Finding and copying special symbols - arrows, stars, currency signs, mathematical operators, and emojis - used to mean memorizing keyboard shortcuts or digging through character maps. Our free symbols collection lets you browse hundreds of special characters by category and copy any one to your clipboard with a single click.
What are Unicode Special Characters?
Unicode is the international standard that assigns a unique code to every character used in any writing system. It covers over 140,000 characters including:
- Arrows - →, ←, ↑, ↓, ⇒, ⇔
- Stars and shapes - ★, ☆, ●, ■, ▶, ◆
- Currency symbols - €, £, ¥, ₿, ₹, ¢
- Mathematical symbols - ±, ∞, √, ∑, π, ÷, ×
- Punctuation and typography - em dash ( - ), ellipsis (…), copyright (©), trademark (™)
- Emojis - 😀, 🔥, ❤️, ✅, ⭐
Because these are standard Unicode characters, they work in any text field that accepts Unicode input - documents, social media posts, messaging apps, code comments, and web pages.
How to Use the Symbols Collection
- Browse by category - scroll through categories like arrows, stars, currency, math, and emojis to find the symbol you need.
- Click to copy - click on any symbol or emoji and it is immediately copied to your clipboard.
- Paste anywhere - paste the symbol into your document, social media post, email, or code.
Common Use Cases
- Adding checkmarks (✓ ✅), crosses (✗), and warning symbols (⚠️) to documents and presentations
- Inserting currency symbols for international price displays
- Using arrows (→ ← ↑ ↓) in text where graphics are not available
- Adding mathematical symbols to explanations and formulas without a formula editor
- Decorating social media bios and posts with stars, hearts, and decorative characters
- Using typography characters like em dashes ( - ) and ellipses (…) correctly
Frequently Asked Questions
Why not just use emoji from my phone keyboard? Your phone keyboard has limited selection and searching is slow. A categorized, searchable collection lets you find the exact symbol you need much faster, especially for technical characters like mathematical operators.
Will these symbols display on all devices? Standard Unicode characters (especially those in the Basic Multilingual Plane) display on virtually all modern devices. Emojis depend on the platform's emoji font - the appearance may differ between iOS, Android, and Windows, but the character is the same.
Can I use these in code comments or strings? Yes. Modern programming languages and files saved in UTF-8 (the default on most systems) support arbitrary Unicode characters in strings, comments, and even variable names.
How do I type special characters without a tool? On Windows, you can use Alt codes (e.g., Alt+0169 for ©) or the Character Map app. On Mac, hold Option and press various keys. On Linux, use the Compose key. A dedicated symbols browser is far faster for characters you do not use regularly.
Use the Symbols to Copy tool free, no sign-up required.