How do I insert a long dash in Word on a Mac?

Mac
1

Having trouble figuring out how to insert a long dash in Microsoft Word on my Mac. I tried the usual shortcuts, but they aren’t working. Need it for a document I’m finalizing soon. Can someone help?

2

Hey, I get your struggle with the long dash—also known as an em dash—in Word on a Mac! Let’s keep it simple:

One quick way to insert an em dash is to use the keyboard shortcut: Shift + Option + Hyphen (–). Just hold down Shift and Option, then hit the hyphen key, and voilà, you should see the em dash appear in your text.

If for some reason that doesn’t work, you can always go the manual route:

  1. Go to the top menu and click on “Insert.”
  2. Choose “Symbol” and then “Advanced Symbol.”
  3. From there, look for the em dash in the list of available symbols.
  4. Alternatively, you can search for it using ‘em dash’ and then select it to insert into your document.

Another option is AutoCorrect:

  1. Go to Word > Preferences.
  2. Select “AutoCorrect.”
  3. Under “Replace text as you type,” add a new entry where you type something like “–” or “—” and replace it with the actual em dash symbol. That way, every time you type your chosen shortcut, Word will automatically convert it.

There’s also using the Character Viewer:

  1. Go to the top menu and click on “Edit.”
  2. Select “Emoji & Symbols.”
  3. In the search bar, type 'dash’ and you’ll see the em dash. Double click to insert.

Depends on which way feels easier for you but they all should get the job done. Happy editing—hope you finalize your document soon!

3

Wow, really? Using those complicated steps when there are much simpler ways? I mean, I get it, shortcuts and extra stuff are cool, but sometimes the hassle is just not worth it.

If you really want to insert the long dash, you should consider using the Symbol Viewer feature on your Mac itself instead of going through those tedious Word menus and settings. Just:

  1. Click the Apple logo.
  2. Open System Preferences > Keyboard.
  3. Check the box next to “Show keyboard and emoji viewers in menu bar.”

You’ll see an icon in your menu bar now. Click on it > “Show Emoji & Symbols,” and use the search bar to find ‘Em Dash.’ Just double click it to insert.

This method benefits from being universal across most applications on the Mac, not just restricted to Word.

Also, most people don’t even mention it, but there’s a basic workaround. Just type three hyphens (—) and hit Enter. Word usually autocorrects it to an em dash straight away, unless, of course, you overcomplicate things with all those unnecessary settings.

But whatever, if you like doing things the hard way and digging through menus for one symbol, go ahead. Each to their own, I guess.

4

I know we’ve got some different opinions here, but let me toss another approach into the mix. Yeah, it might sound like overkill, but have you tried using Unicode input? Hear me out:

Using Unicode input can save you from fiddlin’ with settings or hunting down symbols each time. You’d be typin’ the em dash in by its code. On a Mac, that code’s straightforward. Do this:

  1. Open System Preferences.
  2. Go to Keyboard and then to the Input Sources tab.
  3. Hit the “+” button to add a new input method.
  4. Choose “Unicode Hex Input.”

With this method set up, every time you need an em dash, switch to the Unicode Hex Input from your menu bar and type ‘2014’ while holding down the Option key. The em dash should appear like magic.

Another approach is leveraging the so-called “hidden” settings in Microsoft Word. I noticed no one’s mentioned the “Special Characters Dialog,” which can sometimes be your life-saver:

  1. Place the cursor where you want the em dash.
  2. Navigate to “Insert” in the top menu.
  3. Choose “Symbol” → “More Symbols.”
  4. Here you can navigate to the em dash, but instead of inserting it directly, note the shortcut it’ll suggest on the bottom right. This could sometimes be different from the default keyboard shortcut, and it varies based on your Mac’s keyboard configuration.

Also, techchizkid was on point about setting up an AutoCorrect option. However, to streamline things even further, you could consider integrating common symbols into a custom toolbar:

  1. Right-click on the Word toolbar at the top and select “Customize Toolbar.”
  2. Drag the “Symbol” button to your toolbar.

Then, whenever you need to insert any symbol, it’s fewer clicks away. You can customize it to offer a dropdown with commonly used symbols, including the em dash. This feature can actually expedite your editing workflow in a huge way.

Here’s another under-the-radar trick for heavy users: TextExpander. It’s a third-party app but invaluable for saving you time across all kinds of apps, not just Word. You set up snippets, like ‘—’ to expand into an em dash across the board. Yes, it’s another app to install, but if you frequently use symbols, it’s like having macros on steroids.

But I’ll point out something often overlooked: sometimes, the simplest Microsoft Word setting slipped through your radar. You may need to check whether your language and region settings are configured correctly within Word, which sometimes messes up certain shortcuts:

  1. Go to Word Preferences.
  2. Click “Language & Region.”
  3. Ensure your settings align with your Mac’s general configuration.

Now, codecrafter mentioned using the triple hyphen method (— and Enter), which typically converts into an em dash. Great trick, but it’s only reliable if Word’s autocorrect settings haven’t been messed with. If you’ve customized autocorrect settings heavily, such as turning off symbol replacements, then this might fail. You should double-check these settings under Word > Preferences > AutoCorrect.

Alright, acknowledging that some prefer less fiddly methods, here’s a quick combo method you won’t find in the standard guides:

  1. Use the macOS emoticons & symbols option accessible through Control + Command + Space.
  2. Open it once, and drag it near wherever you’re typically working.
  3. When you find the em dash under Punctuation, right-click and add it to your favorites for quick access.

This combines the Symbol Viewer accessibility with the power of the macOS ecosystem, making it universally applicable—but more streamlined.

Lastly, one something overlooked: ensure your keyboard layout isn’t accidentally switched to another language or format that might have conflicting shortcuts. You might chuckle, but hey, stranger things have happened in the tech world!

So there you have it—multiple ways, including a couple of niche tricks that might take your symbol game to a pro-level. Depending on your work habits, some methods may work better for you than others. Try a few and see which sticks!