U+221E · Math symbol
HTML entity
∞
LaTeX
\infty
Infinity Symbol ∞
∞ is infinity. Write it in HTML as ∞ or paste the character directly. It was added in Unicode 1.1, and Unicode files it under Math symbol.
Codes & technical data
| Unicode | U+221E | |
|---|---|---|
| HTML hex | ∞ | |
| HTML decimal | ∞ | |
| CSS | \221E | |
| JavaScript | \u{221E} | |
| Python | \U0000221E | |
| Java / C# | \u221E | |
| Rust | \u{221e} | |
| Swift | \u{221E} | |
| PHP | \u{221E} | |
| URL encoded | %E2%88%9E | |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 88 9E | |
| UTF-16 bytes | 221E | |
| Base64 | 4oie | |
| Decimal | 8734 | |
| HTML entity | ∞ | |
| LaTeX | \infty | |
| Category | Math symbol (Sm) | |
| Introduced | Unicode 1.1 | |
Will ∞ survive being pasted?
- Normalisation. Yes. ∞ is unchanged by NFKC, so it survives normalising systems intact.
- Legacy encodings. ∞ is Unicode-only — it has no Latin-1 equivalent, so a system stuck on an 8-bit encoding cannot represent it.
- Size. 3 bytes in UTF-8. Character-limited fields — SMS, bios, some form validators — usually count bytes, not characters.
Other infinity characters
Unicode names 4 characters ending in “infinity”. They differ by direction, weight or decoration rather than by meaning.
Nearby in Mathematical Operators
The operators mathematics and programming share — set theory, logic, calculus, comparison. Almost every character here has a LaTeX command, which is usually the fastest way to name the one you mean.
How to type ∞
| Windows | Type 221E then press Alt+X |
|---|---|
| macOS | Press Ctrl+Cmd+Space, then search for “infinity” |
| Linux | Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 221e, press Enter |
| HTML | ∞ |
About Unicode’s Math symbol category
Unicode classifies this as a mathematical symbol, which means software that lays out formulas treats it as an operator or relation and gives it spacing accordingly, rather than setting it tight against its neighbours like a letter.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I type the ∞ infinity symbol?
- On Windows, type 221E and press Alt+X. On Linux press Ctrl+Shift+U then 221e. On any system the quickest route is the copy button on this page.
- What is the code for ∞?
- Infinity is U+221E, written in HTML as ∞ and in LaTeX as \infty. In UTF-8 it takes 3 bytes. The table above lists every escape format.
- What kind of character is ∞?
- Infinity is filed under Math symbol in the Mathematical Operators block, and was introduced in Unicode 1.1. Unicode classifies this as a mathematical symbol, which means software that lays out formulas treats it as an operator or relation and gives it spacing accordingly, rather than setting it tight against its neighbours like a letter.