The closed mailbox with raised flag is peak suburban drama: the door is shut, the little red arm is up, and somewhere a postal carrier is about to make a cameo. It screams “you’ve got mail” or “I just sent something important,” perfect for announcing newsletters, shipping updates, RSVP cards, or a lovingly chaotic pen-pal letter. Online, people also use it as a wink for “check your inbox/DMs,” or ironically when they’re waiting on a reply like it’s an admissions decision. Because the flag is literally red, it doubles as a playful “red flag” gag in dating chats: message pending…and maybe questionable.
On Apple devices, it shows a glossy deep-blue, rounded curbside mailbox perched on a wooden post, viewed at a slight three‑quarters angle; the bright red flag stands upright, the front door is closed with a small metal handle, and the shading makes it look charmingly 3D. That instantly recognizable red flag = outgoing or incoming action, so it pairs well with envelope, package, or inbox tray emojis for extra postal flair. Expect it in posts about zines, Etsy drops, HOA notices, college acceptance letters, or whenever you want vintage “AOL: You’ve got mail” energy with a sprinkle of Blue’s Clues mail-time nostalgia. It’s also a tidy way to say “message sent,” “DMs open,” or “I’ll be by the mailbox anxiously refreshing like it’s 1999.”
Definition
A closed mailbox used to hold letters and packages. This particular mailbox has the flag up, which means there is outgoing mail in need of pickup by the postal worker. The door is closed on this mailbox.
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Emoji History The emoji code/ image log of changes.
This emoji was part of the proprietary / non-standardized emoji set first introduced by Japanese carriers like Softbank. These emojis became part of the Apple iPhone starting in iOS 2.2 as an unlockable feature on handsets sold in English speaking countries.
In iOS 5 / OSX 10.7, the underlying code that the Apple OS generates for this emoji was changed.
Emoji General Information
Twitter Emoji Popularity (Rank)
1896 of 2393
Apple/iOS Picture
Google Android Picture
Google Hangouts Picture
Twitter.com Picture
LG Emoji Picture
Samsung Emoji Picture
Phantom Open Emoji Picture
Not created yet
ASCII Conversion
"Short Code" Name
:mailbox:
Keywords
Unicode Category Information
Unicode Category
Miscellaneous Symbols and Pictographs
Unicode Range
1F300–1F5FF
Unicode Subcategory
Communication Symbols
Editorial Comment
The flag is up on this mailbox to identify there is outgoing mail waiting. In iOS 5 the mailbox magically closed. iEmoji old name: Blue Mailbox.
Proposed Unicode Information & Notes
Unicode Category
Artifacts
Unicode Subcategory
Communication Symbols
Names & Annotations
CLOSED MAILBOX WITH RAISED FLAG = mailbox containing mail
