How to Type an Em Dash on Mac | Option+Shift+Hyphen

Pressing Option + Shift + hyphen (-) inserts an em dash on a Mac, a standard system-wide shortcut that works in most text entry fields.

An em dash — the long horizontal line that sets off a thought or breaks a sentence — is one of those characters every writer needs and few people know how to reach without a pause. The Mac shortcut is fast, consistent, and doesn’t require any menu hunting. Whether you’re drafting an email, editing in Pages, or writing in a browser text field, the same two-key press delivers the dash. One catch: some specific apps, particularly Microsoft Word for Mac, may override the shortcut, but the fix is a few settings away.

The One Shortcut to Memorize

The em dash shortcut on any standard US English Mac keyboard is Option + Shift + hyphen (the hyphen key sits to the right of the zero). Press all three at once and an em dash appears — no character viewer, no menu, no waiting. This works in nearly every application: Apple’s own apps like Mail and Notes, third-party text editors, browser form fields, and most design or writing software.

Don’t confuse it with the en dash ( – ), which is slightly shorter and used for ranges of numbers. That one is Option + hyphen alone. The added Shift key is what stretches the line to em-dash length.

When the Shortcut Changes: Microsoft Word for Mac

Word for Mac is the one common app where the standard Mac shortcut may not behave as expected. By default, Option + Shift + hyphen can be mapped to a Nonbreaking Hyphen instead of an em dash, depending on your Word version and template.

The fix takes under a minute:

1. Open Word and go to Tools > Customize Keyboard.
2. In the Categories list, choose Common Symbols.
3. Scroll the Commands list to find Em Dash and select it.
4. Click in the Press new keyboard shortcut box, then press Option + Shift + hyphen on your keyboard.
5. Click Assign, then close the dialog.

Now Word honors the same shortcut every other Mac app uses. When you press the keys and see the line stretch to em-dash length, the remap worked.

Auto-Replace: The Typing Workaround

If you don’t want to remap shortcuts, Word and many other apps can convert two or three hyphens into an em dash as you type — but only if AutoCorrect is turned on. In Word for Mac, go to Word > Preferences > AutoCorrect and confirm the Replace text as you type box is checked. When it is, typing -- (two hyphens) or --- (three hyphens) followed by a space or a new word should swap them for an em dash automatically.

This auto-replace behavior varies by app. Apple’s Pages and most modern browsers also perform the conversion. Plain text editors like TextEdit or code-focused tools usually do not — you’ll need the keyboard shortcut there.

Common Pitfalls Worth Knowing

The biggest mistake is mixing up the two dash shortcuts:

• En dash (Option + hyphen): used for number ranges, scores, and connections (“2010–2020,” “red–blue divide”).
• Em dash (Option + Shift + hyphen): used for breaks in thought, parenthetical statements, and emphasis.

A second pitfall: keyboard layout matters. The shortcut above applies to a standard US English layout. If your Mac is set to a different language or region (French Canadian, for example), the same key positions may produce a different character. Check your input source in the menu bar — it should say “U.S.” or “ABC” for this shortcut to work as expected.

Finally, auto-replace is not system-wide. A two-hyphen swap that works in Pages may not do anything in a Safari text field. The one reliable fallback across all apps is the direct shortcut.

What If the Em Dash Still Won’t Appear?

If you press Option + Shift + hyphen and nothing happens — or the wrong character appears — start with the most likely culprit: keyboard layout. Open System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources and confirm the active layout is “U.S.” or “ABC.” A locale-specific layout (French, German, Dvorak) often reassigns that key combo to a letter with a diacritic.

Next, check whether a specific app has remapped the shortcut. In design apps like Adobe InDesign or Zapier’s keyboard shortcut guide, the application’s own key preferences may override the system command. The fix is identical to Word’s: look for a keyboard shortcuts or key commands menu inside the app and reassign em dash to the standard Mac combo.

If the app won’t allow remapping, use the Character Viewer as a last resort: press Control + Command + Space to open it, type “em dash” in the search field, and double-click the character to insert it.

Quick Comparison: The Two Dash Methods Side by Side

Em Dash On Mac: The Final Shortcut Reference

One shortcut, one override fix, one fallback. Here’s what to remember:

• Default shortcut: Option + Shift + hyphen — works everywhere except when an app overrides it.
• If Word blocks it: Tools > Customize Keyboard > Common Symbols > Em Dash > assign Option + Shift + hyphen.
• Last resort: Control + Command + Space opens Character Viewer; search “em dash.”

You now have an em dash at your fingertips — just the right length to make your writing read like a pro’s, with no menu diving required.