This help page is a how-to guide. It details processes or procedures of some aspect(s) of Wikipedia's norms and practices. It is not one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, and may reflect varying levels of consensus and vetting.

Shortcut WP:HTMD

The hyphen-minus (keyboard hyphen), en dash, em dash, and mathematical minus/negative symbols are different (see WP:Manual of Style/Dashes). Pressing the - on your keyboard, usually next to the 0 (zero) key, will produce a hyphen-minus. Methods of producing the other characters are described below.

The CharInsert toolbar

To insert a dash or minus sign, use the toolbar below the edit box. Click where you want the character to be inserted, select "Insert" from the pull-down menu, and then:

• To insert an en dash (–), click on the first character (the shorter dash).
• To insert an em dash (—), click on the second character (the longer dash).
• To insert a minus sign (−), click on the − between the ± and the ×.

Templates or HTML codes

• For an en dash, type ((ndash)) or –.
• For a "spaced en dash" (with a non-breaking space before the dash and a regular space after it) type ((spaced ndash)) or ((snd)).
• For an em dash, type ((mdash)) or —.
• For a minus sign, type −.

Copy and paste

Find an en dash (–), an em dash (—), or a minus sign (−) already in some text—in this sentence, for example—and paste it where a new one is wanted.

Mac

For Mac (or iOS with an external keyboard) use:

• ⌥ Opt+- (en dash) or ⌥ Opt+⇧ Shift+- (em dash).

Alternatively for Mac:

• Pull down the Input menu and select Show Emoji & Symbols. Then select from Punctuation.
• If the Input menu is not displayed, open Language & Region within System Preferences. Then click on Keyboard Preferences... and check Show input menu in menu bar.

Linux

• Use AltGr- (en dash) or AltGr⇧ Shift- (em dash).

If you have a compose key:

• Use Compose--. (en dash) or Compose--- (em dash).

Windows

For Windows on a keyboard with a numeric keypad:

• Use Alt+0150 (en dash) or Alt+0151 (em dash) using the numeric keypad.

iOS and Android

For iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android:

• Hold the - (hyphen) on the on-screen keyboard until a popup appears with choices, including the en dash and em dash.

• Dash#Rendering dashes on computers
• Visual Editor
• 2017 source editor

• AutoHotkey A scripting language for Windows. Character replacement needs only short one-line scripts.
• KbdEdit Modify an existing keyboard or create a new keyboard.
• abcTajpu An add-on for the Firefox browser.