How to Create a Nonbreaking Dash in Microsoft Word

This tutorial shows you how to create a nonbreaking dash in Microsoft Word. A nonbreaking dash will stop words or numbers connected by an en dash or em dash from separating at the end of a line.

These steps can also be used for hyphens. However, Word provides a built-in nonbreaking hyphen that is simpler to use than the process for dashes. See the bonus section at the end of this tutorial for the steps to insert a nonbreaking hyphen.

This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 100 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365. These steps also apply to Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, and Word 2010.

Create a Nonbreaking Dash in Microsoft Word

1. Place your cursor where you want the dash to appear.

Cursor where nonbreaking dash should be inserted — Figure 1. Cursor placed where nonbreaking dash should be inserted

2. Select the Insert tab in the ribbon.

Insert tab in Word 365 / Word 2019 — Figure 2. Insert tab

3. Select Symbol in the Symbols group.

Symbols group in Home tab of Word 2019 / Word 365 — Figure 3. Symbol option

4. Select More Symbols from the drop-down menu.

More Symbols option in Word 2019 / Word 365 — Figure 4. More Symbols option

5. Select the Special Characters tab in the Symbol dialog box.

Special Characters tab in the Symbol dialog box in Word 2019 / Word 365 — Figure 5. Special Characters tab

6. Select Em Dash (longer dash) or En Dash (shorter dash) from the Character menu.

Em Dash and En Dash characters in the Symbol dialog box in Word 2019 / Word 365 — Figure 6. Em Dash and En Dash characters

7. Select the Insert button.

Insert button in the Symbol dialog box in Word 2019 / Word 365 — Figure 7. Insert button

8. Select No-Width Non Break from the Character menu.

The no-width non break is a special character that can create an unbreakable connection between characters without creating a space between them.

No-Width Non Break in the Symbol dialog box in Word 2019 / Word 365 — Figure 8. No-Width Non Break character

9. Select the Insert button (see figure 7).

10. Select the Close button to close the Symbol dialog box.

Close button in the Symbol dialog box in Word 2019 / Word 365 — Figure 9. Close button

Your new nonbreaking dash should now appear in your text.

Nonbreaking dash example — Figure 10. Example of nonbreaking dash

Pro Tip: The no-width non break is invisible when your document’s formatting is hidden (which is the default setting). To view formatting, select the Show/Hide button in the Home tab. The no-width non break symbol looks like an open rectangle with a smaller, gray rectangle in the center.

No-Width Non Break character shown with Show/Hide option turned on — Figure 11. No-Width Non Break character visible with Show/Hide

Insert a Nonbreaking Hyphen in Microsoft Word

1. Place your cursor where you want to insert the nonbreaking hyphen.

Figure 12. Cursor where hyphen should be inserted

2. Select the Insert tab in the ribbon (see figure 2)

3. Select Symbol in the Symbols group (see figure 3).

4. Select More Symbols from the drop-down menu (see figure 4).

5. Select the Special Characters tab in the Symbol dialog box (see figure 5).

6. Select Nonbreaking Hyphen from the Character menu.

Nonbreaking Hyphen in the Symbol dialog box — Figure 13. Nonbreaking Hyphen character

7. Select the Insert button (see figure 7).

8. Select the Close button (see figure 9).

9. Type the word or number that you want to attach to the other side of the hyphen.

The nonbreaking hyphen will look like a normal hyphen. However, if you turn on Show/Hide, as described in the Pro Tip above, the nonbreaking hyphen will look slightly longer and thinner than a normal hyphen.