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By Donna Clayton

  • Click Tools in the Menu Bar.
  • Click Options
  • Click on Auto Format
  • Click Auto Format As You Type
  • Tick off box that changes double hyphens to an em dash.
  • Then click tab Auto Format tab
  • Tick off the appropriate box

You must make the change in both places.

Editor’s Note: 

On Windows (using numeric keypad) 

    1. Hold down the Alt key.
    2. Type 0151 on the numeric keypad.  
    3. Release the Alt key to insert the em dash.

On a Mac 

    1. Hold down the Option key.
    2. Press the hyphen key to insert an em dash.

See ASCII Characters for other handy tips for using symbols in your writing.

 

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