How to Type an Em Dash (—) on Any Keyboard

The em dash — the longest of the three dashes used in English typography — is one of the most versatile punctuation marks in the written language. It can replace commas, parentheses, colons, and semicolons, and it adds a dramatic pause or sharp emphasis that no other mark quite replicates. This guide covers every way to type the em dash on any device and platform.

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What Is an Em Dash?

The em dash — gets its name from typography: it is exactly as wide as the letter M in any given typeface. This distinguishes it from its two shorter relatives:

Symbol	Name	Unicode	Width
—	Em dash	U+2014	Width of letter M
–	En dash	U+2013	Width of letter N
–	Hyphen	U+002D	Shortest dash

Each serves a different purpose in writing, and using the wrong one is a common typographic error — especially in digital writing where the hyphen is the only dash readily available on a standard keyboard.

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How Is the Em Dash Used?

The em dash is one of the most expressive marks in punctuation. Here are its main uses:

In Place of Parentheses

Used to set off supplementary information with more emphasis than parentheses provide:

• The conference — originally scheduled for March — was postponed indefinitely.

In Place of a Colon

Introduces a clause or phrase with dramatic effect:

• There was only one thing left to do — run.

To Indicate Interruption or Abrupt Change

Common in dialogue and narrative writing:

• “I was just about to say —” she stopped mid-sentence.

In Place of Commas

Adds stronger separation between clauses than a comma:

• The final score — 4 to 1 — was not what anyone expected.

To Show Attribution

Used before the name of a quoted source:

• “To be or not to be.” — William Shakespeare

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Em Dash vs. En Dash vs. Hyphen: Know the Difference

Mark	Name	Use
—	Em dash	Strong pause, interruption, emphasis, replacement for parentheses or colon
–	En dash	Ranges (pages 10–25), scores (3–1), compound adjectives with open elements
–	Hyphen	Compound words (well-known), word breaks at line ends

The most common mistake in digital writing is substituting a hyphen or double hyphen (–) for an em dash. While -- is an accepted informal substitute in plain text environments, it is technically incorrect in formal writing, published content, and typeset documents.

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How to Type the Em Dash on Windows

Method 1: Alt Code (Fastest on Windows)

Make sure Num Lock is on, hold Alt, type the code on the numeric keypad, then release Alt:

Alt + 0151 → — (em dash) Alt + 0150 → – (en dash, for reference)

Always use the four-digit code with the leading zero. This is one of the most useful Alt codes to memorize if you write regularly on Windows.

Method 2: Unicode Input (Microsoft Word)

1. Type 2014
2. Immediately press Alt + X
3. Word converts it to —

For the en dash: type 2013 then Alt + X → –

Method 3: Copy and Paste

Copy directly from this page and paste anywhere: —

Works in every browser, app, text field, and document editor with no setup required.

Method 4: Character Map

1. Open Start and search “Character Map”
2. Search for “em dash”
3. Select —
4. Click Select, then Copy
5. Paste into your document

Method 5: Windows Emoji Panel

1. Press Windows key + . (period)
2. Go to the Symbols tab
3. Search for “em dash” or “dash”
4. Click to insert

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How to Type the Em Dash on Mac

Method 1: Keyboard Shortcut (Fastest — Works Everywhere)

Mac has a direct built-in shortcut for the em dash:

Shift + Option + – (minus/hyphen key) → —

For the en dash: Option + – → –

This is one of the most useful Mac shortcuts to memorize. It works in every app on macOS — no setup, no copy-paste, no character viewer needed.

Method 2: Character Viewer

1. Press Control + Command + Space
2. Search for “em dash”
3. Double-click — to insert it

Method 3: Unicode Hex Input

1. Enable Unicode Hex Input under System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources
2. Hold Option and type 2014
3. Releases as —

Method 4: Text Replacement

If you prefer a typed shortcut:

1. Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Text Replacements
2. Click +
3. In Replace, type --
4. In With, paste —
5. Click Add

Now typing -- in any macOS app will auto-suggest —.

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How to Type the Em Dash on iPhone and iPad

Method 1: Press and Hold the Hyphen Key

The iPhone keyboard has the em dash tucked behind the hyphen:

1. Tap 123 to switch to the numbers/symbols keyboard
2. Press and hold the – (hyphen) key
3. A popup appears showing – — and other dash variants
4. Slide to — (the longer one) and release

This is the standard method for most iPhone users and requires no setup whatsoever.

Method 2: Text Replacement Shortcut

For faster access without hunting through the popup:

1. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement
2. Tap +
3. In Phrase, paste —
4. In Shortcut, type --
5. Tap Save

Now typing -- anywhere on iOS will auto-suggest the em dash.

Method 3: Add a Keyboard with Direct Access

Some third-party keyboards available in the App Store include dedicated punctuation panels with direct em dash access. If you write long-form content regularly on iPhone, a keyboard like 1Writer or writing apps like iA Writer include smart punctuation that auto-converts -- to — as you type.

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How to Type the Em Dash on Android

Method 1: Press and Hold the Hyphen Key (Gboard)

Like iOS, Gboard hides the em dash behind the hyphen key:

1. Tap ?123 to switch to the symbols keyboard
2. Press and hold the – (hyphen) key
3. A popup of dash variants appears
4. Slide to — and release

Method 2: Personal Dictionary Shortcut

1. Go to Gboard Settings > Dictionary > Personal Dictionary
2. Select your language
3. Tap +
4. Add — as the word and -- as the shortcut
5. Tap the checkmark to save

Gboard will suggest — whenever you type --.

Method 3: Symbols Panel

On some Android keyboards:

1. Tap ?123 then =< to access the extended symbols panel
2. The em dash — may appear directly in this panel depending on your keyboard and device

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How to Type the Em Dash in Microsoft Word

Word is one of the best environments for em dashes because it offers multiple methods including an automatic one that requires no extra steps at all.

Method 1: AutoFormat (Automatic — No Shortcut Needed)

By default, Word automatically converts a double hyphen between words into an em dash:

Type a word, then --, then another word without spaces: word--word → Word auto-converts to word—word

If Word is not doing this automatically, check that it is enabled:

1. Go to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options
2. Click the AutoFormat As You Type tab
3. Make sure “Hyphens (–) with dash (—)” is checked

Method 2: Built-In Keyboard Shortcut (Word Only)

Word has its own dedicated shortcut:

Ctrl + Alt + – (minus on numpad) → —

This must be the minus key on the numeric keypad, not the hyphen key on the main keyboard row. If you are on a laptop without a numpad, use one of the other methods.

Method 3: Alt + X

Type 2014 then press Alt + X — Word instantly converts it to —.

Method 4: Insert > Symbol

1. Go to Insert > Symbol > More Symbols
2. Click the Special Characters tab
3. Find Em Dash at the top of the list
4. Click Insert

The Special Characters tab in Word also shows you the current keyboard shortcut assigned to the em dash, which you can customize.

Method 5: AutoCorrect Custom Entry

1. Go to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options
2. In Replace, type --
3. In With, paste —
4. Click Add, then OK

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How to Type the Em Dash in Google Docs

Method 1: Built-In Keyboard Shortcut

Google Docs has its own dedicated shortcut for the em dash:

Ctrl + Alt + Shift + – → — (Windows) Shift + Option + – → — (Mac — same as system shortcut)

Method 2: Insert > Special Characters

1. Go to Insert > Special Characters
2. Search for “em dash”
3. Click — to insert it

Method 3: Substitutions

Google Docs can auto-replace -- with — just like Word:

1. Go to Tools > Preferences > Substitutions
2. Check if “Automatic substitution” is already enabled for dashes
3. If not, add a manual rule: Replace -- With —
4. Click OK

Method 4: Copy and Paste

Copy — from this article and paste directly into your Google Doc.

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Em Dash in HTML and CSS

For web developers and publishers, here are all the correct ways to render the em dash in code:

Method	Code	Result
HTML named entity	—	—
HTML numeric (hex)	—	—
HTML numeric (decimal)	—	—
En dash named entity	–	–
CSS content property	content: "\2014";	—
Direct UTF-8	paste — directly	—

Best practice: — is the universally supported named entity and the most readable option in HTML source code. For CSS-generated content, use the Unicode escape \2014. If your file is properly UTF-8 encoded (always include <meta charset="UTF-8"> in your <head>), you can also paste — directly into your markup.

CSS example — pull quote attribution:

css

.pull-quote::after {
  content: "\2014 " attr(data-author);
  display: block;
  font-style: normal;
  margin-top: 12px;
}

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Em Dash Spacing: A Style Guide Debate

One of the most contested questions in typography is whether to put spaces around the em dash or not. Both styles are correct depending on the style guide you follow:

Style	Example	Used By
No spaces	word—word	AP Stylebook, most US newspapers, Chicago Manual of Style
Spaces on both sides	word — word	The Guardian, many British publications, some academic styles
Thin space on both sides	word — word	High-end typesetting, some European publishers

For most US editorial and content writing, the no-spaces style (AP/Chicago) is the standard. For web content specifically, the no-spaces style also avoids potential line-break issues where a space before or after the dash could cause the dash to wrap to a new line awkwardly.

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Em Dash in Different Writing Contexts

In Journalism and Editorial Writing

The em dash is used heavily in feature writing and headlines for punch and pace. Most major publications follow AP style: no spaces, em dash between clauses.

In Academic Writing

Usage varies by style guide. Chicago allows em dashes freely. APA style uses them sparingly. MLA permits them for emphasis and interruption.

In Fiction and Creative Writing

The em dash is a fiction writer’s best friend — it captures interrupted dialogue, trailing thoughts, and abrupt tonal shifts in ways that no other mark replicates cleanly.

In Business and Professional Writing

Em dashes are appropriate in reports, proposals, and correspondence for adding clarity and emphasis, though they should be used with restraint in formal documents.

In Web and SEO Content

Em dashes improve readability and scannability in long-form content. Search engines read them as punctuation rather than word separators, so they have no negative SEO impact.

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Related Dash and Hyphen Symbols

Symbol	Name	Unicode	Mac Shortcut	Windows Alt	HTML Entity
—	Em dash	U+2014	Shift + Option + –	Alt + 0151	—
–	En dash	U+2013	Option + –	Alt + 0150	–
–	Hyphen-minus	U+002D	– key	– key	-
‐	Hyphen (true)	U+2010	Character Viewer	Alt + 8208	‐
‑	Non-breaking hyphen	U+2011	Character Viewer	Alt + 8209	‑
‒	Figure dash	U+2012	Character Viewer	—	‒
―	Horizontal bar	U+2015	Character Viewer	Alt + 8213	―
~	Tilde	U+007E	Shift + `	Shift + `	˜
…	Ellipsis	U+2026	Option + ;	Alt + 0133	…

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Quick Reference: Em Dash Cheat Sheet

	—	–
Name	Em dash	En dash
Unicode	U+2014	U+2013
HTML entity	—	–
HTML numeric	—	―
Windows Alt code	Alt + 0151	Alt + 0150
Word shortcut	Ctrl + Alt + Numpad –	—
Word (Alt+X)	Type 2014 + Alt+X	Type 2013 + Alt+X
Word (auto)	Type word--word	—
Mac shortcut	Shift + Option + –	Option + –
Google Docs	Ctrl+Alt+Shift+- (Win)	—
iPhone / Android	Hold – key, slide to —	Hold – key, slide to –
CSS escape	\2014	\2013

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Final Thoughts

The em dash is worth learning to type correctly — it is one of the most useful and expressive marks in the English language, and the difference between a proper — and a makeshift — is immediately visible to editors, designers, and careful readers. Mac users have the easiest path with Shift + Option + – working instantly across every app. iPhone and Android users can access it by holding the hyphen key. Windows users should commit Alt + 0151 to memory or rely on Word’s automatic -- conversion for everyday use. Developers should use — — a named entity with ironclad browser support. However you get there, the em dash is one typographic habit that quietly elevates everything you write.