Less Than Sign codes and values
| Format | Value |
|---|---|
| Unicode | U+003C |
| HTML (decimal) | < |
| HTML (hex) | < |
| HTML entity | < |
| CSS | \003C |
| JavaScript | \u003C |
The official Unicode name is "Less-Than Sign".
How to type the less than sign
Windows
- In Microsoft Word, type
003Cand press Alt + X to turn the code into <. - Or press Win + . to open the emoji and symbol panel and search for it.
Mac
- Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer and search for "less-than sign".
- Or add the "Unicode Hex Input" keyboard in System Settings, hold Option and type
003C.
Linux
- In GTK apps press Ctrl + Shift + U, type
003cand press Enter.
Web pages
Write < or < in HTML, or paste the character directly into a UTF-8 page.
Encoding details
| Encoding | Value |
|---|---|
| Code point | U+003C (decimal 60) |
| UTF-8 bytes | 3C |
| URL encoded | %3C |
| Category | Sm |
What the less than sign means
This symbol shows that the preceding value is smaller than the following one. Programmers rely on it for conditional logic, while web developers use paired instances to enclose markup tags.
Using the less than sign well
Always encode this character as < when placing it inside HTML body text so the browser does not mistake it for the start of an element tag.
Characters next to it in Unicode
| Character | Code | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | U+0039 | Digit Nine |
| : | U+003A | Colon |
| ; | U+003B | Semicolon |
| = | U+003D | Equals Sign |
| > | U+003E | Greater-Than Sign |
| ? | U+003F | Question Mark |
FAQ
What is the Unicode for the less than sign?
The less than sign < is U+003C (Less-Than Sign).
How do I type < on a keyboard?
There is no classic Alt code for it. On Windows type 003C in Word and press Alt + X, on Mac use the Character Viewer, and on Linux press Ctrl + Shift + U then 003c.
What is the HTML code for <?
Use < or the named entity <. The hexadecimal form is <.
More symbols
- > Greater Than Sign: previous page
- ™ Trademark Symbol: next page
- Symbols to copy and paste: the full list