How to Type an Em Dash (—) and En Dash (–)
Three horizontal lines get confused constantly: the hyphen (-), the en dash (–), and the em dash (—). They are different characters with different jobs, and good writing uses the right one.
The hyphen joins words (well-known). The en dash spans ranges (pages 10–20). The em dash sets off a phrase — like this — or replaces a colon. Here’s how to type the two you can’t find on your keyboard.
Quick reference: every method
Every Alt code below is verified against the real Windows code pages — where none exists we say so, rather than list one that won’t work.
| Char | Name | Windows | Mac | HTML | Word (Alt+X) | Unicode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Em Dash | Alt+0151 |
Shift+Option+- |
— |
2014 + Alt+X |
U+2014 |
| – | En Dash | Alt+0150 |
Option+- |
– |
2013 + Alt+X |
U+2013 |
Em dash (—)
Windows: Alt + 0151 on the numeric keypad.
Mac: Option + Shift + hyphen.
Word / Google Docs: type two hyphens between words with no spaces and most editors auto-convert them to an em dash. In Word you can also type 2014 then Alt+X.
HTML: — or —.
Phones: long-press the hyphen key on the symbols keyboard to reveal both dashes.
En dash (–)
Windows: Alt + 0150.
Mac: Option + hyphen (no Shift).
Word: type 2013 then Alt+X.
HTML: – or –.
A quick way to remember which is which
The em dash is about as wide as a capital M; the en dash is as wide as an N. Use the wide one (—) for breaks in a sentence, and the medium one (–) for number and date ranges. The plain hyphen stays for compound words.
Handy tips
- Style guides differ on spacing: most US styles set the em dash tight (no spaces), while many UK and news styles use a spaced en dash instead.
- Neither dash has a code-page Alt code below 128, so the leading-zero method (Alt+0150 / Alt+0151, from Windows-1252) is the one to use.
- If auto-correct keeps "fixing" your dashes the wrong way, paste the exact character from this site to be sure.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Alt code for an em dash?
Alt+0151 on Windows. For the en dash it’s Alt+0150. Both need the numeric keypad and the leading zero.
How do I type an em dash on a Mac?
Press Option+Shift+hyphen for the em dash (—), or Option+hyphen for the en dash (–).
Is an em dash the same as a minus sign?
No. The minus sign (−, U+2212) is a distinct math character. The em dash is punctuation and is longer.
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