Invisible character generator
Some characters take no visible space at all and some look like a blank. Copy one with a click, or choose a character and a count to make a longer run, and see the kind of character each one is and whether JavaScript's trim() removes it.
Runs in your browser: nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
How to use it
- Press Copy character on the card for the character you want.
- For a run of them, choose the character, enter how many and press Copy.
- Paste where you need it. The result looks empty, so keep this page open if you need to tell which one you used.
How it works
Each card shows the code point, the Unicode name, the character’s general category and whether JavaScript’s trim() removes it. The last two are worked out in your browser by testing the character itself, not typed in by hand. Generated text is the chosen character repeated, from 1 up to 1,000 times.
Worked example
Choose U+200B and enter 5. The generated text has five zero-width spaces and a length of 5, yet nothing visible. Paste it into a text field with a character counter and the counter shows 5.
Tips
To find and remove hidden characters from text you received, use the text cleaner. If two texts look the same but do not match, a hidden character is a likely reason; the Unicode lookup tool can name it.
Frequently asked questions
Which invisible character should I use?
For a truly empty-looking result with no width, use U+200B or U+2060. For a blank that has width and is not white space, try U+3164 or U+2800. For a blank that behaves like a space, use U+00A0. Websites treat each one differently, so test it in the place you need it.
Why do some sites reject these characters?
Many forms trim white space, which removes the no-break space but not the others, and many filters reject Unicode format characters (category Cf), which covers U+200B, U+200C, U+200D, U+2060 and U+180E. Letters and symbols such as U+3164 and U+2800 pass those checks, so some sites add specific rules against them. Rules vary and change, and this page does not list sites.
Why is U+180E marked as deprecated?
The Mongolian vowel separator was a space character until Unicode 6.3, which changed it to a format character, and its use as a blank is discouraged. Software that follows the current standard does not treat it as white space, so it may show up as a box or be stripped.
Can invisible characters be detected?
Yes. A text cleaner or a Unicode lookup tool will show them, and the character counter counts them. Hidden characters can also cause bugs, such as an e-mail address that looks right but fails.
Is it a good idea to use invisible characters in names?
Take care. Many services forbid blank or look-alike names, and a blank name makes it hard for others to know who you are. Use them only where it is allowed and harmless.