Quick Answer
On Windows with a numeric keypad, hold Alt and type 26 for a right arrow, 27 for left, 24 for up, 25 for down, and 29 for a double headed arrow.
On Mac, open Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space, search arrow, and double click the result. Inside Word, Google Docs, and Slack, typing two hyphens followed by a greater than sign auto converts to a right arrow.
The fast reference table
- Right arrow: Alt + 26 on Windows numpad, → in HTML, Unicode 2192
- Left arrow: Alt + 27, ←, Unicode 2190
- Up arrow: Alt + 24, ↑, Unicode 2191
- Down arrow: Alt + 25, ↓, Unicode 2193
- Left right arrow: Alt + 29, ↔, Unicode 2194
- Double right arrow: Unicode 21d2, also written as ==> in many editors that auto convert
Why typing arrows feels harder than it should
Arrows are everywhere in technical documentation, gaming guides, slide decks, and chat. Yet no operating system puts them on the main keyboard. You either need an alt code, a special panel, or an auto correct rule. Once you know two or three reliable methods, dropping in an arrow takes less than a second.
Windows methods
Alt codes on a numeric keypad
The fastest option on a full sized keyboard.
- Turn on Num Lock.
- Hold Alt.
- Type the code (26 for right, 27 for left, 24 for up, 25 for down, 29 for left right).
- Release Alt.
These short codes only work on the dedicated numeric pad. The number row above the QWERTY letters will not trigger them.
The Windows emoji panel
Press Windows + period or Windows + semicolon. Click the symbols tab (omega icon), choose the arrows category, and pick the one you want.
The character map app
Search for Character Map in the start menu. Pick a Unicode font, scroll to the arrows block (starting at U+2190), and click Select then Copy.
Mac methods
Character Viewer
Press Control + Command + Space. Type arrow in the search box. Double click any arrow to insert it at the cursor.
Unicode hex input
Add the Unicode Hex Input source in System Settings then Keyboard then Input Sources. Hold Option and type the four character hex code (2192 for right, 2190 for left).
Text replacement
For arrows you use daily, open System Settings, then Keyboard, then Text Replacements. Assign a short trigger like -> to expand into a right arrow. The replacement syncs across iPhone and iPad if iCloud is on.
Mobile devices
Neither iOS nor Android puts arrows on the main keyboard, but both let you add them through stickers, emoji search, or a text replacement.
- iOS: Settings, then General, then Keyboard, then Text Replacement, then add a phrase with the arrow as the expansion.
- Android Gboard: tap the emoji button, then the symbols tab, and arrows appear in the upper rows.
- Samsung Keyboard: long press the period key for a popup of common symbols including arrows.
Auto correction inside apps
Most modern writing tools include built in arrow conversions. Type the sequence and the editor swaps it for the symbol.
- Two hyphens then greater than: right arrow
- Less than then two hyphens: left arrow
- Two equals then greater than: double right arrow
- Less than then two equals: double left arrow
The behaviour exists in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Slack, Notion, and most code editors with smart typography enabled.
Web developer reference
If you are writing HTML, use the named entities or numeric Unicode references so the symbol renders in every browser regardless of font.
- Right arrow: → or →
- Left arrow: ← or ←
- Up arrow: ↑ or ↑
- Down arrow: ↓ or ↓
- Left right arrow: ↔ or ↔
- Double right arrow: ⇒ or ⇒
In CSS, use the escaped Unicode form: content: "\2192" for a pseudo element right arrow.
Linux and Chromebook
Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type the four digit hex (2192 for right), then press Enter or Space. This shortcut covers every arrow in the Unicode block. On GNOME you can also enable the compose key and use combinations like Compose, then minus, then greater than for a right arrow.
FAQs
Why do my arrows show up as boxes?
The font in use does not include the Unicode arrow glyph. Switch to a system font like Segoe UI Symbol on Windows, Apple Symbols on Mac, or Noto Sans Symbols on Linux.
Are arrow emojis the same as arrow symbols?
No. Emoji arrows render in colour and follow the platform emoji style. Unicode arrows are monochrome and inherit your text colour, which usually looks cleaner in body copy and headings.
Can I make a custom arrow shortcut?
Yes. On Mac use Text Replacements, on Windows use PowerToys Keyboard Manager or AutoHotKey, and on Linux use the compose key file. Pick a trigger you never type by accident.
The takeaway
Arrows belong in any writing about steps, processes, and direction. Memorise one method for your daily device, set up a text replacement for the arrows you use most, and stop reaching for a search bar every time you need a right arrow.
Pro tips for documentation and slide work
If your job involves writing tutorials, runbooks, or slide decks, arrows show up dozens of times a day. Three changes turn the symbol into a no friction part of the writing flow.
- Enable smart typography in every editor. Word, Google Docs, Notion, and most modern code editors offer an option that converts hyphen plus greater than into a right arrow automatically. Turn it on and you almost never reach for a special menu again.
- Build an arrow snippet library. Triggers like rar, lar, uar, dar expand into the matching arrow through a text expander. Add the double headed and double shafted variants in the same group.
- Pin the symbol panel. On Mac the Character Viewer can stay open as a floating window. On Windows the emoji panel responds to Windows + period from any text field, so you do not need to leave your editor.
Accessibility considerations
Screen readers handle arrow symbols inconsistently. NVDA and JAWS announce a right arrow as right arrow, but VoiceOver sometimes skips the character entirely. If your audience includes screen reader users, write the direction in words at least once near the symbol (the arrow points to the next step) so the meaning is never lost.
