How to type the Up Arrow symbol (↑) on a keyboard (Windows, Mac, Word, Excel + more)
When people search “up arrow on keyboard,” they usually mean one of two things:
- Up Arrow key (the physical key) → moves your cursor or scrolls
- Up Arrow symbol (a character you insert into text) → like ↑
This guide focuses on the up arrow symbol (mainly ↑) and also covers common “up arrow” variations like ⬆ and ⇑.
Examples:
- Text symbol: ↑
- Emoji-style arrow: ⬆
You can use the following copy tool to get the kind of up arrow symbol you need:
1-Minute Answer (fastest ways)
- Copy/paste: ↑
- Word: Insert → Symbol (or copy/paste from the widget)
- Windows: Use Character Map (most reliable)
(Alt codes can be inconsistent across apps, so Character Map is safer.) - Mac: Control + Command + Space → search “up arrow” → insert ↑
- Google Docs: Insert → Special characters → search “up arrow”
- iPhone/Android: Copy/paste ↑ is usually fastest (use emoji keyboard if you want ⬆)
Quick Reference (common “up arrow” symbols)
Here are the most common symbols people mean by “up arrow.”
| Symbol | Name | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| ↑ | Upwards arrow | Text/document arrow (main one) |
| ⬆ | Up arrow (emoji-style) | Emoji look (varies by device) |
| ⇑ | Upwards double arrow | Text/math/diagrams |
| ⤴ | Right arrow curving up | “Return/back” or “turn up” style |
| ↥ | Upwards arrow with bar | Diagrams/technical notation |
| ↟ | Upwards two-headed arrow | Diagrams/technical notation |
| ▲ | Black up-pointing triangle | Often used in UI/menus (not a true arrow) |
| ▴ | Small up-pointing triangle | Small indicator/marker |
A) How to type ↑ on Windows
Method 1: Copy/paste (fastest)
- Copy this: ↑
- Paste where you need it: Ctrl + V
Method 2: Character Map (most reliable on Windows)
- Open the Start menu.
- Search Character Map and open it.
- In the font list, try Segoe UI Symbol (or another common font).
- Find ↑ (you can scroll, or search for “arrow” if Advanced view is available).
- Click the symbol → Select → Copy.
- Paste with Ctrl + V.
Method 3: Alt codes (why we don’t recommend them here)
Many people try Windows Alt codes, but arrow results can vary depending on the app and font. If you need a method that works almost every time, use:
- Character Map, or
- Word Alt+X (next section)
B) How to type ↑ on Mac
Method 1: Character Viewer (best)
- Press Control + Command + Space.
- Search up arrow or arrow.
- Double-click ↑ to insert.
Method 2: Copy/paste
Copy ↑ from this page (or the widget) and paste anywhere.
C) How to insert up arrows in Microsoft Word (Windows + Mac) — MAIN SECTION
Method 1: Insert → Symbol (easy + reliable)
- Click where you want the arrow.
- Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols.
- In Font, try Segoe UI Symbol (Windows) or a similar symbol font.
- Find ↑ and click Insert.
Tip: If you can’t find the arrow, switch fonts inside the Symbol dialog.
Method 2: Copy/paste from the widget
This is the quickest for most people:
- Click an arrow in the widget → paste into Word.
Method 3: Word Alt+X (Windows only — very reliable)
This is one of the best methods on Windows Word.
- For ↑: type 2191 then press Alt + X → ↑
Optional extra examples (useful if you include them in your widget):
- For ⇑: type 21D1 then Alt + X → ⇑
- For ⤴: type 2934 then Alt + X → ⤴
D) Up arrows in Excel (and Google Sheets)
Important: arrows are for display, not formulas
In Excel/Sheets:
- Arrow symbols like ↑ are characters (for labels, notes, dashboards)
- They do not work as math operators in formulas
Best ways to add ↑ for display
- Copy/paste from the widget
- Insert → Symbol (Excel desktop, if available)
- UNICHAR formula (recommended):
=UNICHAR(8593)→ ↑- Example:
=A1&" "&UNICHAR(8593)
E) PowerPoint (short)
- Insert → Symbol (or Insert → Icons if you want a design arrow)
- Or copy/paste from the widget
F) Google Docs
- Insert → Special characters
- Search: up arrow, arrow up, or upwards arrow
- Click the arrow to insert it.
G) Google Sheets
- Display symbol:
=UNICHAR(8593)→ ↑ - Or copy/paste from the widget
H) iPhone + Android
If you want the emoji-style arrow (⬆)
- Open the emoji keyboard and search arrow
- Choose ⬆ (appearance varies by device)
If you want the text symbol (↑)
- Copy/paste ↑ from the widget (most reliable)
I) Chromebook
- In Google Docs: Insert → Special characters → search up arrow
- Or copy/paste from the widget
Up arrow key vs up arrow symbol (important)
- Up Arrow key: moves the cursor up, scrolls, navigates menus
- Up Arrow symbol (↑): a character you insert into text (documents, notes, labels)
If you want something that “moves,” you need the key.
If you want something that “shows,” you need the symbol.
Troubleshooting
Alt code not working (Windows)
Common reasons:
- No numeric keypad (many laptops don’t have one)
- Num Lock is off
- The app/font doesn’t support the same Alt results
Fix:
- Use Character Map, or Word Alt+X (2191 + Alt+X), or copy/paste.
Symbol shows as a box (□)
That means your font doesn’t support that symbol.
- Try a different font (Word: Calibri, Arial, Segoe UI Symbol, etc.)
The arrow looks different on another device
That’s normal when you use emoji arrows (like ⬆). Emoji rendering changes by device.
- For consistent “text look,” use ↑ instead of ⬆.
Can’t find it in Word’s symbol list
Try:
- Changing the Font inside the Symbol dialog (Segoe UI Symbol is a good start)
- Or use copy/paste
- Or use 2191 + Alt+X (Word Windows)
FAQ
How do I type the up arrow symbol (↑) on Windows?
Fastest:
- Copy/paste ↑
Most reliable: - Character Map
Word-only reliable method: - Type 2191 then Alt + X
How do I type ↑ on Mac?
- Press Control + Command + Space
- Search up arrow
- Insert ↑
How do I insert an up arrow in Word?
- Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, or
- Copy/paste from the widget, or
- (Word Windows) 2191 + Alt+X
What’s the difference between ↑ and ⬆?
- ↑ is a text symbol (more consistent)
- ⬆ is emoji-style (looks different on different devices)
What is the Unicode for ↑?
- ↑ = U+2191
Quick recap
- Copy/paste: ↑
- Windows: Character Map is the most reliable
- Mac: Control + Command + Space → search “up arrow”
- Word (Windows): 2191 + Alt+X
- Excel/Sheets:
=UNICHAR(8593)for ↑ - Emoji look: use ⬆, but expect it to change by device