keycap: *

What does keycap: * mean?

The *️⃣ (keycap: *) emoji depicts the asterisk or "star" button found on traditional telephone keypads and computer keyboards. Visually, it usually appears as a white asterisk enclosed within a solid blue or grey rounded square. In its most literal sense, it represents telecommunications, dialing extensions, navigating automated phone menus, or entering a passcode. It is also widely recognized as a typographical symbol used to indicate a footnote, an omission, or required information on a form. In everyday digital communication, people frequently use this emoji to denote a correction, highlight an important detail, or censor a sensitive word. It often serves as a visual marker to draw attention to a specific point in a list or to playfully redact part of a message. Tech-savvy users might also drop it into conversations regarding passwords, coding, or emphasizing specific formatting within a text message.

Slang & Modern Usage

In internet slang and Gen Z messaging, the *️⃣ emoji is a go-to tool for text-based roleplay and emphasis. Stemming from old-school chatrooms and early internet forums where asterisks were used to describe physical actions (like *sighs* or *rolls eyes*), the emoji version adds a pop of color to these dramatic or playful expressions. It is also heavily used for censoring profanity or sensitive words in a cheeky way, acting as a visual bleep (e.g., "What the f*️⃣ck"). Additionally, it frequently appears when someone is correcting a typo from a previous text, acting as the visual equivalent of the standard asterisk correction. On platforms like Twitter and TikTok, it can symbolize a "wildcard" or be used alongside other symbols to create sparkling, eye-catching text decorations.

Emoji Combos

Platform Differences

Most platforms, including Apple, Google, Twitter, and WhatsApp, display a white asterisk on a blue rounded square. Microsoft renders it with a grey or black border.

Technical Information

Unicode U+002A U+FE0F U+20E3
HTML Entity *️⃣
CSS \002A\FE0F\20E3
JavaScript \u{002A}\u{FE0F}\u{20E3}
Unicode Version Unicode 2
Status Fully-qualified

Shortcodes

github

:asterisk:

discord

:asterisk: :keycap_asterisk:

slack

:keycap_star:

Related Emojis

#️⃣ keycap: # 0️⃣ keycap: 0 1️⃣ keycap: 1 2️⃣ keycap: 2 3️⃣ keycap: 3 4️⃣ keycap: 4 5️⃣ keycap: 5 6️⃣ keycap: 6

Tags

Typography Telephone Keyboard Grammar Footnote Wildcard Gen Z Slang Censorship Correction Technology Password

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the *️⃣ emoji mean in a text?
In a text message, the *️⃣ emoji usually indicates a correction to a previous typo. It can also be used to censor a curse word or highlight a specific footnote or detail.
Why do people use the *️⃣ emoji for actions?
Using asterisks to describe an action (like *facepalms*) is a classic internet chatroom habit. The *️⃣ emoji modernizes this tradition, making roleplay actions or emotional reactions stand out in modern chats.
Does the *️⃣ emoji mean password?
Yes, because passwords are often hidden by asterisks on screens for security, the *️⃣ emoji is frequently used to symbolize a password, secret code, or secure login.
What is the difference between *️⃣ and ✳️?
The *️⃣ emoji specifically represents a physical keycap button from a phone or keyboard. In contrast, the ✳️ (eight-spoked asterisk) is generally used as a decorative bullet point, star symbol, or sparkle.