What does Leftwards Thumb Sign mean?
Brand new in Emoji 18.0, this is a hand making a thumb sign aimed to the left. Going by its name, it suits jerking a thumb toward something – “it’s back that way”, “ask them”, “that one” – or thumbing a ride by the roadside. Because it is such a recent addition, many phones and computers will not display it until they receive a software update, and may show an empty box instead.
Leftwards Thumb Sign is an emoji from the People & Body category (hand gestures: closed fingers), added in Emoji 18.0 in 2026. It is one of the newest emojis, so older phones and computers may not display it until they get a system update.
Example messages
Leftwards Thumb Sign on Apple, Google, Microsoft & more
The code is the same everywhere, but every company draws its own artwork. This is how Leftwards Thumb Sign looks on each platform.
Leftwards Thumb Sign in every skin tone
More hand gestures: closed fingers emojis
See all 8 →Leftwards Thumb Sign emoji: questions & answers
How do I copy and paste the Leftwards Thumb Sign emoji?
Press the Copy button at the top of this page and is copied to your clipboard. Then paste it anywhere with Ctrl+V, Cmd+V or a long press on your phone.
When was the Leftwards Thumb Sign emoji added?
Leftwards Thumb Sign was added in Emoji 18.0, released in 2026. Because it is so new, it only shows up on devices with the latest system updates; older devices may show an empty box instead.
Does the Leftwards Thumb Sign emoji come in different skin tones?
Yes. Besides the default yellow , there are 5 skin tone versions: 🏻 🏼 🏽 🏾 🏿. Pick one in the skin tone section above.
Why does look different on my phone?
Every platform draws its own artwork for Leftwards Thumb Sign. The underlying code (U+1FAF9) is the same everywhere, so the person you send it to always gets the same emoji, just in their device’s style. Compare the designs in the platform section above.