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Invisible character

Copy · Detect · Remove · Zero-width space · Hangul filler · Braille blank

Copy a character that pastes as empty space — six options, because different sites strip different ones. Or paste your own text below to find and remove the invisible characters already hiding in it.

How many
  • Zero-width spaceU+200B

    Allows a line break without a visible gap. The most widely accepted blank character.

  • Zero-width non-joinerU+200C

    Prevents two characters forming a ligature. Survives most form validation.

  • Zero-width joinerU+200D

    Joins characters into one glyph — the mechanism behind combined emoji.

  • Word joinerU+2060

    Prevents a line break at that point, with no width of its own.

  • Hangul fillerU+3164

    Renders blank in most fonts and is accepted where zero-width characters are stripped.

  • Braille blankU+2800

    A visible-width but empty glyph — useful where a truly zero-width character collapses.

Why there are six and not one

Services handle these characters differently. Some strip zero-width characters on save, some trim them only at the start and end, and some reject a value that contains nothing else. The list is ordered from the most standard to the most stubborn, so working downward finds one that survives.

Used honestly, and otherwise

These characters have real typographic uses: the word joiner prevents an awkward line break, and the non-joiner stops two letters forming a ligature in scripts that need the distinction. They are also used to fake a blank username or to sneak past a filter — which is why many platforms block them, and why a name that looks empty is often reported.

More free text tools

All text tools

Frequently asked questions

Is the invisible character tool free?

Yes, with no account.

What is an invisible character actually for?

Most often to satisfy a form that demands text where you want none — a blank display name, an empty message, or a placeholder in a field that rejects spaces. They are also used legitimately in typography to control where a line may or may not break.

Why does nothing appear when I paste?

That is the tool working. A zero-width character has no visible form, so the field looks empty even though it holds a character. Move the cursor across it with the arrow keys and you will feel the extra step.

Which one should I use?

Try the zero-width space first — it is the most widely accepted. If a form strips it, the Hangul filler usually survives because it is an ordinary letter as far as validation is concerned. If the field collapses zero-width characters entirely, the Braille blank has real width and almost always sticks.

How do I find invisible characters in my own text?

Paste it into the detector below. It names every hidden character it finds, with a count, and hands back a copy with them removed — non-breaking spaces become ordinary spaces rather than disappearing, so words do not run together.

Why would my text have invisible characters in it?

Copying from a web page, a PDF, a chat app or a spreadsheet is enough. They are why a name fails validation for no visible reason, why a search will not match text you can see on screen, and why two identical-looking spreadsheet cells refuse to line up.

Will these work everywhere?

No, and that is by design on the platforms that block them. Many services strip zero-width characters or reject names made only of them, precisely because they can be used to impersonate another user. Expect some fields to refuse them.