Untap

Untap is a keyword action that happens during the untap step. It is the process of rotating a permanent back to the upright position from a sideways position.

Rules
undefined

Untapping creatures
The ability to untap creatures is primary in green and blue and secondary in white. Untapping creatures used to be white's domain, but R&D has moved individual creature untapping off to green to give it more creature answers. White still can untap all your creatures or an individual creature on a spell that's defined as solely defensive. Blue's ability to untap is usually accompanied by its ability to also tap (twiddle).

Untapping lands
Green, as the color most in tune with lands and acquiring mana, is the color that most often untaps lands. Blue also does this a little.

Untapping itself
Some creatures have an activated ability (or sometimes a triggered ability) to untap itself. This is primary used in blue, but occasionally in white when R&D wants to simulate vigilance because actual vigilance is problematic due to timing.

Untap symbol
The untap symbol was introduced in Shadowmoor where "untapping" was a mechanic of the set. By 2010, the introduction of the symbol was considered a failure; players just read the untap symbol as a tap symbol. As a gimmick, it was featured in Modern Horizons on Farmstead Gleaner. undefined undefined undefined

Rulings

 * The untap symbol is the analog of the tap symbol. Represented as {Q} in rules documents, it looks like a white J-shaped arrow (with the arrowhead pointing up) on a black circle.
 * The untap symbol appears only in the costs of activated abilities. It means "Untap this permanent."
 * If the permanent is already untapped, you can't play its ability. That's because you can't pay the "Untap this permanent" cost.
 * The "summoning sickness" rule applies to . If a creature with an ability hasn't been under your control since your most recent turn began, you can't play that ability. Ignore this rule if the creature also has haste.


 * When you play an ability, you untap the creature with that ability as a cost. The untap can't be responded to. (The actual ability can be responded to, of course.)

Trivia

 * " is the Untap Symbol" was featured as rules card 1 of 6 in the Shadowmoor set and 4 of 8 in the Eventide'' set.