A zero width character is a Unicode format character that takes no visible space, such as the zero width space U+200B. Paste text here to count and strip them: pass + U+200B + word shows 1 hidden character at position 5 and returns the clean word password. You can also generate them to copy.
Hidden characters cause bugs that are hard to see: a pasted password that will not match, a spreadsheet lookup that fails, code that refuses to compile, or a username that looks identical to another. The usual culprit is a zero width space, joiner or byte order mark copied in from a web page, chat app or word processor. This page scans text for nine invisible format characters, tells you how many there are, which kinds, and where the first one sits, then gives you the cleaned text. A second mode does the opposite and produces zero width characters for blank-looking names or for breaking a long URL without a visible gap. Ordinary spaces, tabs and non-breaking spaces are left alone, because they have width.
Choose Find and remove to scan text, or Generate to make invisible characters.
In scan mode, paste into the box or open a .txt file from your device.
The table lists each hidden character type and how often it appears; the result text is the cleaned version.
In generate mode, choose the character and use the − and + buttons to set how many, then copy the result text.
Result Zero width characters: 1
Result text: password
Main character type: Zero width space (U+200B)
Characters left: 8
First hidden at position: 5
The text looks like password but fails a search or a login, because a zero width space sits after the fourth letter.
Result Zero width characters: 4
Result text: Hello world
Main character type: Word joiner (U+2060)
Characters left: 11
First hidden at position: 1
A byte order mark at the start, a non-joiner and two word joiners are removed, leaving the 11 visible characters.
Result Zero width characters: 3
Result text:
Main character type: Zero width space (U+200B)
Characters left: 0
First hidden at position: 1
Copy the result text to paste three invisible spaces, for example to keep a social profile field from showing as empty.
hidden = count of code points in {U+200B, U+200C, U+200D, U+2060, U+FEFF, U+200E, U+200F, U+00AD, U+180E}
U+200BU+200C / U+200DU+2060 / U+FEFFEach character of the text is compared with a list of invisible format characters named in the Unicode Character Database. Matches are counted by type and dropped from the copy returned as the result text; everything else is kept in order. The position of the first match is counted from 1. Generate mode repeats the chosen code point the number of times you set.
Most keyboards have no key for it. On Windows you can type 200B then press Alt+X in Word, or simply switch to Generate mode here and copy the result text into wherever you need it.
Copying from web pages, PDFs and chat apps can carry a zero width space or joiner along with the visible letters. The two strings then differ by a code point you cannot see. Scan the text here, then paste the cleaned result instead.
The joiner, U+200D, asks neighbouring characters to connect, which is how several emoji combine into one family or profession emoji. The non-joiner, U+200C, stops a connection, which Persian and some Indic scripts use for correct spelling.
Yes. U+FEFF was first defined as a zero width no-break space and is now mainly a byte order mark at the start of a file. Inside text, the word joiner U+2060 replaced it for that job.
Some apps accept a zero width space where a name is required, which makes the field look empty. Many platforms now trim or reject these characters, so the trick does not work everywhere.
No. Only the nine invisible format characters in the table are removed. Spaces, tabs, line breaks and the non-breaking space all have width or layout meaning, so they stay.
Using this tool in an assignment, article or report? Copy a citation, or a link for your website.
Tools Directory Editorial Team. (2026, October 15). Zero Width Character. Tools Directory. Retrieved October 26, 2026, from https://tools.milunir.com/text-tools/fancy-and-stylish-text/zero-width-character/
Tools Directory Editorial Team. “Zero Width Character.” Tools Directory, 15 Oct. 2026, https://tools.milunir.com/text-tools/fancy-and-stylish-text/zero-width-character/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.
Tools Directory Editorial Team. “Zero Width Character.” Tools Directory. Last modified October 15, 2026. Accessed October 26, 2026. https://tools.milunir.com/text-tools/fancy-and-stylish-text/zero-width-character/.
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