Microsoft Finally Added an Em Dash Shortcut

One of the main reasons I've always insisted on having a keyboard with a full number pad—apart from being able to bash out numbers quickly—is that it lets me type out the Windows shortcut codes for an em dash (ALT+0151) and en dash (ALT+0150). They're punctuation marks I use a lot, and apparently AI bots do too.

What you'll notice about those shortcut codes, if you've spent time with both Microsoft and Apple operating systems, is that they're longer and more awkward to type than the equivalents on macOS. On a Mac, you can type an em dash by holding down Shift+Option and pressing the hyphen ("-") button. For en dashes, it's even easier: Hold down Option, then press hyphen. You don't have to enter a succession of numbers like you do on Windows, which makes it look like you're busy filling a spreadsheet with figures rather than getting a simple symbol up on screen.

Well, there's some good news for Windows users: As highlighted by Windows engineer Jen Gentlemen (via Windows Central), the em dash and en dash shortcuts are now as simple to do on Windows as they are on macOS. I can finally buy that TenKeyLess keyboard I've had my eye on for a long time.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Now in Windows, you just need to hold down the Windows key, then press hyphen for an en dash. If you need an em dash, hold down Windows+Shift before pressing hyphen. It neatly mirrors the shortcuts that Mac users have been able to rely upon for years.

The tweak should have appeared with the late September 2025 update for Windows 11, and it's definitely working on the Windows PC I'm using. If it's not functioning for you, check you've got the latest Windows updates installed, and that there aren't any other programs interfering with keyboard shortcuts.

It also means there's no need to fall back on the other popular workaround, which is to copy and paste en dashes and em dashes from the web. Come on, this is 2025—we shouldn't be relying on hacks like that. And now, we don't need to.

One final tip: If you want to do away with shortcuts completely, get your word processor of choice to automatically replace two hyphens (or any character combination you like) with an em dash or en dash. It means you can keep on typing without having to hunt around on the keyboard for special function buttons.

In Google Docs, head to Tools > Preferences > Substitutions to get this set up, for example. In Word for Windows, pick File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options > AutoCorrect. It's something that is in most word processors, if you dig into the settings.

View the full article