Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Inserting Different Dashes.
Typographers use different dashes for different purposes. The only difference between the dashes is their width. For instance, you get one type of dash when you press on the minus key—it is a dash that is very narrow. A longer dash is called an en dash, because it is the same width as a lowercase n. An en-dash is typically used to denote ranges of numbers. Wider still is the em-dash, which is just as wide as a lowercase m. The em-dash is typically used in sentences, as a dash between clauses.
To insert an en-dash in your document, hold down the Alt key and type 0150 on the numeric keypad; an em-dash is produced by holding down the Alt key and typing 0151. You could also use the Special Characters tab of the Symbol dialog box to add the dashes.
You may be familiar with using em- and en-dashes from working with Word. They work the same way in Excel. The only caveat is that when you use special dashes (as opposed to a regular minus sign), Excel automatically treats the information in your cell as text.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3577) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Inserting Different Dashes.
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2024-02-12 18:59:40
Tomek
Thanks, @Alex Blakenburg
Really useful tip, I did not know.
2024-02-10 06:59:41
Alex Blakenburg
Especially if you are using a laptop and don't have a numeric keypad, it's easier to use <windows>+. (Period) to bring up the windows emoji keyboard > click on the icon with the 4 maths symbols > scroll down to the section below recent which is general punctuation. en-dash (150) is 2nd row 2nd item, em-dash (151) is 3rd row 2nd item.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: 
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