Prohibited emoji 🚫 and no entry emoji ⛔
🚫 prohibited is the red circle with a diagonal bar — the international “no” sign with nothing inside it.
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What the prohibited 🚫 and no entry ⛔ emoji means
🚫 prohibited is the red circle with a diagonal bar — the international “no” sign with nothing inside it. It means not allowed, banned, forbidden: “🚫 phones at dinner”, “no spoilers 🚫”, a firm no in a reply. ⛔ no entry is the red disc with a white bar, the road sign for “do not enter”; it means keep out, blocked, off limits. Both are gentler than 🛑 stop sign as a command and stronger than ❌ cross mark as a rule. The specific signs — 🚭 no smoking, 📵 no phones, 🚯 no littering, 🔞 18+ — put an icon inside the circle.
Unicode name: prohibited · U+1F6AB · Emoji 0.6 (original set) · group: Symbols.
How people use it
- Rules: what is not allowed
- Refusal: a firm no
- Off limits (⛔): blocked, closed, do not disturb
- Dealbreakers: in bios and profiles
Compare the options
| Emoji | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| prohibitedU+1F6AB | Not allowed, banned | |
| no entryU+26D4 | Do not enter, blocked | |
| stop signU+1F6D1 | Stop | |
| cross markU+274C | No, wrong | |
| no smokingU+1F6AD | Specific ban | |
| no mobile phonesU+1F4F5 | Phones off |
Using 🚫 as a don’t or avoid symbol
In chat and social bios, the prohibited sign often stands in for the word “don’t” or a warning to avoid something. It’s a compact way to set a boundary or list a dealbreaker without spelling it out. For example, “🚫 don’t text me first” or “avoid drama 🚫” make the rule clear at a glance.
The sign is often paired with another emoji. Adding 🚫 before 🐍 (snake) or 💬 (speech bubble) can be read as “no snakes” or “no talking”. This lets people create custom “avoid” messages for their group chats or profiles.
- Use 🚫 to mean “don’t” in a command
- Pair it with an activity or person to say “avoid this”
- In bios, it flags hard limits without sounding harsh
Restricted and denied: 🚫 in permissions and access
When access is blocked or something is off-limits, 🚫 communicates “restricted” or “denied” quickly. In tech support and gaming chats, you might see messages like “🚫 access denied” or “restricted area 🚫”. The no entry sign ⛔ is the physical counterpart, meaning you cannot enter a space.
The symbol can also appear in app interfaces and online forms to indicate a field is disabled or an action is not allowed. In these contexts, it is neutral: it states the rule rather than scolding.
- Use 🚫 for digital access problems
- Use ⛔ for physical entry restrictions
- Pair with 🔒 (lock) to emphasise security
Questions people ask
What does 🚫 mean?
Not allowed — the universal prohibition sign. It bans whatever follows or precedes it.
What is the difference between 🚫 and ⛔?
🚫 is a red ring with a slash: “prohibited”. ⛔ is a solid red disc with a white bar: “no entry”, do not go in.
What does 🚫 mean from a guy?
A clear no or a rule — “not doing that”, “not allowed”. It is firm but usually not angry.
Is there a “no smiley face” emoji?
There is no single emoji for a prohibited smiley face. You can combine 🚫 with a smiley like 🙂 to imply “no smiling” or to negate a happy tone, but on its own 🚫 already means “no” without showing a face.
What is the don’t symbol?
The 🚫 emoji is used as a shorthand for “do not” or “don’t” — for example, “don’t @ me 🚫” or “don’t spoil the ending 🚫”.
About this guide
Written and maintained by the Emoji Directory editorial team, without ads or sponsorship. Meanings describe how the emoji is commonly used in public posts and messages, not an official definition. Names, code points, versions, keywords and translations come from the Unicode Emoji 18.0 and CLDR data; shortcodes from the gemoji project. Last reviewed . Spotted a mistake or a new usage? Tell us, or read how the directory is made.
