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Stefan Blom - Charles Kenyon - Doug Robbins - MVP Office Apps & Services (Word) - Suzanne S. Barnhill - Bob Jones AKA: CyberTaz ✅

May 10, 2024

Word Forum Top Contributors:

Stefan Blom - Charles Kenyon - Doug Robbins - MVP Office Apps & Services (Word) - Suzanne S. Barnhill - Bob Jones AKA: CyberTaz ✅

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lindalouk

Word 2007 Not Automatically Creating Em-Dashes

I have the box checked for automatically create em-dashes. It won't create them. How do I fix this. I may have at some point asked it to Stop Automatically Creating them, but I can find no way to reset it. Thank you. I have tried checking and unchecking the box. Doesn't make a difference.

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Greg Maxey

Odd yes, but that autocorrect isn't triggered until you type something after the two dashes

E.g., Test--a

Does that work for you?

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Stefan Blom

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Remember that you have to select the "Hyphens (--) with dash (—)" option on the AutoFormat As You Type tab of the AutoCorrect dialog box (Office button | Word Options | Proofing | AutoCorrect Options). There is a similar option on the AutoFormat tab which does not apply.

Stefan Blom
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Charles Kenyon

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I believe you also need a space after the "a." That is, after the text which follows the dash.

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lindalouk

No. I do know that. That doesn't work.

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lindalouk

I know. That box is checked.

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lindalouk

No. you don't need a space, but thanks.

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Charles Kenyon

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No. you don't need a space, but thanks.

You do in my versions of Word (97, 2003, 2007, 2010 & 2013) but maybe I have something in my settings.

Try starting Word in Safe Mode (also requires the extra space after the following text on my computer).

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Suzanne S. Barnhill

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Actually, you do. The correction doesn't fire until you type a space or punctuation after the word following the two hyphens.

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Stefan Blom

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That is my experience as well. For example:

Word1--word2<spacebar>

converts to:

Word1—word2

Stefan Blom
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lindalouk

Why is this question marked answered? It is not answered. None of you are even understanding the question. I replied to all of the advice, yet someone decided it's been answered.

To repeat: "Remember that you have to select the "Hyphens (--) with dash (—)" option on the AutoFormat As You Type tab of the AutoCorrect dialog box (Office button | Word Options | Proofing | AutoCorrect Options). There is a similar option on the AutoFormat tab which does not apply." As I said, that IS selected. Makes no difference.

"Word1--word2<spacebar>

converts to:

Word1—word2 "

My point is, IT IS NOT DOING THAT. That is what it is supposed to be doing, and it's not. That is why I posted the question. So, "word--word <spacebar)>" remains "word--word"

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Question Info

Last updated September 27, 2022 Views 1,188 Applies to:

Microsoft 365 and Office
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Word
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Windows

Word 2007 Not Automatically Creating Em-Dashes

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Question Info

Replies (12)