-[APPLE] KEY SYMBOLS-

-as of [24 JUNE 2024]

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Unicode

Keyboard Symbols ⌘ ⏎ ⌫

By Xah Lee. Date: 2010-09-03. Last updated: 2020-08-31.

Here’s a list of Unicode symbols to represent computer keyboard keys —>

.⌘✲⎈^⌃❖⎇⌥◆◇✦✧⇧⇪🄰🅰⇪⇫⇬⇮⇯🔠🔡⇭🔢🔤↩↵⏎⌤⎆▤☰𝌆⎄⭾↹⇄⇤⇥↤↦⎋⌫⟵⌦⎀⎚⌧↖↘⇤⇥⤒⤓⇱⇲⇞⇟△▽▲▼⎗⎘↑↓←→◀▶▲▼◁▷△▽⇦⇨⇧⇩⬅➡⬆⬇⎉⎊⎙⍰❓❔ℹ🛈☾⏏✉🏠🏡⌂✂✄⎌↶↷⟲⟳↺↻🔍🔎🔅🔆🔇🔈🔉🔊🕨🕩🕪◼⏯⏮⏭⏪⏩⏫⏬

Mouse hover or click on a unicode character  to see its name and codepoint

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Note, how a unicode character shows on your screen depends on…

1

the Operating System

(MacOS, Microsoft Windows, Linux)

.

2

browser (example: Google Chrome, Safari, Edge), and font you are using.

What you see on this page may not be exactly what other people see.

Microsoft keyboard control windows alt keys
Control key symbol on Microsoft Keyboards

Following are details.

Control key

• OPEN CENTRE ASTERISK  is printed on Microsoft Keyboards .

• HELM SYMBOL  is used on French Canadian MacBook laptop for the Control key, and sometimes used to indicate Control key in Linux documentation.

• CIRCUMFLEX ACCENT ^ (aka caret) is the classic notation to indicate ASCII control sequences in programing, and also used as a notation for pressing Control key for inputting control sequence. The symbol is mostly used in 1970s to 1990s, in documentation or from online posts by user.

[see ASCII Table]

• UP ARROWHEAD , the actual character used by Apple website as of 2017-07, in menu, in documentation.

apple keyboard french canadian layout 33409
Apple MacBook Pro laptop keyboard, French Canadian Layout. Note the HELM SYMBOL  for Ctrl on Alt on CapsLock on Enter. [image source https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/46162/where-are-and-in-a-french-keyboard ]

[see French Keyboard Layout]

The caret character ^ and UP ARROWHEAD  are not good to represent the Control key, because it confuses with the printable caret character on the keyboard, the shifted digit 6 key.

Windows Logo Key

Windows Logo Key (suggestion) 

This symbol is sometimes used by small keyboard makers. e.g. on Truly Ergonomic Keyboard

The Windows Logo key and the Apple Command key both send the same USB scancode.

On Linux, by convention, the Windows logo key is called Super. (not to be confused with a real Super key on Lisp Machine keyboards. [see Lisp Machine Keyboards] )

Command key

Command key 

Apple iMac Keyboard A1242 big
Apple keyboard (A1242), year 2009. [see Apple Keyboards ⌨] [image source ]

Alt key

Alt key . This is standard Unicode symbol for the Alt key, but is rarely used as a label on keyboard nor in documentation.

Option key

Apple’s Option key 

Note: Alt on PC keyboard and ⌥option on Apple Keyboards send the same USB scancode.

Meta Key, Super Key

Meta key 

The BLACK DIAMOND ◆ is used on Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard. Solaris documentation calls it the Meta key. The Meta key is a key on Lisp Machine Keyboards and heavily used by emacs. [see A Curious Look at Emacs’s One Thousand Keybindings]

Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard left
The Meta key with diamond ◆ symbol on Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard

Hyper Key

Hyper key (suggestions)  . Hyper is key on Lisp Machine Keyboards.

lisp machine keyboard 2 left
Symbolics’s Lisp Machine keyboard PN 365407 Rev C. (Photo by Joey Devilla [http://www.globalnerdy.com/2009/02/05/hacklabtos-lisp-machine-keyboard/]. Used with permission.)

Shift key

Shift key 

Caps lock

Capslock  🄰 🅰

Other suggestions:

   

Most keyboards use A inside a round corners square. Some use a dotted white fat arrow.

Following are Input symbols from Unicode. 🔠 🔡

Number lock

Number Lock key suggestion  🔢 🔤

I haven’t seen any symbol used as label for Number Lock key.

Return/Enter key

Return/Enter Key   

This is the return key above the right shift key.

[see Keyboard Enter/Return Key Symbol]

  • Apple uses arrow with a round hook  on their international version keyboards. For US version, they use the word “return”.
  • Microsoft uses a long version DOWNWARDS ARROW WITH CORNER LEFTWARDS .
  • Some other keyboards use an outline 90° sharp turn RETURN SYMBOL .

Enter  This is the enter key on number pad. This symbol is used by Apple. [see Apple Computer Keyboards Gallery]

Enter . This is unicode symbol named ENTER SYMBOL.

Note: There are 2 return/enter keys on standard PC keyboard: one on main section above right shift key, one on number pad. The keyboard hardware sends different key signals.

  • On PC/Windows keyboards, they are both labeled “enter”.
  • On Apple keyboards, the main one is labeled “return”, and the one on number pad is “enter”.
Microsoft digital media keyboard 3000 enter key

Menu/App key

Menu/App key (suggestions)   𝌆 This key is invented by Microsoft. It is meant to be a application specific key. [see Microsoft Keyboard Menu Key]

Compose key

Compose key . This key is rare. It’s on Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard, but it doesn’t use any symbol.

[see Alt Graph Key, Compose Key, Dead Key]

Sun Microsystems Type 6 keyboard meta
Compose key on Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard

Tab key

Tab key       

Most PC Keyboards use a elongated  for tab. European version of Apple Keyboards use .

Escape key

Escape key 

Most keyboards use “Esc” as label.

Matias Mini Tactile Pro Keyboard uses ⎋.

[see Matias Mini Tactile Pro Keyboard]

Apple’s documentation also uses ⎋.

Backspace

Backspace key  

The backspace key is the key on the top right of a PC keyboard. For example, look at IBM Model M keyboard. [see IBM Model M keyboard]

Microsoft keyboard lable this key as “Backspace” together with a long left arrow  printed beneath it. [see Microsoft Keyboards]

On Apple Keyboards, this key is labeled “delete”.

Don’t confuse this key with the Delete key in the home/end/insert key cluster.

Delete

Delete key 

The delete keys is in the cluster of {home, end, page up, page down, insert}

Insert

Insert symbol 

This is Unicode U+2380: INSERTION SYMBOL. This symbol is used by copy editors, to indicate insertion.

Most keyboards label it “Insert” or “Ins”.

IBM Model M 3193 uses this symbol, but with the hat ^ at top. [see IBM Model M keyboard]

Clear Key

clear  

The clear key is the key on the number pad on Apple Keyboards .

It is labeled as “clear”.

Home/End Keys

Home/End        

Apple keyboard uses ↖ ↘ before 2018, now uses ⤒ ⤓.

mac keyboard viewer changes 2018 05 01 fkjyd
Mac keyboard viewer changes 2018-05-01

[see Mac Keyboard Viewer]

Page Up/Down

Apple pro keyboard german layout 92684
“Apple pro keyboard (German) (A1048)” image source

Page Up/Down key      

  • Apple Keyboards use ⇞ ⇟.
  • Logitech Non-Gaming Keyboards usually use ▲ ▼

Previous/Next Page

 

These are for browser previous/next page. The ⎗ ⎘ are used by IBM Thinkpad around 2000 to 2011. [see Evolution of Laptop Keyboard]

Arrow Keys

Commonly seen symbols used for arrow keys                    

[see Unicode Arrows →]

Print Screen Key

 PRINT SCREEN SYMBOL

I haven’t seen this symbol used on keyboard.

Scroll Lock (ScrLk)

Suggestions:

  •  🔒

System Request (SysRq)

Suggestions:

  • 🗱 LIGHTNING MOOD BUBBLE
  • 🗲 LIGHTNING MOOD

[see Print Screen, SysRq, ScrLk, Pause, Break Keys]

Pause/Break

pause key 

break key 

These are standard symbols for pause/break used in electronic circuits.

In the beginning, keyboard’s pause/break key(s) have similar meaning to the electronic pause/break, but not today.

[see Print Screen, SysRq, ScrLk, Pause, Break Keys]

I haven’t see keyboard using these symbols.

Help Key

Help key suggested symbols.

    🛈

Help key is in Apple Keyboards ⌨ and Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard

This key is typically labled just “help”.

Sleep Key

[see Astrology Symbols 🌛]

Eject

Eject 

mail key

mail 

[see Office Emoji 📌]

browser home page key

home 🏠 🏡 

Cut

Cut  

Undo, Redo

Undo, redo   

[see Unicode Arrows →]

Reload/Refresh Key

Reload/Refresh    

The symbol ⟳ is used by Chromebook for browser refresh.

Microsoft Edge browser uses ↻ for reload.

Chromebook pixel keyboard 2015 a202d288
Chromebook Pixel keyboard, featuring keys search key 🔍 and reload key  google pixelbook

Search Key, Magnify Key

search, find, magnify. 🔍 🔎. The manifying glass 🔍 is used on Google Chromebook for web search function, as replacement for the CapsLock key.

Screen Brightness Key

brightness. 🔅 🔆

Multimedia Keys

mute 🔇 no sound 🔈 sound down 🔉 sound up 🔊

🕨 🕩 🕪

stop  play/pause , prev song , next song , fast backward , fast forward , fast upward , fast downward 

[see Unicode: Computer UI Icons 🗑]

Number Lock, Number Pad Keys

[see Unicode Circled Numbers ① ② ③]

Sample Use of Keyboard Symbols

Apple keyboard shortcut symbols
Key symbols used in Mac OS X menu, as of 2009.
Apple Mac OS X safari menu 2009
keyboard shortcut Notation used in Mac OS X, from Safari, 2009.

Computer Interfac Icons

Unicode: Computer UI Icons 🗑

Character Representation

ASCII TableUnicode Search 

Type heart face, or 9829, or U+1f60d, or paste emoji 😂.

Key Label

If you have a question, put $5 at patreon and message me.

Symbols

Special

Languages

Ancient

Conlang

How To

Art

Misc

∑XAH© 1995, 2020 Xah Lee.

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xahlee.info /comp/unicode_computing_symbols.html
Keyboard Symbols ⌘ ⏎ ⌫
By Xah Lee. Date: 2010-09-03. Last updated: 2020-08-31.
9-11 minutes
Here’s a list of Unicode symbols to represent computer keyboard keys.

⌘ ✲ ⎈ ^ ⌃ ❖ ⎇ ⌥ ◆ ◇ ✦ ✧ ⇧ ⇪ 🄰 🅰 ⇪ ⇫ ⇬ ⇮ ⇯ 🔠 🔡 ⇭ 🔢 🔤 ↩ ↵ ⏎ ⌤ ⎆ ▤ ☰ 𝌆 ⎄ ⭾ ↹ ⇄ ⇤ ⇥ ↤ ↦ ⎋ ⌫ ⟵ ⌦ ⎀ ⎚ ⌧ ↖ ↘ ⇤ ⇥ ⤒ ⤓ ⇱ ⇲ ⇞ ⇟ △ ▽ ▲ ▼ ⎗ ⎘ ↑ ↓ ← → ◀ ▶ ▲ ▼ ◁ ▷ △ ▽ ⇦ ⇨ ⇧ ⇩ ⬅ ➡ ⬆ ⬇ ⎉ ⎊ ⎙ ⍰ ❓ ❔ ℹ 🛈 ☾ ⏏ ✉ 🏠 🏡 ⌂ ✂ ✄ ⎌ ↶ ↷ ⟲ ⟳ ↺ ↻ 🔍 🔎 🔅 🔆 🔇 🔈 🔉 🔊 🕨 🕩 🕪 ◼ ⏯ ⏮ ⏭ ⏪ ⏩ ⏫ ⏬

Mouse hover or click on a unicode character ⌘ to see its name and codepoint.

Note, how a unicode character shows on your screen depends the Operating System (MacOS, Microsoft Windows, Linux), browser (example: Google Chrome, Safari, Edge), and font you are using. What you see on this page may not be exactly what other people see.

Microsoft keyboard control windows alt keys
Control key symbol on Microsoft Keyboards
Following are details.

Control key
• OPEN CENTRE ASTERISK ✲ is printed on Microsoft Keyboards .

• HELM SYMBOL ⎈ is used on French Canadian MacBook laptop for the Control key, and sometimes used to indicate Control key in Linux documentation.

• CIRCUMFLEX ACCENT ^ (aka caret) is the classic notation to indicate ASCII control sequences in programing, and also used as a notation for pressing Control key for inputting control sequence. The symbol is mostly used in 1970s to 1990s, in documentation or from online posts by user.

[see ASCII Table]

• UP ARROWHEAD ⌃, the actual character used by Apple website as of 2017-07, in menu, in documentation.

apple keyboard french canadian layout 33409
Apple MacBook Pro laptop keyboard, French Canadian Layout. Note the HELM SYMBOL ⎈ for Ctrl, ⇮ on Alt, ⇬ on CapsLock, ⎆ on Enter. [image source https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/46162/where-are-and-in-a-french-keyboard ]

[see French Keyboard Layout]

The caret character ^ and UP ARROWHEAD ⌃ are not good to represent the Control key, because it confuses with the printable caret character on the keyboard, the shifted digit 6 key.

Windows Logo Key
Windows Logo Key (suggestion) ❖

This symbol is sometimes used by small keyboard makers. e.g. on Truly Ergonomic Keyboard

The Windows Logo key and the Apple Command key both send the same USB scancode.

On Linux, by convention, the Windows logo key is called Super. (not to be confused with a real Super key on Lisp Machine keyboards. [see Lisp Machine Keyboards] )

Command key
Command key ⌘

Apple iMac Keyboard A1242 big
Apple keyboard (A1242), year 2009. [see Apple Keyboards ⌨] [image source ]
Alt key
Alt key ⎇. This is standard Unicode symbol for the Alt key, but is rarely used as a label on keyboard nor in documentation.

Option key
Apple’s Option key ⌥

Note: Alt on PC keyboard and ⌥option on Apple Keyboards send the same USB scancode.

Meta Key, Super Key
Meta key ◆

The BLACK DIAMOND ◆ is used on Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard. Solaris documentation calls it the Meta key. The Meta key is a key on Lisp Machine Keyboards and heavily used by emacs. [see A Curious Look at Emacs’s One Thousand Keybindings]

Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard left
The Meta key with diamond ◆ symbol on Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard
Hyper Key
Hyper key (suggestions) ✦ ✧. Hyper is key on Lisp Machine Keyboards.

lisp machine keyboard 2 left
Symbolics’s Lisp Machine keyboard PN 365407 Rev C. (Photo by Joey Devilla [http://www.globalnerdy.com/2009/02/05/hacklabtos-lisp-machine-keyboard/]. Used with permission.)
Shift key
Shift key ⇧

Caps lock
Capslock ⇪ 🄰 🅰

Other suggestions:

⇬ ⇫ ⇮ ⇯

Most keyboards use A inside a round corners square. Some use a dotted white fat arrow.

Following are Input symbols from Unicode. 🔠 🔡

Number lock
Number Lock key suggestion ⇭ 🔢 🔤

I haven’t seen any symbol used as label for Number Lock key.

Return/Enter key
Return/Enter Key ↩ ↵ ⏎

This is the return key above the right shift key.

[see Keyboard Enter/Return Key Symbol]

Apple uses arrow with a round hook ↩ on their international version keyboards. For US version, they use the word “return”.
Microsoft uses a long version DOWNWARDS ARROW WITH CORNER LEFTWARDS ↵.
Some other keyboards use an outline 90° sharp turn RETURN SYMBOL ⏎.
Enter ⌤ This is the enter key on number pad. This symbol is used by Apple. [see Apple Computer Keyboards Gallery]

Enter ⎆. This is unicode symbol named ENTER SYMBOL.

Note: There are 2 return/enter keys on standard PC keyboard: one on main section above right shift key, one on number pad. The keyboard hardware sends different key signals.

On PC/Windows keyboards, they are both labeled “enter”.
On Apple keyboards, the main one is labeled “return”, and the one on number pad is “enter”.
Microsoft digital media keyboard 3000 enter key
Menu/App key
Menu/App key (suggestions) ▤ ☰ 𝌆 This key is invented by Microsoft. It is meant to be a application specific key. [see Microsoft Keyboard Menu Key]

Compose key
Compose key ⎄. This key is rare. It’s on Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard, but it doesn’t use any symbol.

[see Alt Graph Key, Compose Key, Dead Key]

Sun Microsystems Type 6 keyboard meta
Compose key on Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard
Tab key
Tab key ⭾ ↹ ⇄ ⇤ ⇥ ↤ ↦

Most PC Keyboards use a elongated ↹ for tab. European version of Apple Keyboards use ⇥.

Escape key
Escape key ⎋

Most keyboards use “Esc” as label.

Matias Mini Tactile Pro Keyboard uses ⎋.

[see Matias Mini Tactile Pro Keyboard]

Apple’s documentation also uses ⎋.

Backspace
Backspace key ⌫ ⟵

The backspace key is the key on the top right of a PC keyboard. For example, look at IBM Model M keyboard. [see IBM Model M keyboard]

Microsoft keyboard lable this key as “Backspace” together with a long left arrow ⟵ printed beneath it. [see Microsoft Keyboards]

On Apple Keyboards, this key is labeled “delete”.

Don’t confuse this key with the Delete key in the home/end/insert key cluster.

Delete
Delete key ⌦

The delete keys is in the cluster of {home, end, page up, page down, insert}

Insert
Insert symbol ⎀

This is Unicode U+2380: INSERTION SYMBOL. This symbol is used by copy editors, to indicate insertion.

Most keyboards label it “Insert” or “Ins”.

IBM Model M 3193 uses this symbol, but with the hat ^ at top. [see IBM Model M keyboard]

Clear Key
clear ⎚ ⌧

The clear key is the key on the number pad on Apple Keyboards .

It is labeled as “clear”.

Home/End Keys
Home/End ⤒ ⤓ ↖ ↘ ⇤ ⇥ ⇱ ⇲

Apple keyboard uses ↖ ↘ before 2018, now uses ⤒ ⤓.

mac keyboard viewer changes 2018 05 01 fkjyd
Mac keyboard viewer changes 2018-05-01

[see Mac Keyboard Viewer]

Page Up/Down
Apple pro keyboard german layout 92684
“Apple pro keyboard (German) (A1048)” image source
Page Up/Down key ⇞ ⇟ △ ▽ ▲ ▼

Apple Keyboards use ⇞ ⇟.
Logitech Non-Gaming Keyboards usually use ▲ ▼
Previous/Next Page
⎗ ⎘

These are for browser previous/next page. The ⎗ ⎘ are used by IBM Thinkpad around 2000 to 2011. [see Evolution of Laptop Keyboard]

Arrow Keys
Commonly seen symbols used for arrow keys ↑ ↓ ← → ◀ ▶ ▲ ▼ ◁ ▷ △ ▽ ⇦ ⇨ ⇧ ⇩ ⬅ ➡ ⬆ ⬇

[see Unicode Arrows →]

Print Screen Key
⎙ PRINT SCREEN SYMBOL

I haven’t seen this symbol used on keyboard.

Scroll Lock (ScrLk)
Suggestions:


⇳ 🔒
System Request (SysRq)
Suggestions:

🗱 LIGHTNING MOOD BUBBLE
🗲 LIGHTNING MOOD

[see Print Screen, SysRq, ScrLk, Pause, Break Keys]

Pause/Break
pause key ⎉

break key ⎊

These are standard symbols for pause/break used in electronic circuits.

In the beginning, keyboard’s pause/break key(s) have similar meaning to the electronic pause/break, but not today.

[see Print Screen, SysRq, ScrLk, Pause, Break Keys]

I haven’t see keyboard using these symbols.

Help Key
Help key suggested symbols.

⍰ ❓ ❔ ℹ 🛈

Help key is in Apple Keyboards ⌨ and Sun Microsystems Type 6 Keyboard

This key is typically labled just “help”.

Sleep Key

[see Astrology Symbols 🌛]

Eject
Eject ⏏

mail key
mail ✉

[see Office Emoji 📌]

browser home page key
home 🏠 🏡 ⌂

Cut
Cut ✂ ✄

Undo, Redo
Undo, redo ⎌ ↶ ↷

[see Unicode Arrows →]

Reload/Refresh Key
Reload/Refresh ⟲ ⟳ ↺ ↻

The symbol ⟳ is used by Chromebook for browser refresh.

Microsoft Edge browser uses ↻ for reload.

Chromebook pixel keyboard 2015 a202d288
Chromebook Pixel keyboard, featuring keys search key 🔍 and reload key ⟳ google pixelbook
Search Key, Magnify Key
search, find, magnify. 🔍 🔎. The manifying glass 🔍 is used on Google Chromebook for web search function, as replacement for the CapsLock key.

Screen Brightness Key
brightness. 🔅 🔆

Multimedia Keys
mute 🔇 no sound 🔈 sound down 🔉 sound up 🔊

🕨 🕩 🕪

stop ◼ play/pause ⏯, prev song ⏮, next song ⏭, fast backward ⏪, fast forward ⏩, fast upward ⏫, fast downward ⏬

[see Unicode: Computer UI Icons 🗑]

Number Lock, Number Pad Keys

[see Unicode Circled Numbers ① ② ③]

Sample Use of Keyboard Symbols

Apple keyboard shortcut symbols

Key symbols used in Mac OS X menu, as of 2009.

Apple Mac OS X safari menu 2009

keyboard shortcut Notation used in Mac OS X, from Safari, 2009.

Short Survey of Keyboard Shortcut Notations

Emacs’s Keybinding Layout Diagram

Computer Interfac Icons

Unicode: Computer UI Icons 🗑

Character Representation

ASCII Table

Unicode Search

Type heart face, or 9829, or U+1f60d, or paste emoji 😂.

If you have a question, put $5 at patreon and message me.

.

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*KEY OVERVIEW* –>

^ )
(the ‘caret’ symbol is the control key)

.

 )
(the ‘single arrow up’ is the shift key)

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 )
(the “arrow up with the line under it” is the caps lock key)

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 )
(most people don’t miss the command key since the symbol is on the keyboard)

.

 )

(the “upper right to lower left slash with the line above it” is the alt/option key)

(one hint to remembering this key is the symbol has “2 parts” and the print on the ‘keyboard’ has “2 words”)

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( ⌫ )

9003

U+232B

“erase to the left”
(aka ‘delete’)

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.

(‘numeral’ contained in ‘square (w/ rounded edges)’…)

(which indicates keys from a ‘numeric keypad’)

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*👨‍🔬🕵️‍♀️🙇‍♀️*SKETCHES*🙇‍♂️👩‍🔬🕵️‍♂️*

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👈👈👈☜*-THE APPLE KEYBOARD-* ☞ 👉👉👉

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💕💝💖💓🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤❤️💚💛🧡❣️💞💔💘❣️🧡💛💚❤️🖤💜🖤💙🖤💙🖤💗💖💝💘

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*🌈✨ *TABLE OF CONTENTS* ✨🌷*

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🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥*we won the war* 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥