To in LaTeX

The LaTeX command for to (→) is \to (right arrow).

\to

Arrows · Unicode → (U+2192) · no package needed

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Which command should you use?

Command	Package	Use it when
`\to` recommended	none	Limits and function signatures.
`\rightarrow`	none	The same arrow, longer name.
`\mapsto`	none	Where an element goes: x maps to x squared.
`\longrightarrow`	none	A longer arrow.
`\xrightarrow{f}`	`amsmath`	An arrow with a label that stretches to fit.

Table 1. Ways to write to in LaTeX. Every line was compiled with pdfLaTeX (TeX Live 2026) loading only the package shown.

Common mistake. -> typed in a formula prints a minus sign and a greater-than sign.

How to type To

Write \to inside math mode, that is between $…$ for inline math or in a \[ … \] or equation block for display math. It is part of core LaTeX math, so no extra package is required.

Example

$f\colon A \to B, \quad x \mapsto x^2$

f\colon A \to B, \quad x \mapsto x^2

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Often confused with

Rightarrow \rightarrow (→)
Mapsto \mapsto (↦): maps to

Related Arrows symbols

\circlearrowleft\circlearrowright\xrightarrow{f}\xleftarrow{f}\longrightarrow\longleftarrow\Longrightarrow\leftarrow\rightarrow\leftrightarrow\Leftarrow\Rightarrow\Leftrightarrow\iff

Arrows in LaTeX: the full table or search all 350+ LaTeX symbols.

FAQ

How do you write to (→) in LaTeX?

Use \to in math mode; it needs no extra package. For example, $f\colon A \to B, \quad x \mapsto x^2$.

Which package provides \to?

None: \to is built into LaTeX, so no extra package is required.

What is the most common mistake with to in LaTeX?

-> typed in a formula prints a minus sign and a greater-than sign.