↷ Clockwise Top Semicircle Arrow: Meaning, History, and Usage
The ↷ (Clockwise Top Semicircle Arrow) symbol represents a forward motion, rotation, or the concept of repeating an action. Visually, it features a curved line tracing a clockwise arc and ending in a right-pointing arrowhead. Digital platforms widely use this symbol to indicate a "redo" command, a page turn, or a forward leap in navigation.
Originating in the earliest days of digital text, ↷ was officially added to the Unicode Standard in 1991 under version 1.0. It belongs to the Arrows block, residing at the code point U+21B7. While it lacks a colorful emoji presentation on most default keyboards, its clean, typographic design makes it a staple in both software development and everyday text formatting.
You will spot ↷ across a variety of digital and academic contexts. In user interface design and programming, it universally signifies "redo," acting as the natural partner to the backward-facing undo icon. On social media and messaging apps, users type it to mean "skipping ahead," "flipping the page," or simply moving a conversation forward. In mathematics and physics, educators use the clockwise arrow to illustrate rotational mechanics, torque, or the direction of magnetic fields. Flowcharts and instructional manuals also rely on it to show a step jumping ahead or leaping over a previous section.
Typing the ↷ symbol depends on your device. On Windows, you can type 21B7 followed by Alt + X in supported programs like Microsoft Word. Mac users can quickly access it by pressing Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer and searching for "clockwise arrow." For web development, use the HTML entity ↷ or ↷ to display it reliably across browsers. Mobile users generally will not find it on standard iOS or Android emoji keyboards, making copy-and-paste from a symbol encyclopedia the fastest insertion method.
Several related symbols share visual DNA with ↷. The most direct relative is ↶ (Anticlockwise Top Semicircle Arrow), which represents moving backward or undoing an action. The ↻ (Clockwise Open Circle Arrow) is another common variant, typically used to represent refreshing a webpage or reloading content. Whether you are mapping out application logic, formatting a document, or adding navigational flair to a social media bio, the ↷ symbol provides a simple, universal way to communicate forward momentum.