To insert an em dash in Word, use Ctrl+Alt+numeric keypad minus on Windows, or Option+Shift+hyphen on Mac. The em dash (—) is usually what people mean by a “long hyphen”; it marks a strong break, interruption, or parenthetical phrase.
If your keyboard lacks a number pad, use Word’s Symbol menu, set an AutoCorrect replacement, or copy and paste the character. These options work when the primary shortcut is unavailable.
Is the Long Hyphen in Word an Em Dash or an En Dash?
Word has three separate dash characters, and each has a different job:
- Hyphen (-): Joins words or word parts, as in “well-known” or “re-enter.”
- En dash (–): Shows a range or connection, as in “pages 10–15” or “New York–Boston flight.”
- Em dash (—): Creates a break in a sentence, as in “The answer—despite the error—was accepted.”
The em dash is the usual answer when you search for a long hyphen in Word. Do not treat these characters as interchangeable: replacing an en dash with a hyphen or an em dash can change the meaning or formatting of your text.
Insert an Em Dash in Word with Windows and Mac Shortcuts
Use the shortcut that matches your operating system. On Windows, the standard em-dash shortcut requires the numeric keypad, not the number row above the letters.
- Windows: Place the cursor where you want the dash, then press Ctrl+Alt+minus on the numeric keypad. You can also hold Alt and type 0151 on the numeric keypad.
- Mac: Place the cursor, then press Option+Shift+hyphen. Use the regular hyphen key near the zero key.
For comparison, the en dash shortcut is Ctrl+numeric keypad minus in Windows and Option+hyphen on Mac. The Windows shortcuts will not work correctly if you press the minus key on the main keyboard.
Use Word’s Symbol Menu and AutoCorrect
The Symbol interface lets you insert the correct character without memorizing a shortcut. It also works when your keyboard layout differs from the standard US layout.
- Windows: Open the Insert tab, select Symbol, and choose More Symbols. Open the Special Characters tab, select Em Dash, and click Insert.
- Mac: Choose Insert > Symbol > Advanced Symbol or the similarly named symbol command. Select the Special Characters tab, choose Em Dash, and click Insert.
Word can also replace two hyphens automatically. In Windows, go to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options, then open AutoFormat As You Type and enable the option for replacing hyphens with a dash. On Mac, open Word > Preferences > AutoCorrect and look for the equivalent setting.
Create a No-Numpad Fallback with Custom Shortcuts
For a laptop without a number pad, create a short text trigger instead of relying on the Windows shortcut. Open Word’s AutoCorrect settings, select the AutoCorrect tab, and enter a trigger such as ;em in the Replace field.
Copy an em dash (—) into the With field, select Add, and save the change. Whenever you type ;em followed by a space or punctuation mark, Word will replace it with an em dash. Choose a trigger you will not type accidentally.
You can also create a keyboard shortcut from the Symbol dialog. Select Em Dash, choose Shortcut Key, press an unused combination such as Ctrl+Alt+Shift+M, and select Assign. If you need a one-time solution, copy this character directly: —.