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Hourglass (Loading) Symbol (⌛)
⌛ is the hourglass — the original loading icon, ancestor of every spinner and progress bar.
Hourglass (Loading) codes
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| Unicode code point | U+231B |
| Unicode name | Hourglass |
| HTML named entity | None — use the decimal or hex code below |
| HTML decimal | ⌛ |
| HTML hex | ⌛ |
| CSS content code | \231B |
| JavaScript / JSON | \u231B |
| Windows Alt code | No standard Alt code — copy it from the card above |
Hourglass (Loading) variants (3)
3 related glyphs — click any tile to copy it. Tiles with a page open that symbol's own page.
Meaning & usage
⌛ is the hourglass — the original loading icon, ancestor of every spinner and progress bar. Before beach-ball cursors, software waited in hourglasses; ⌛ still means 'processing, please wait' in text.
Examples in use
- Copy ⌛ into a post, document or message
How to type the hourglass (loading)
Windows
There is no Alt code or direct key for ⌛. In Microsoft Word, type 231B and press Alt+X to convert it. Everywhere else, click the Copy button at the top of this page and paste it (Ctrl+V) — that always works.
Mac
There is no Option-key shortcut for ⌛ on a Mac. Open the Character Viewer with Control+Command+Space, search for "Hourglass (Loading)", and double-click to insert — or copy it from this page.
iPhone & Android
Most phone keyboards have no built-in key for ⌛. Open this page on your phone, tap Copy, then paste it into your message or bio. (On Android, Gboard's emoji search finds some symbols by name.)
Linux
Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 231b and press Enter (works in most GTK apps and terminals with IBus). Or copy it from this page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I copy the ⌛ symbol?
Click the big ⌛ in the card at the top of this page — it copies as a standard Unicode character (U+231B) and pastes anywhere.
How do I type ⌛ on a keyboard?
There is no standard keyboard shortcut or Alt code for ⌛. Copy it from this page, or in Microsoft Word type 231B and press Alt+X.
Why does ⌛ sometimes show as a box or question mark?
The box (called tofu) means the device or font viewing it has no drawing for U+231B (Hourglass). The character itself is fine — try a different font or a newer device, or use one of the variants on this page.
Is the Hourglass (Loading) free to use?
Yes. ⌛ is a standard Unicode text character published in the Unicode Character Database. You may use it in personal and commercial documents, designs and products without permission or payment.
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Data: Unicode Character Database · Page updated 2026-11-13