Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Adding an Optional Break.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 3, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365
One of the special characters available in Word is the no-width optional break. This character is primarily intended for use in Asiatic languages but can be of use to those of us working in English. Consider the following sentence: The best solution is to write/revise/reissue documents. In this case, you've created a very long word consisting of three individual words separated by slashes. As the artificially long word reaches the end of a line, Word treats it as a single word and will move the entire thing to the next line, if wrapping is necessary.
One way around this problem is to insert a no-width optional break after each slash:
Figure 1. The Symbol dialog box.
What you see on the screen when you insert the no-width optional break depends on how you have configured your system. If you have non-printing characters hidden, then you won't see a thing, but the character is still there. (You can detect it by moving across the character position by using the left or right arrow keys.) If you have non-printing characters visible on the screen (Word Options | Display | Show All Formatting Marks), then the character shows up as a small, gray double-wall box.
As an interesting side note, you must choose the Show All Formatting Marks on the Display options. If you instead choose the individual character options (Tab Characters, Spaces, Paragraph Marks, Hidden Text, and Optional Hyphens), the no-width optional break still won't be visible—you must choose All.
Now, as your artificially long word approaches the end of the line, Word wraps the text based on the position of the no-width optional break. Since the character has no width, the result is that it appears like the word wraps right after the slash.
For grammatical purists in the audience, I know that the absolute best solution is to do away with slashes between words. For instance, it would be better to say, "The best solution is to write, revise, or reissue documents." Unfortunately, not all clients want the grammatically correct solution, or they have a penchant for slashes. In that case, the no-width optional break can be very handy.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (11555) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Adding an Optional Break.
Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!
Some people like to have Word replace previous information as they type; this is called 'overtype mode.' You can control ...
Discover MoreOne of the most overlooked shortcut keys in Word has to be the extend key. Yet, learning how to use this simple key can ...
Discover MoreWord provides access to a wide variety of characters either from the keyboard or from the Symbol dialog box. Up and above ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2022-04-04 17:47:43
John Mann
I found this on my Word 2010. I had never really paid any attention to the Special Characters tab in the past, so found this quite interesting.
I did notice that although the No-Wdith Optional Break doesn't have a keyboard short cut assigned, it's possible to add one, by first selecting the No-Wdith Optional Break, the pressing the Shortcut button. I assigned Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Spacebar (not likely to conflict with anything else).
I also notice that there is an AutoCorrect button, but I haven't experimented with that one.
2020-10-27 13:47:44
Richard Gardner
I cannot find this on my microsoft word for mac (office 365 subscription, but downloaded software on my computer). The special characters are there but not this one.
2020-08-24 09:34:06
Andrew
I do this all the time for pathnames, but there are two issues I've had to learn to deal with:
First, make sure you add the no-width optional break <b>after</b> the pathname has been made active (converted to a hyperlink), otherwise it will become part of the link address (and not just the display text) and it will not resolve to the correct location when clicked.
Second, sometimes--more than occasionally but not regularly--the no-width optional break somehow migrates from the displayed text to the link address, making it unresolvable. I have yet to figure out when or why, but it is <b>annoying</b>.
Andy.
2020-08-21 15:06:10
Laura D
This tip is great for long URLs without hyphens in narrow table cells. I never knew there was a way to break them without adding an unwanted character. Thanks!
2020-07-06 12:46:39
Watt
No-Width Optional Break no longer has a character symbol when you Show All Formatting Marks (it used to). No-Width Non Break does. And no "super-hidden" character apparently exists; i.e., when Show All Formatting Marks is unchecked and you pass the cursor over the special character using the right or left arrow key, it does not pause for any break character. But No-Width Optional Break does still create the desired break effect.
I have MS Office 356 ProPlus v. 1908 (build 11929.20838 click-to-run).
2019-08-14 16:20:46
Kyle
This no-width optional break character would be handy for lines showing pathnames.
2019-08-05 19:50:07
Penny
If you are going to use this regularly, suggest you record a macro for it and then add the macro to your Quick Access Toolbar. Saves a great deal of time and is always there when you want it.
2019-08-05 10:52:49
Larry
It would be nice if you actually showed the figure containing the "No Break Space". Ideal would be with the "No Break Space" selected instead of the "Latin Small Letter E with Diaeresis"
2019-08-05 09:46:18
Mary
I've been wondering about this option for years. I used to do this in WordPerfect (I think) Ctrl-space. Thanks for the tip!
2019-08-04 16:18:15
Allan
I agree. For some reason on most of Allen's descriptive images he almost always has some other function checked rather than the one under discussion. Strange.
That said, I want to thank Allen for the tremendous good he does with these tips. I would be lost without seeing them every day.
2019-08-03 06:29:12
Timothy Rylatt
It would be more helpful if your screenshot of the Insert Symbol dialog displayed the relevant information.
(see Figure 1 below)
Figure 1.
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2023 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here:
Comments