How to Insert Symbols like Ticks and Arrows in Excel Formulas

UNICHAR turns a Unicode number into a symbol. Add ✔/✘ status marks, ▲/▼ trend arrows and circled priority badges with formulas.

You will learn to

• Return a symbol from its Unicode number
• Choose between two symbols with IF
• Calculate the code to pick a numbered symbol

How it works

=UNICHAR(number) returns the Unicode character for that number, so formulas can show symbols instead of words. Handy codes: 10004 ✔ (check), 10008 ✘ (cross), 9650 ▲ and 9660 ▼ (up/down), 9733 ★ (star), 9679 ● (dot). Combine UNICHAR with IF to switch symbols based on your data: =IF(B2="Done",UNICHAR(10004),UNICHAR(10008)).

Some symbol families are numbered in sequence. Circled numbers ① to ⑳ start at 9312, so =UNICHAR(9311+E2) turns a priority of 3 into ③. UNICHAR is the Unicode-aware successor of CHAR, which only covers codes 1–255.

=IF(B2="Done",UNICHAR(10004),UNICHAR(10008))