How to Use the Square Symbol in Facebook

By Melly Parker

i Polka Dot Images/Polka Dot/Getty Images

Use special characters on Facebook to make statuses and comments more interesting for viewers. The square symbol doesn't have a specific meaning but it can be an add-on or used to replace a similar letter or symbol. Symbols on Facebook can be pasted in or entered with ASCII code.

Character Map

The character map on Windows shows every character that you can type with your keyboard. To open it, display the Charms bar, click "Search" and type in "Character map." Click the program to display the characters. Choose different characters sets from the drop-down menu; "Symbols" has several square icon options. Scroll through the list to find the square symbol you want to use and then highlight it. Copy it and then paste it into a Facebook post.

ASCII Code

There are many ASCII codes to represent different squares. For a plain black square, the code is 254. For a square made of dots, it's 178. For a small off-center square, the code is 220. Hold down "Alt" and type in the ASCII code to show the character. Use the number pad to enter the code.

Paste from Website

Many websites have a list of Facebook symbols you can copy and paste into statuses, comments or photo captions (links in Resources). Looking at a website is a quick way to acquaint yourself with the many different styles of icons available. If you plan to use squares regularly, choosing a different square symbol will help keep your posts fresh.

Tips

Use symbols in your updates sparingly. A few can make a nice impact and draw attention to your post, but too many make it hard to read. The square symbols usable on Facebook appear large next to the letters you type, so your icon will stand out when you paste it.

References

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