Symbols · Emoji 1.0

🔅Dim Button Emoji

It usually just means “dim.” People use it to indicate they want something darker or less bright.

The 🔅 emoji, often called the "Dim Button," represents lowering the brightness of something.

Download PNG / SVG
Unicode
U+1F505
Released
2015
Shortcode
:low_brightness:
Skin tones
No
U+1F505Your device
🔅

01 — Meaning

What does the 🔅 Dim Button emoji mean?

In plain english
It usually just means “dim.” People use it to indicate they want something darker or less bright. It’s a quick way to ask someone to reduce the brightness of a picture or screen.
Where it comes from
The 🔅 emoji, often called the "Dim Button," represents lowering the brightness of something. It’s frequently used when someone is adjusting their screen’s brightness, like on a phone or tablet. People use it to express a desire for less bright light, or to signal that they’re noticing a bright image. You might see it after someone shares a brightly colored picture, or when they’re simply trying to reduce eye strain.
Also known as

One character, many names — these are the wordings people actually type, all 4 of them.

brightness emojibutton emojidim emojilow emoji

02 — Platforms

Dim Button emoji on iPhone, Android, WhatsApp and X

The character is always U+1F505 — but every vendor draws it their own way. This is what your dim button looks like to the person on the other side.

Dim Button emoji on Apple
AppleiPhone, iPad, macOS
Dim Button emoji on Google
GoogleAndroid, Gmail, Chrome
Dim Button emoji on Twitter / X
Twitter / XX, Discord, Twemoji apps
Dim Button emoji on Facebook
FacebookFacebook, Messenger
Dim Button emoji on OpenMoji
OpenMojiOpen-source, design systems
Dim Button emoji on Samsung
SamsungGalaxy, One UI
Dim Button emoji on Microsoft
MicrosoftWindows, Teams, Fluent
Dim Button emoji on WhatsApp
WhatsAppWhatsApp on Android
Dim Button emoji on JoyPixels
JoyPixelsSlack, Discord themes

See the whole set the way each system draws it — iPhone emojis, Android emojis, WhatsApp emojis and Discord emojis.

03 — Copy & codes

Dim Button emoji copy and paste

Everything here is the same character in different notation — including the shortcode chat apps know it by, :low_brightness:.

All emoji copy and paste →

In your code

Escapes for the languages people actually paste this into. Every one of them produces the same character, and that character is U+1F505.

04 — How to type

How to type the 🔅 Dim Button emoji

Where the emoji key lives on each system — and the codes for when there is no picker at all.

iPhone & iPad
Tap the smiley or globe key at the bottom-left of the keyboard, then search “dim button”. No emoji key? Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard → Emoji.
Android
On Gboard tap the smiley key, or long-press the Enter or comma key. On Samsung Keyboard the emoji button sits behind the gear icon.
Windows & Mac
Windows: press Win + . for the emoji panel. Mac: Control + Command + Space. Then type “dim button”.
Slack & Discord
Type the shortcode :low_brightness: and it converts to 🔅 as you send. The full set is on the Discord emoji page.
Websites & code
In HTML use 🔅, in CSS \1F505, in JavaScript \u{1F505}.
No picker to hand? The online emoji keyboard works in any browser, and every character on the site is listed on emoji copy and paste.

05 — Download

Dim Button emoji PNG and SVG

Transparent PNG and SVG for thumbnails, decks and design files — one file per vendor, which makes 9. Artwork belongs to whoever drew it, so check the licence before commercial use.

Emoji PNG library →
Download Dim Button emoji, Apple style Apple PNG · 160px Download Dim Button emoji, Google style Google PNG · 160px Download Dim Button emoji, Twitter / X style Twitter / X SVG vector Download Dim Button emoji, Facebook style Facebook PNG · 64px Download Dim Button emoji, OpenMoji style OpenMoji SVG vector Download Dim Button emoji, Samsung style Samsung PNG · 64px Download Dim Button emoji, Microsoft style Microsoft PNG · 64px Download Dim Button emoji, WhatsApp style WhatsApp PNG · 64px Download Dim Button emoji, JoyPixels style JoyPixels PNG · 64px

06 — Combinations

Dim Button emoji combinations

Ready-made combos built around dim button for bios, captions and comments. Tap to copy.

All combinations →
Cool dim button combos
Flex dim button combos
Aesthetic dim button combos
Cute dim button combos
Dark dim button combos
Party dim button combos
Love dim button combos
Mood dim button combos
Unhinged dim button combos
Soft dim button combos
Late night dim button combos
Summer dim button combos
Gaming dim button combos
Y2K dim button combos

Want two emojis fused into one sticker instead of set side by side? Emoji Kitchen does that for every pair Google has drawn, and there are more ready-made pairs in emoji combinations and aesthetic emoji combos.

07 — In conversation

What 🔅 means from a girl or a guy

Same emoji, different intent depending on who sent it and what came before.

From a girl
Generally, when a girl sends you the 🔅 emoji, she's likely responding to a very bright or flashy image. It’s often a playful way of saying something is a bit overwhelming or too intense visually. She’s probably just acknowledging the brightness and expressing a preference for something calmer.
From a guy
A guy sending the 🔅 emoji is often doing the same thing as a girl – reacting to a bright image. It can also just be a neutral reaction to something visually stimulating. There isn’t a super specific meaning, it’s mostly about acknowledging the brightness.
How to reply
If someone sends you 🔅, you could reply with: “Okay 🔅”, “Got it 🔅”, “Less bright please 🔅”, or “Understand 🔅”.
Used in a sentence

08 — Apps

What 🔅 means on TikTok, WhatsApp and Discord

One code point, several readings — where the dim button lands changes how it is taken.

TikTok & Instagram
It usually just means “dim.” People use it to indicate they want something darker or less bright. In comments and captions it is read the same way — the tone comes from what it sits next to.
WhatsApp
WhatsApp draws 🔅 with Apple-style artwork on every phone, so it looks identical for both sides. A message with only 🔅 in it is shown enlarged.
Discord & Slack
Both accept the shortcode :low_brightness:. Discord renders Twemoji, so 🔅 looks different there than on your phone.
Outlook & email
Outlook has no emoji picker on desktop — press Win + . or Control + Command + Space inside the message body, or paste 🔅 from the copy button above.

10 — History

Where the 🔅 Dim Button emoji came from

Approved as part of Emoji 1.0, the dim button has been on phones for years now — counting from its release, 11.

AppleiOS
Dim Button emoji, Apple, iOS 16.4
iOS 16.4
Dim Button emoji, Apple, iOS 17.4
iOS 17.4
Dim Button emoji, Apple, iOS 18.4
iOS 18.4
Dim Button emoji, Apple, iOS 26
iOS 26
GoogleAndroid
Dim Button emoji, Google, Blob, 2017
Blob, 2017
Dim Button emoji, Google, Redesign, 2017
Redesign, 2017
Dim Button emoji, Google, Android 2018
Android 2018
Dim Button emoji, Google, Android 2020
Android 2020
Twitter / XTwemoji
Dim Button emoji, Twitter / X, Twemoji 14
Twemoji 14
Dim Button emoji, Twitter / X, Twemoji 15
Twemoji 15
Dim Button emoji, Twitter / X, Twemoji 16
Twemoji 16
Dim Button emoji, Twitter / X, Twemoji 17
Twemoji 17

Same character every time — U+1F505 never changed. Only the drawing did, and only because each vendor redraws its own set. Someone on an older phone still sees the older picture.

2015
Added to the standard

Dim Button was approved as U+1F505 and shipped in Emoji 1.0 (2015). Phones usually get new artwork about a year after approval, in a system update.

Today
Drawn 9 different ways

Every vendor keeps its own artwork, so 🔅 is redrawn by Apple, Google, Twitter / X, Facebook, OpenMoji, Samsung, Microsoft, WhatsApp, JoyPixels. The character you send never changes — only the picture does.

11 — FAQ

Dim Button emoji — questions people actually ask

What does the 🔅 Dim Button emoji mean?
It usually just means “dim.” People use it to indicate they want something darker or less bright. It’s a quick way to ask someone to reduce the brightness of a picture or screen.
What does 🔅 mean from a girl?
Generally, when a girl sends you the 🔅 emoji, she's likely responding to a very bright or flashy image. It’s often a playful way of saying something is a bit overwhelming or too intense visually. She’s probably just acknowledging the brightness and expressing a preference for something calmer.
What does 🔅 mean from a guy?
A guy sending the 🔅 emoji is often doing the same thing as a girl – reacting to a bright image. It can also just be a neutral reaction to something visually stimulating. There isn’t a super specific meaning, it’s mostly about acknowledging the brightness.
How do you reply to the 🔅 emoji?
If someone sends you 🔅, you could reply with: “Okay 🔅”, “Got it 🔅”, “Less bright please 🔅”, or “Understand 🔅”.
What else is the 🔅 emoji called?
Dim Button is the official Unicode name, but people search for it as “brightness emoji”, “button emoji”, “dim emoji”, “low emoji” and more. They all refer to the same character, U+1F505.
What is the Unicode code for 🔅?
The Dim Button emoji is U+1F505, added in Emoji 1.0 (2015). In HTML you can write it as 🔅, and in CSS as \1F505.
How do I copy and paste the 🔅 emoji?
Tap the copy button at the top of this page — 🔅 goes straight to your clipboard and pastes into Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, Discord or any text field. You can also copy its shortcode :low_brightness: for Slack and Discord.
Does 🔅 look the same on every phone?
No. Dim Button is drawn separately by each vendor — Apple, Google, Twitter / X, Facebook, OpenMoji, Samsung, Microsoft, WhatsApp and JoyPixels all ship their own artwork for U+1F505. The character you send is identical; only the picture changes.