Punctuation
How to type Em dash (—)
Copy the character, or use the shortcut that matches your keyboard and app.
Windows
Hold Alt and type 0151 on the numeric keypad.
Mac
Option + Shift + Hyphen
Microsoft Word
Ctrl + Alt + Minus (numeric) or 2014 then Alt + X
Google Docs
Insert → Special characters → em dash
How to insert it
Copy
Click the keycap, then paste with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V.
Alt code
Num Lock on, hold Alt, type 0151, release Alt.
Code
Use the Unicode, HTML, CSS, or JS value below in documents and stylesheets.
- Unicode
U+2014- HTML decimal
—- HTML hex
—- CSS
\2014- JavaScript
\u{2014}- Alt code
Alt + 0151
Related
About the Em dash
The Em dash (—, U+2014) the long dash — used for breaks in thought, like this — and for attributing quotations.
These live in the gap between the hyphen on your keyboard and proper typography. Word processors often auto-convert them, but in plain-text fields — code, forms, chats — you need the real character.
If you type — regularly, stop copying it. On Windows, hold Alt and type 0151 on the numeric keypad. On a Mac, press Control+Command+Space to open the Character Viewer and find it instantly. In Word, type 2014 and press Alt+X. The full code list is in the reference table below.
In Unicode it lives in the General Punctuation block, so it behaves the same everywhere Unicode is supported — which today means virtually every device, app, and browser. Related symbols: En dash, Ellipsis, Bullet.
Em dash quick reference
| Symbol | — |
|---|---|
| Name | Em dash |
| Unicode | U+2014 |
| Alt code | Alt + 0151 |
| HTML decimal | — |
| HTML hex | — |
| HTML entity | — |
| CSS | \2014 |
| JavaScript | \u2014 |
| URL encoded | %E2%80%94 |
Compatibility: Displays correctly on iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac.
How to type — on your phone
iPhone / iPad
iPhones have no Alt codes. The fastest way is to copy the symbol above and paste it where you need it. To reuse it often, save it as a text replacement: go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement, tap +, paste the symbol into Phrase and give it a Shortcut.
Android
On Gboard, tap ?123 then =\< to open the symbols keyboard — many symbols hide under a long-press on related keys. Otherwise just copy the symbol above and paste it; it works in every app.