Tech Tips: What does that icon mean?

Wi-Fi: This icon appears on laptops, phones, and other Internet-capable devices to show whether the device is connected, and how strong the connection is (which is shown via the number of arcs that appear).

Save to cloud: When uploading to the cloud you may see this icon to denote the ability to use the Internet to save a file from an account-based service to a location that is not on your computer, but accessible via the Internet from any other device that you log into the same account with.

Upload: A web form or site often displays this icon, which is meant to portray moving a file from your computer to somewhere else.

Download: This icon indicates moving a file to your computer from somewhere on the Internet or from a program that you are running.

Screen share: The wifi arcs combine with a rectangle to form an icon that is often used in virtual conferencing to symbolize screen sharing options.

Save: This icon may be one of the most familiar and widely used icons due to its long history of use. It is shaped like a floppy disk, which was the most common form of external storage at the time of its creation.

Bluetooth: This symbol is a combination of two Viking runes (“H” and “B”), chosen because they are the initials of a Viking king named Harald Bluetooth. The technology is so named because its creator thought that his invention and the Nordic king had the same purpose of unity and communication between groups.

Print: Shaped to look like the hardware it will use, this icon is sometimes used on its own or alongside written labels.

Share: These three circles connected by lines are known as the share icon, although some apps and softwares will use the upload icon interchangeably with this symbol.

Reply (or Forward, and sometimes Share): A curved arrow usually is used as the reply icon in emails and other messaging apps. In some apps like Gmail, however, a right-facing arrow represents forwarding an email and a left-facing arrow represents replying. You might also see the right arrow occasionally used as a share icon.

Bookmark: This icon is common for library users to see when using digital book services like Hoopla and Libby.

More: Three dots, sometimes vertical and sometimes horizontal, form an ellipsis used to let users know that there are more options available beyond what is immediately visible. 

Account: Usually located at a top corner of a screen, this human head and body can be the home for options for whichever app you are using currently.

Power: Based on the binary of 1 and 0, but combined into a single symbol, this icon is seen on hardware devices as well as on your screen!

Microphone: This icon has two modes, muted and unmuted. The muted version will have a slash through it, indicating it is not active.

Speaker: This icon is how you can view and control the sound coming from your computer. Shaped a bit like a megaphone with arced lines coming from the wide end, the number and size of the lines indicate how loud your volume is currently. If it has a slash through it, or a little x instead of the arced lines, that means your sound is muted.

Chat: You may recognize speech bubbles from comics, but in the tech world it is known as the chat icon. It may indicate a way to text chat with a customer representative on a website, or it could be an option in an app that allows you to message people you already know. This icon might be rounded or squared off depending on the style of the app or website you see it on.

Attach: The paper clip icon is used when you want to attach a file to a communication such as an email, text message, or direct message. You can generally use it to attach any type of file, as long as the app or software you are using allows that file type.

Notification: Used to alert you to new notifications, the bell icon will occasionally have a small red dot (or sometimes a different color depending on the app) that lets you know you have an unread notification.

Battery: This icon might be full or empty, vertical or horizontal, but is usually located at an edge or corner of the screen of whatever device you are using. It is meant to show you how much power you have left in your device battery, and if you click or tap it, it may tell you more specific information about your battery levels.

Folder: This icon is used widely to denote the storage of files on your device. Often manilla yellow or light blue, the folder icon is usually how you will be able to view all the files on your device. On a Mac you can view files using the Finder app, and on a PC you’ll use the File Explorer.

Delete/Move to trash: A trash can icon is used when you want to delete something.  In many apps and softwares, the ability to delete a file permanently is often displayed using the trash can.

Copy: This icon seems abstract but is actually supposed to represent two identical sheets of paper. Occasionally there will be a small plus sign (+) inside one of the sheets, telling you that you will be making a new copy.

Home: This icon is used on apps and softwares that have multiple screens. Tapping or clicking the home icon will bring you back to the first page, which is often the page that shows an overview of information about the app.

Settings: This important icon shaped like a gear is trying to tell you that by selecting this option you will gain access to the inner workings of your app. This is often where you can change font sizes, sound options, account settings, and more.

Search: A detective’s magnifying glass will show up as part of a search bar, or as an icon you can select to reveal a search bar. Once the search bar appears, you can type keywords in order to help you find what you are looking for.

Edit: This icon is a pencil or pen, sometimes pointing to a square, but can also be just the pencil alone. This icon is usually use to show you that you can change something, just click the icon and see what your options are!

Zoom: The magnifying glass is back again, but this time it has a small plus sign (+) or minus sign (-) in it. These icons are used to increase or decrease the size of text, images, and other information on whatever website or software you are using.  

USB: This interesting three-pronged icon has a circle end, triangle end, and square end to symbolize that it has the power to connect various devices.

Menu: Three lines horizontally is used similarly to the three dots icon but generally is meant to symbolize a list of items rather than an ellipsis.

Location: This pin-shaped icon originally came from Google Maps, but has spread to many apps and softwares. It is used to pinpoint a location on a map. When used outside the context of a map, it indicates an address or location description.