How to Insert Arrows in Google Sheets

Adam Steinfurth

You can use arrows in your spreadsheet to supplement the numerical data already shown.

  • Use arrows to draw attention to important information.
  • Use arrows to show the relationship between data points.
  • Use arrows to create flow charts or other diagrams.
  • Use arrows to add visual interest to your spreadsheets.

Here are some tips for using arrows in spreadsheets:

Two General Methods to Insert Arrows in a Spreadsheet:

Insert an Arrow as a Shape

  • You can insert an arrow shape into your Google Sheet. This is an excellent option to draw attention to a specific cell or group of cells.
    • Insert image in cells.
      • The arrow stays in line with other content
    • Insert image over cells.
      • It sits on top of the grid and can be moved easily.
An arrow on top of cells and an arrow inside a cell
In Cell and Over Cells
  1. Click the Insert menu.
  2. Choose Image and choose in cell or over cells
  3. Find the arrow shape you want to insert.
  4. You can choose from Upload, Webcam, Link, Photos, Google Drive, or Google Images
Different sources for images to insert into a Google Sheet
Different Image Sources

To Insert an Arrow as a Symbol

  • You can insert an arrow symbol into a spreadsheet cell. This is an excellent option for including an arrow in a textconjunction string. You can use symbols in line with other letters and numbers.
An arrow inside a text string
Inside a Text String

Insert Using the CHAR Function

Spreadsheet users can bring symbols into Google Sheets using a function called CHAR. This function accepts a Unicode character number and converts it to a symbol. The drawback of this function is you need to know what number to use. You can find the number for any arrow symbol in the table below. Copy the decimal code for the arrow you want.

Insert Using an Add-On

The simplest way to insert an arrow as a symbol in your Google Sheet is with the Insert Special Characters Add-on. This add-on gives you a sidebar inside your spreadsheet. You can search for any symbol and insert it in any size and color.

Insert Arrows Based on Conditions

Next, explore inserting different arrows based on values in the spreadsheet.

All Arrows with Unicode Decimal Codes

DecimalNameAppearance
706MODIFIER LETTER LEFT ARROWHEAD˂
707MODIFIER LETTER RIGHT ARROWHEAD˃
708MODIFIER LETTER UP ARROWHEAD˄
709MODIFIER LETTER DOWN ARROWHEAD˅
845COMBINING LEFT RIGHT ARROW BELOW͍
846COMBINING UPWARDS ARROW BELOW͎
864COMBINING DOUBLE TILDE͠
865COMBINING DOUBLE INVERTED BREVE͡
866COMBINING DOUBLE RIGHTWARDS ARROW BELOW͢
8404COMBINING ANTICLOCKWISE ARROW ABOVE⃔
8405COMBINING CLOCKWISE ARROW ABOVE⃕
8406COMBINING LEFT ARROW ABOVE⃖
8407COMBINING RIGHT ARROW ABOVE⃗
8417COMBINING LEFT RIGHT ARROW ABOVE⃡
8592LEFTWARDS ARROW←
8593UPWARDS ARROW↑
8594RIGHTWARDS ARROW→
8595DOWNWARDS ARROW↓
8596LEFT RIGHT ARROW↔
8597UP DOWN ARROW↕
8598NORTH WEST ARROW↖
8599NORTH EAST ARROW↗
8600SOUTH EAST ARROW↘
8601SOUTH WEST ARROW↙
8602LEFTWARDS ARROW WITH STROKE↚
8603RIGHTWARDS ARROW WITH STROKE↛
8604LEFTWARDS WAVE ARROW↜
8605RIGHTWARDS WAVE ARROW↝
8606LEFTWARDS TWO HEADED ARROW↞
8607UPWARDS TWO HEADED ARROW↟
8608RIGHTWARDS TWO HEADED ARROW↠
8609DOWNWARDS TWO HEADED ARROW↡
8610LEFTWARDS ARROW WITH TAIL↢
8611RIGHTWARDS ARROW WITH TAIL↣
8612LEFTWARDS ARROW FROM BAR↤
8613UPWARDS ARROW FROM BAR↥
8614RIGHTWARDS ARROW FROM BAR↦
8615DOWNWARDS ARROW FROM BAR↧
8616UP DOWN ARROW WITH BASE↨
8617LEFTWARDS ARROW WITH HOOK↩
8618RIGHTWARDS ARROW WITH HOOK↪
8619LEFTWARDS ARROW WITH LOOP↫
8620RIGHTWARDS ARROW WITH LOOP↬
8621LEFT RIGHT WAVE ARROW↭
8622LEFT RIGHT ARROW WITH STROKE↮
8623DOWNWARDS ZIGZAG ARROW↯
8624UPWARDS ARROW WITH TIP LEFTWARDS↰
8625UPWARDS ARROW WITH TIP RIGHTWARDS↱
8626DOWNWARDS ARROW WITH TIP LEFTWARDS↲
8627DOWNWARDS ARROW WITH TIP RIGHTWARDS↳
8628RIGHTWARDS ARROW WITH CORNER DOWNWARDS↴
8629DOWNWARDS ARROW WITH CORNER LEFTWARDS↵
8630ANTICLOCKWISE TOP SEMICIRCLE ARROW↶
8631CLOCKWISE TOP SEMICIRCLE ARROW↷
8632NORTH WEST ARROW TO LONG BAR↸
8633LEFTWARDS ARROW TO BAR OVER RIGHTWARDS ARROW TO BAR↹
8634ANTICLOCKWISE OPEN CIRCLE ARROW↺
8635CLOCKWISE OPEN CIRCLE ARROW↻
8636LEFTWARDS HARPOON WITH BARB UPWARDS↼
8637LEFTWARDS HARPOON WITH BARB DOWNWARDS↽
8638UPWARDS HARPOON WITH BARB RIGHTWARDS↾
8639UPWARDS HARPOON WITH BARB LEFTWARDS↿
8640RIGHTWARDS HARPOON WITH BARB UPWARDS⇀
8641RIGHTWARDS HARPOON WITH BARB DOWNWARDS⇁
8642DOWNWARDS HARPOON WITH BARB RIGHTWARDS⇂
8643DOWNWARDS HARPOON WITH BARB LEFTWARDS⇃
8644RIGHTWARDS ARROW OVER LEFTWARDS ARROW⇄
8645UPWARDS ARROW LEFTWARDS OF DOWNWARDS ARROW⇅
8646LEFTWARDS ARROW OVER RIGHTWARDS ARROW⇆
8647LEFTWARDS PAIRED ARROWS⇇
8648UPWARDS PAIRED ARROWS⇈
8649RIGHTWARDS PAIRED ARROWS⇉
8650DOWNWARDS PAIRED ARROWS⇊
8651LEFTWARDS HARPOON OVER RIGHTWARDS HARPOON⇋
8652RIGHTWARDS HARPOON OVER LEFTWARDS HARPOON⇌
8653LEFTWARDS DOUBLE ARROW WITH STROKE⇍
8654LEFT RIGHT DOUBLE ARROW WITH STROKE⇎
8655RIGHTWARDS DOUBLE ARROW WITH STROKE⇏
8656LEFTWARDS DOUBLE ARROW⇐
8657UPWARDS DOUBLE ARROW⇑
8658RIGHTWARDS DOUBLE ARROW⇒
8659DOWNWARDS DOUBLE ARROW⇓
8660LEFT RIGHT DOUBLE ARROW⇔
8661UP DOWN DOUBLE ARROW⇕
8662NORTH WEST DOUBLE ARROW⇖
8663NORTH EAST DOUBLE ARROW⇗
8664SOUTH EAST DOUBLE ARROW⇘
8665SOUTH WEST DOUBLE ARROW⇙
8666LEFTWARDS TRIPLE ARROW⇚
8667RIGHTWARDS TRIPLE ARROW⇛
8668LEFTWARDS SQUIGGLE ARROW⇜
8669RIGHTWARDS SQUIGGLE ARROW⇝
8670UPWARDS ARROW WITH DOUBLE STROKE⇞
8671DOWNWARDS ARROW WITH DOUBLE STROKE⇟
8672LEFTWARDS DASHED ARROW⇠
8673UPWARDS DASHED ARROW⇡
8674RIGHTWARDS DASHED ARROW⇢
8675DOWNWARDS DASHED ARROW⇣
8676LEFTWARDS ARROW TO BAR⇤
8677RIGHTWARDS ARROW TO BAR⇥
8678LEFTWARDS WHITE ARROW⇦
8679UPWARDS WHITE ARROW⇧
8680RIGHTWARDS WHITE ARROW⇨
8681DOWNWARDS WHITE ARROW⇩
8682UPWARDS WHITE ARROW FROM BAR⇪
8683UPWARDS WHITE ARROW ON PEDESTAL⇫
8684UPWARDS WHITE ARROW ON PEDESTAL WITH HORIZONTAL BAR⇬
8685UPWARDS WHITE ARROW ON PEDESTAL WITH VERTICAL BAR⇭
8686UPWARDS WHITE DOUBLE ARROW⇮
8687UPWARDS WHITE DOUBLE ARROW ON PEDESTAL⇯
8688RIGHTWARDS WHITE ARROW FROM WALL⇰
8689NORTH WEST ARROW TO CORNER⇱
8690SOUTH EAST ARROW TO CORNER⇲
8691UP DOWN WHITE ARROW⇳
8961ELECTRIC ARROW⌁
8963UP ARROWHEAD⌃
8964DOWN ARROWHEAD⌄
8996UP ARROWHEAD BETWEEN TWO HORIZONTAL BARS⌤
9031APL FUNCTIONAL SYMBOL QUAD LEFTWARDS ARROW⍇
9032APL FUNCTIONAL SYMBOL QUAD RIGHTWARDS ARROW⍈
9040APL FUNCTIONAL SYMBOL QUAD UPWARDS ARROW⍐
9047APL FUNCTIONAL SYMBOL QUAD DOWNWARDS ARROW⍗
9099BROKEN CIRCLE WITH NORTHWEST ARROW⎋
10132HEAVY WIDE-HEADED RIGHTWARDS ARROW➔
10136HEAVY SOUTH EAST ARROW➘
10137HEAVY RIGHTWARDS ARROW➙
10138HEAVY NORTH EAST ARROW➚
10139DRAFTING POINT RIGHTWARDS ARROW➛
10140HEAVY ROUND-TIPPED RIGHTWARDS ARROW➜
10141TRIANGLE-HEADED RIGHTWARDS ARROW➝
10142HEAVY TRIANGLE-HEADED RIGHTWARDS ARROW➞
10143DASHED TRIANGLE-HEADED RIGHTWARDS ARROW➟
10144HEAVY DASHED TRIANGLE-HEADED RIGHTWARDS ARROW➠
10145BLACK RIGHTWARDS ARROW➡
10146THREE-D TOP-LIGHTED RIGHTWARDS ARROWHEAD➢
10147THREE-D BOTTOM-LIGHTED RIGHTWARDS ARROWHEAD➣
10148BLACK RIGHTWARDS ARROWHEAD➤
10149HEAVY BLACK CURVED DOWNWARDS AND RIGHTWARDS ARROW➥
10150HEAVY BLACK CURVED UPWARDS AND RIGHTWARDS ARROW➦
10151SQUAT BLACK RIGHTWARDS ARROW➧
10152HEAVY CONCAVE-POINTED BLACK RIGHTWARDS ARROW➨
10153RIGHT-SHADED WHITE RIGHTWARDS ARROW➩
10154LEFT-SHADED WHITE RIGHTWARDS ARROW➪
10155BACK-TILTED SHADOWED WHITE RIGHTWARDS ARROW➫
10156FRONT-TILTED SHADOWED WHITE RIGHTWARDS ARROW➬
10157HEAVY LOWER RIGHT-SHADOWED WHITE RIGHTWARDS ARROW➭
10158HEAVY UPPER RIGHT-SHADOWED WHITE RIGHTWARDS ARROW➮
10159NOTCHED LOWER RIGHT-SHADOWED WHITE RIGHTWARDS ARROW➯
10161NOTCHED UPPER RIGHT-SHADOWED WHITE RIGHTWARDS ARROW➱
10162CIRCLED HEAVY WHITE RIGHTWARDS ARROW➲
10163WHITE-FEATHERED RIGHTWARDS ARROW➳
10164BLACK-FEATHERED SOUTH EAST ARROW➴
10165BLACK-FEATHERED RIGHTWARDS ARROW➵
10166BLACK-FEATHERED NORTH EAST ARROW➶
10167HEAVY BLACK-FEATHERED SOUTH EAST ARROW➷
10168HEAVY BLACK-FEATHERED RIGHTWARDS ARROW➸
10169HEAVY BLACK-FEATHERED NORTH EAST ARROW➹
10170TEARDROP-BARBED RIGHTWARDS ARROW➺
10171HEAVY TEARDROP-SHANKED RIGHTWARDS ARROW➻
10172WEDGE-TAILED RIGHTWARDS ARROW➼
10173HEAVY WEDGE-TAILED RIGHTWARDS ARROW➽
10174OPEN-OUTLINED RIGHTWARDS ARROW➾