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An invisible character choosing between glyph forms.
Also known as: VS15, Variation selector-16, Emoji presentation selector, Invisible glyph chooser
A variation selector is invisible and follows a character to choose between defined presentations — most visibly, whether a symbol displays as monochrome text or as a colour emoji. The same code point can render as ✉ or as a picture depending on which selector follows it.
Denotes an invisible character following a base character to select among its defined glyph variants.
Contexts: Software
Chooses between text and emoji presentation for characters that have both, which is why the same code point appears monochrome in one context and coloured in another.
Contexts: Software
Occupies no width and has no meaning on its own: it modifies only the character immediately preceding it.
Contexts: Software
Is also used in CJK to select among regional glyph forms of the same character, which is its other main application.
Contexts: Software
No visible form: the character is rendered as nothing, its effect appearing only in which glyph variant the preceding character takes.