⚡ lightning
⚡
U+26A1
Copy as
| Character | ⚡ | |
|---|---|---|
| Unicode | U+26A1 | |
| HTML decimal | ⚡ | |
| HTML hexadecimal | ⚡ | |
| HTML named entity | — | |
| CSS content | \26A1 | |
| JavaScript / UTF-16 | \u26A1 | |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 9A A1 |
Meaning & usage
Lightning (⚡) suggests a weather condition or a celestial scene.
Use it in a forecast label, seasonal message or caption, with words for conditions that must be understood precisely.
U+26A1 identifies this exact lightning form; copying the character preserves its Unicode identity, while its appearance depends on the font or emoji renderer.
lightning occupies one Unicode code point. A similar-looking letter, punctuation mark or emoji is not necessarily interchangeable with ⚡ in search, filenames or text processing.
How to type lightning
- Windows
- Use Win + . for the emoji and symbol panel, or Character Map for supported fonts. In Microsoft Word, enter each hexadecimal code (26A1) and press Alt + X. There is no universal decimal Alt code for this character; legacy Alt codes depend on the code page.
- Mac
- Open Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space and search for lightning. With the Unicode Hex Input keyboard enabled, hold Option and enter the UTF-16 units shown above. Standard Option shortcuts do not cover every Unicode symbol.
- Linux
- In compatible GTK applications, press Ctrl + Shift + U, enter 26A1, then Enter. Enter each code point separately for sequences. Other desktops or apps may require their character picker.
- iPhone & Android
- Look for lightning in your emoji keyboard if available, or copy it here and paste. Save frequently used symbols as a text replacement or keyboard shortcut; availability varies by keyboard.