Nabla symbol (∇)
U+2207 · NABLA · Unicode 1.1 (1993)
How to type ∇
Windows
No Alt code
∇ is not in the Windows code pages 1252 or 437, so it has no Alt code. Use one of the methods below or copy it from this page.
Word and Outlook: Alt + X
2207 Alt+X
Type 2207 and press Alt+X right after it: Word turns the code into ∇. Press Alt+X again to turn it back into the code.
Emoji and symbols panel (Windows 10 and 11)
Win+.
Press Win + full stop (.) to open the panel, go to the Symbols tab (Ω) and pick ∇.
No numeric keypad on your laptop? See the other ways in our Alt codes guide.
Mac
Character Viewer
Ctrl+⌘ Cmd+Space
Press Ctrl+⌘+Space (or the Globe key + E), search for “nabla symbol” and click ∇ to insert it.
iPhone
Make a shortcut (Text Replacement)
Turn a short word into ∇ once and type it in any app:
- Copy ∇ from this page.
- Open Settings › General › Keyboard › Text Replacement and tap +.
- Paste ∇ as the Phrase and type a Shortcut, for example ;nabla.
- Now type ;nabla anywhere: the keyboard suggests ∇.
Android
Make a shortcut (Gboard personal dictionary)
Teach your keyboard a short word that turns into ∇:
- Copy ∇ from this page.
- Open Gboard settings › Dictionary › Personal dictionary, choose your language and tap +.
- Paste ∇ as the word and type a shortcut, for example ;nabla.
- Type ;nabla in any app and tap ∇ in the suggestions.
Linux
Unicode input
Ctrl+Shift+U 2207 Enter
Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 2207 and press Enter or Space. Works in GTK apps and with IBus (GNOME, Ubuntu, Fedora).
What ∇ means and how it is used
The official Unicode name of ∇ is NABLA, code point U+2207. You will find it in the Mathematical Operators block; it was added in Unicode 1.1 (1993).
It also goes by these names and keywords: triangle.
It sits in the math symbols with 148 symbols, among them π ∞ √ ± ×.
Codes for HTML, CSS and JavaScript
Tap Copy next to the code you need.
| HTML entity | ∇ | |
|---|---|---|
| HTML decimal | ∇ | |
| HTML hex | ∇ | |
| CSS | content: "\2207"; | |
| JavaScript | \u2207 | |
| URL | %E2%88%87 | |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 88 87 | |
| Unicode | U+2207 |
Will it show on my friend's phone?
Very likely yes: ∇ dates from Unicode 1.1 (1993), so every current system has a font for it.
Checking your device…
Don't confuse ∇ with
These look alike but are different characters. Search, sorting and screen readers treat them differently, so copy the one you mean.
- ∇Nabla symbolU+2207 · NABLA
- 𑢨U+118A8 · Warang Citi
- 𝛁U+1D6C1 · Mathematical Alphanumeric Symbols
- 𝛻U+1D6FB · Mathematical Alphanumeric Symbols
- 𝜵U+1D735 · Mathematical Alphanumeric Symbols
- 𝝯U+1D76F · Mathematical Alphanumeric Symbols
- 𝞩U+1D7A9 · Mathematical Alphanumeric Symbols
Names in other languages
What ∇ is called in the 12 languages of this site (Unicode CLDR and our editors). Tap a name to open that language's page.
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Nabla symbol |
| Português | Símbolo nabla |
| Español | Símbolo nabla |
| Italiano | Simbolo nabla |
| Français | Symbole nabla |
| Deutsch | Nabla-Zeichen |
| Türkçe | Nabla sembolü |
| Bahasa Indonesia | Simbol nabla |
| Polski | Symbol nabla |
| Русский | Символ набла |
| 日本語 | ナブラ記号 |
| 한국어 | 나블라 기호 |
Related symbols
All Math →Questions people ask
How do I type ∇ on a laptop without a numeric keypad?
On Windows press Win + full stop (.) and pick ∇ in the Symbols tab, or in Word type 2207 and press Alt+X.
What is the difference between ∇ and 𑢨?
∇ is the nabla symbol (U+2207). 𑢨 is a different character: 𑢨 (U+118A8, Warang Citi block). They can look alike, but computers treat them as different letters, so a search for one will not find the other.
How do I type ∇ on an iPhone?
The iPhone keyboard has no key for ∇. Copy it here, then add it in Settings › General › Keyboard › Text Replacement with a shortcut like ;nabla.
What is the HTML code for the nabla symbol?
Use the entity ∇ or the numeric code ∇ (hex ∇). In CSS write \2207, in JavaScript \u2207.
Will ∇ show on every phone?
Very likely yes: ∇ dates from Unicode 1.1 (1993), so every current system has a font for it.