typed

Five ways to produce ★, plus a short rating example.

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Star (★) in HTML</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\2605";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Using Named Entity: &starf;</p>
  <p>Using Hex Code: &#x2605;</p>
  <p>Using HTML Code: &#9733;</p>
  <p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p>Typed directly: ★</p>
  <p>Notation: Rating &starf;&starf;&starf;</p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Named: &starf; is the HTML5 name for U+2605 → ★. Best default in markup.

2. Hex: U+2605 → ★ in HTML. Same glyph as the named form.

3. Decimal: same code point as 9733 → ★. Same result as hex and named.

4. CSS: use \2605 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ★ after the paragraph text.

5. Typed / notation: paste ★ in UTF-8, or write Rating &starf;&starf;&starf; for a short example.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with &starf;.

vs ☆

Not the white / outlined star

U+2606 (☆) is the hollow star. U+2605 is the filled black star.

vs &star;

Not &star;

&star; is U+22C6 (⋆, star operator). The filled star name is &starf;.

Name

Remember &starf;

Use &starf; or &bigstar; — not &star; — for U+2605.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\2605 belongs in CSS strings. &starf; / ★ / ★ belong in HTML.

Semicolon

End named entities

Always finish with ; — write &starf;, not &starf.

A11y

Announce ratings in text

A row of stars alone may be unclear. Prefer “3 out of 5 stars” (or an accessible label) alongside the glyphs.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Black star (U+2605) and its entity forms (&starf;, ★, ★, CSS \\2605) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Visible glyphs depend on Miscellaneous Symbols font coverage.

✓ Universal support

Star (★)

Encode with named, hex, decimal, CSS escape, or type the character — same code point everywhere encoding is supported.

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+2605 / entities Full support

Bottom line: Prefer &starf; in HTML. Use ★ / ★ when numeric form is required, and \\2605 only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: black star is U+2605 (decimal 9733) — glyph ★.
HTML: prefer &starf; — also ★ / ★ / type ★.
CSS: use \2605 inside content for generated text.
Meaning: ★ is filled — not ☆, not &star; (⋆).

One line: U+2605 → &starf; / ★ / ★ / CSS \2605.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display ★ in HTML?

Use &starf; (named), ★ (hex), ★ (decimal), type ★ directly in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \2605 in content. Prefer &starf; in normal HTML.

What is the Unicode value for black star?

U+2605 (BLACK STAR). Hex 2605, decimal 9733. It belongs to Miscellaneous Symbols (U+2600–U+26FF).

Is there a named HTML entity for U+2605?

Yes. Use &starf; (or the alias &bigstar;). Numeric forms ★ and ★ also work.

Is ★ the same as ☆ or ⋆?

No. ★ is U+2605 (&starf;). ☆ is U+2606 (white star). ⋆ is U+22C6 (&star;, star operator).

When should I use &starf;?

Use it for filled rating stars, favorites, and decorative UI — not as a substitute for the outlined star ☆ or the math star operator ⋆.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+2605?

HTML entities (&starf;, ★, or ★) go in markup. The CSS escape \2605 goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after).

Did you know?

Black star is Unicode U+2605 (decimal 9733) — glyph ★ in Miscellaneous Symbols (U+2600–U+26FF). HTML5 names it &starf; (also &bigstar;). Official name: BLACK STAR. Do not confuse with white star U+2606 (☆) or star operator U+22C6 (&star;, ⋆).

Next: Star Crescent

Learn the HTML entity for star and crescent (U+262A).

Continue 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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