Wingdings Font Guide: History, Uses & Character Map
Wingdings is one of the most recognizable yet misunderstood fonts in computing history. Created by Microsoft in 1990, this dingbat font replaced letters and numbers with symbols, arrows, and icons—sparking both practical applications and wild conspiracy theories.
What is Wingdings?
Wingdings is a dingbat font—a typeface that replaces standard alphanumeric characters with pictographic symbols. Instead of displaying the letter "A" when you type it, Wingdings shows a ✌ (peace sign). Each key on your keyboard maps to a different symbol.
💡 Quick Example:
Type: HELLO
Wingdings: ☼☺♣♣♪
Unlike standard fonts that display readable text, Wingdings provides over 220 symbols including:
- ✓Directional arrows and pointers (✌, ✍, ✈, ☺)
- ✓Geometric shapes and borders (●, ◆, ★, ☆)
- ✓Circled numbers (⓪, ①, ②, ③)
- ✓Card suits and symbols (♠, ♣, ♥, ♦)
- ✓Office and UI icons (☎, ✂, ♀, ♂)
Our free Wingdings Converter lets you instantly transform any text into these symbols with a complete character reference map.
The Three Wingdings Versions
Microsoft released three versions of Wingdings, each designed for different purposes and containing unique symbol sets:
Wingdings 1 (1990)
The original and most iconic version. Features hands, faces, crosses, stars, religious symbols, zodiac signs, and office icons. Character codes map from decimal 33-255.
Best for: General use, document decoration, email signatures, creative designs
Wingdings 2 (1994)
Introduced with Office 95. Focuses on circled numbers (both positive and negative) and various directional arrows. Perfect for flowcharts and numbered lists.
Best for: Flow diagrams, process maps, step-by-step instructions, navigation indicators
Wingdings 3 (1994)
Also released with Office 95. Primarily arrows in various styles—bold, outline, curved, and specialty arrows. Essential for diagrams and technical documentation.
Best for: Technical diagrams, UML charts, workflow illustrations, data flow diagrams
✨ Try All Three: Our Wingdings Converter now supports all three versions with a simple dropdown selector. Switch between versions to explore different symbol sets!
The History of Wingdings
Origins: Lucida Icons (1990)
Wingdings didn't start as "Wingdings." It began as Lucida Icons, designed by Charles Bigelow and Kris Holmes—the same duo behind the Lucida font family. Microsoft licensed this symbol font and rebranded it as Wingdings for Windows 3.1 in 1990.
The name "Wingdings" is a playful combination of "Windows" and "dingbats" (a typography term for decorative symbols).
Evolution & Expansion
| Year | Version | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Wingdings | Original release with Windows 3.1 |
| 1992 | Wingdings 2 | Additional symbols and icons |
| 1997 | Wingdings 3 | More arrows and pointers |
| 2000 | Webdings | Web-focused icon set (separate font) |
Today, Wingdings remains pre-installed on all Windows systems and is widely recognized as a nostalgic artifact of early PC culture.
Popular Wingdings Myths & Conspiracies
The NYC Conspiracy Theory (1992)
Shortly after Wingdings' release, a rumor spread that typing "NYC" in Wingdings displayed anti-Semitic symbols (☠💀✡). Critics claimed Microsoft intentionally encoded hateful messages.
⚠️ The Truth:
This was pure coincidence. The symbol mappings were arbitrary and based on the original Lucida Icons design created years before. Microsoft publicly denied any intentional encoding and clarified that the symbols had no hidden meaning.
The 9/11 "Prediction" Hoax
After September 11, 2001, another conspiracy claimed that typing "Q33 NY" (supposedly a plane number) in Wingdings showed a plane, towers, and a skull. This was debunked—no such flight number existed, and the sequence was fabricated specifically to create that symbol combination.
These myths persist because of confirmation bias: with 220+ symbols, you can find "meaningful" combinations for almost any text if you look hard enough.
Practical Uses for Wingdings Today
Despite the conspiracies, Wingdings has legitimate practical applications:
📄 Document Design
Add visual flair to résumés, reports, and presentations without images:
- ✓ Custom bullet points (✓, ✗, ✦, ●)
- ✓ Section dividers and borders
- ✓ Decorative headers and footers
📊 Forms & Checklists
Create printable forms with checkbox symbols:
☐ Task 1
☐ Task 2
☑ Task 3 (completed)
🎨 Creative Typography
Generate unique text art or stylized messages for:
- • Social media bios and posts
- • Digital invitations and greetings
- • Fun encoding games with friends
🔢 Number Styling
Use circled numbers for ordered lists or step-by-step guides:
① First step
② Second step
③ Third step
Try our Wingdings Converter to experiment with these symbols instantly—no font installation required.
How to Use Wingdings
Method 1: Desktop Applications
If you have Microsoft Office or Windows:
- Open Word, Excel, or PowerPoint
- Type your text (e.g., "HELLO")
- Select the text and change the font to Wingdings
- Your text transforms into symbols (☼☺♣♣♪)
⚠️ Limitation:
Wingdings won't display correctly on systems that don't have the font installed (e.g., macOS, Linux, mobile devices). Recipients will see garbled characters or placeholder boxes.
Method 2: Online Converters (Recommended)
For cross-platform compatibility, use our Wingdings Converter:
- Paste or type your text into the converter
- Instant conversion to Unicode-compatible Wingdings symbols
- Copy the result and paste anywhere (social media, documents, websites)
- Works on all devices—no font installation needed
Our converter uses Unicode equivalents of Wingdings symbols, ensuring they display correctly across all platforms and devices.
✓ Why Use Our Converter?
- ✓ No font installation required
- ✓ Works on mobile, desktop, and web
- ✓ Complete character reference map
- ✓ One-click copy to clipboard
Wingdings Character Map Examples
Here are some of the most commonly used Wingdings symbols and their keyboard mappings:
| Key | Symbol | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A | ✌ | Peace/Victory hand |
| B | ✍ | Writing hand |
| C | ✉ | Envelope/Email |
| D | ✈ | Airplane |
| E | ☺ | Smiley face |
| K | ♠ | Spade suit |
| L | ♣ | Club suit |
| M | ♥ | Heart suit |
| N | ♦ | Diamond suit |
| Q | ☎ | Telephone |
| R | ✂ | Scissors |
| ' | ★ | Filled star |
| " | ☆ | Outlined star |
| 0-9 | ⓪①②③④⑤⑥⑦⑧⑨ | Circled numbers |
For the complete character map with all 220+ symbols, visit our Wingdings Converter Tool.
Wingdings vs. Similar Fonts
| Font | Released | Focus | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wingdings | 1990 | General symbols & icons | Documents, arrows, shapes |
| Webdings | 2000 | Web & UI elements | Website icons, buttons |
| Zapf Dingbats | 1978 | Classic ornaments | Print design, decorative |
| Emoji | 2010+ | Expressive modern symbols | Digital communication |
While emoji have largely replaced Wingdings for digital communication, Wingdings remains valuable for document design where consistent, simple symbols are preferred over colorful emoji.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wingdings still used in 2026?
Yes! While less common than in the 1990s, Wingdings is still pre-installed on Windows systems and used for document design, forms, and creative projects. However, for digital communication, Unicode symbols and emoji are now more popular due to better cross-platform support.
Can I use Wingdings on Mac or mobile?
Wingdings is a Windows-specific font. On Mac, Linux, or mobile devices, you'll need to use Unicode equivalents of the symbols instead. Our Wingdings Converter generates Unicode symbols that work everywhere.
Is Wingdings a secret code?
No. Wingdings is simply a decorative symbol font, not an encryption tool or secret code. Any "hidden messages" are coincidental. For actual text encoding, use proper tools like Base64 encoding or Binary conversion.
How do I type Wingdings without the font installed?
Use an online converter like ours at text-case.com/wingdings. It converts your text to Unicode symbols that display correctly on any device, no font installation required.
Are Wingdings symbols copyrighted?
The Wingdings font itself is owned by Microsoft, but the individual symbols are based on standard Unicode characters that are freely available. Using Unicode equivalents (as our converter does) avoids any licensing issues.
Related Text Transformation Tools
If you enjoyed learning about Wingdings, explore these related text styling and encoding tools:
- •Bold Text Generator - Create 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝 Unicode text
- •Cursive Text Converter - Transform text to 𝓬𝓾𝓻𝓼𝓲𝓿𝓮 style
- •Bubble Text Tool - Generate Ⓑⓤⓑⓑⓛⓔ text
- •Base64 Encoder - Encode text for data transmission
- •Binary Converter - Convert text to binary code
- •ASCII Art Generator - Create text-based banner art
Final Thoughts
Wingdings represents an interesting piece of computing history—a pre-emoji attempt to add visual communication to text-based systems. While conspiracy theories and myths have given it notoriety, its practical applications in document design and creative typography remain relevant today.
Whether you're creating a professional résumé with custom bullet points, designing a printable checklist, or just having fun with symbolic text, Wingdings offers a unique way to add visual interest to your content.
🚀 Try Our Wingdings Tools
Transform text to Wingdings symbols or decode symbols back to text. No installation required, works on all devices, and includes complete character reference maps.