The ⇧ (Up White Arrow) Symbol: Meaning, History, and Uses
The ⇧ (Up White Arrow) is a Unicode symbol primarily recognized worldwide as the standard icon for the "Shift" key on computer keyboards. Assigned to the code point U+21E7 within the Arrows block, this hollow, upward-pointing arrow is widely used in digital interfaces to indicate uppercase lettering, secondary keyboard functions, or a general upward direction.
The origin of the ⇧ symbol traces directly back to the mechanical typewriter era. Pressing the shift key physically lifted the typewriter's typebasket or carriage upward so that the uppercase letter bars could strike the ink ribbon. When the transition to computer keyboards happened, designers needed a universal, language-agnostic icon to represent this physical "shifting up" action. The hollow, white upward arrow became the standard visual shorthand for the modifier key we still use today.
Beyond its famous role on your keyboard, the ⇧ symbol frequently pops up across digital spaces. In social media and text messaging, people use it to point directly to the message above, essentially saying "read this" or "I strongly agree with that." User interface designers incorporate it to denote upload buttons, scroll-to-top features, or page-up navigation. In programming and technical documentation, it serves as a clear visual stand-in for the Shift key in keyboard shortcut instructions, such as ⇧ + ⌘ + V.
Typing the ⇧ symbol directly depends on your device. On Windows, you can type it using the Alt code by holding down the Alt key and pressing 8679 on the numeric keypad. Mac users can easily access it by pressing Control + Command + Space to bring up the Character Viewer and searching for "Up White Arrow." If you are building a website or writing documentation, you can render it using the HTML entity ⇧.
The Up White Arrow belongs to a massive family of directional Unicode characters. People often confuse it with the standard Upwards Arrow (↑) and the Upwards Black Arrow (⬆), which are solid rather than outlined. Another close relative is the Upwards White Arrow From Bar (⇪), which is the universal symbol for Caps Lock. While solid arrows generally show literal direction or mathematical vectors, the hollow ⇧ remains uniquely tied to keyboard modifiers and modern interface actions.