Unicode is a universally accepted and used encoding standard to display symbols and text in various programs and applications. A numeric value is assigned to display a symbol or text such as a ♥ or an accented letter. Facebook displays many Unicode symbols and text, but rather than typing it in, you insert it using the Character Map feature in the Windows OS, or the Character Viewer in the Macintosh OS.

Click "Start," and select "Programs" from the menu.

Click "Accessories," then "System Tools" and "Character Map."

Check the box for "Advanced View" in the Character Map window, and select "Unicode Subrange" in the drop-down menu for "Group By." In the "Group By" window that appears next to the Character Map, click on the different settings such as Symbols & Dingbats to see the Unicode symbols in the main window. Also try different fonts from the drop-down font menu with each setting.

  • Unicode is a universally accepted and used encoding standard to display symbols and text in various programs and applications.
  • Check the box for "Advanced View" in the Character Map window, and select "Unicode Subrange" in the drop-down menu for "Group By."

Open Facebook in a Web browser, and sign in once you find a symbol you want to insert.

Click on the symbol in the Character Map, and click "Select" and "Copy." Go back to your Facebook page, and right-click in a text field, such as Status Update, then select "Paste."

Click the "Apple" icon, and click "System Preferences."

Click "Language & Text," and select the "Input Sources" tab in the window that appears. Click the box next to "Keyboard & Character Viewer," and close the System Preferences window.

  • Open Facebook in a Web browser, and sign in once you find a symbol you want to insert.
  • Click "Language & Text," and select the "Input Sources" tab in the window that appears.

Open a browser window, log into your Facebook account and put your cursor in a text field.

Click the "Flag" in the top right corner of your screen, and click "Show Character Viewer."

Browse through the symbols, and click on the one you want to use. Click the "Insert" button. The symbol appears in the text field on your Facebook page.