Symbol for Start of Text ␂
␂ (U+2402) is a standard Unicode character that you can copy and paste anywhere text is accepted. This page provides a concise reference with safe tips, internal links, and practical guidance so you can use it reliably across apps and platforms.
What it is and where it’s used: Symbol for Start of Text is part of the Symbols family (block: Control Pictures). If you need styled or decorative alternatives, try our Fancy Text tool to generate compatible text that works in most modern interfaces.
History & usage: History and usage of the SYMBOL FOR START OF TEXT centers on its role as a control picture. The character has the codepoint U+2402 and the English name SYMBOL FOR START OF TEXT. It lives in the Control Pictures block and uses the Common script. The symbol marks the start of a text stream in early systems and data formats. It helps software recognize the beginning of a message or file. In practice, start of text markers were used to frame communications and separate data sections. In modern software, this control picture is kept mainly for compatibility and for testing display in some tools. The presence of such markers reminds developers that data has structure beyond visible characters. Stars are commonly used for ratings or to highlight favorites. That usage shows how symbols can guide quick judgments and visual cues, even as other symbols serve technical roles in text processing.
Copy and input: the quickest method is to copy the character here. You can also insert it by its codepoint U+2402 in many development tools or editors. Some operating systems provide a character viewer or input palette that lets you search by name or code and insert the glyph into documents.
Display and fallback: if you see an empty box (tofu) or a placeholder rectangle, the active font might not include this codepoint. Switching to a font with broader Unicode coverage or using a fallback font usually fixes the issue. On the web, ensure the page’s font stack includes a general‑purpose fallback.
Related references: browse the Categories for similar characters. When choosing a symbol, prefer the official codepoint for semantic clarity and better compatibility with search, copy, and accessibility tooling.
See our category page for related symbols.
Technical details
- Codepoint:
U+2402 - General Category:
So - Age:
1.1 - Bidi Class:
ON - Block:
Control Pictures - Script:
Common - UTF-8:
E2 90 82 - UTF-16:
2402 - UTF-32:
00002402 - HTML dec:
␂ - HTML hex:
␂ - JS escape:
\u2402 - Python \N{}:
\N{SYMBOL FOR START OF TEXT} - Python \u:
\u2402 - Python \U:
\U00002402 - URL-encoded:
%E2%90%82 - CSS escape:
\2402
How to type / insert
Fast copy: click the Copy button near the top of this page.
By codepoint: in many editors and IDEs, you can insert via the Unicode code U+2402 or a built‑in character picker.
HTML: use the numeric entity ␂ (hex) or ␂ (decimal) when an HTML entity is needed.
Compatibility & troubleshooting
Font support: if the symbol does not render, the current font likely lacks this codepoint. Choose a font with broad Unicode coverage or allow a fallback font.
Web pages: ensure your CSS font stack includes a general fallback; avoid relying on images for common symbols to preserve accessibility and copyability.