Unicode Checker - Paste Your Text
Character Analysis
Detected Characters
What Are Hidden Unicode Characters?
Hidden Unicode characters are invisible or subtly visible characters that don't behave like normal text. Our hidden character finder helps you view non-printable unicode characters that can break your code, corrupt your data, or cause mysterious formatting issues.
These characters include completely invisible ones like zero-width spaces (U+200B), zero-width joiners, and direction marks, as well as subtly visible ones like em-dashes (—), smart quotes (" "), and non-breaking spaces that look identical to regular spaces but act differently.
Why do these characters exist? They're used for typography, text formatting, language support, and line-breaking control. An em-dash adds dramatic pauses in professional writing. A zero-width space lets browsers know where to break long URLs. A non-breaking space keeps "10 PM" together on the same line.
The problem? These characters often sneak into your text when copying from AI tools like ChatGPT, Word documents, PDFs, or websites. This unicode checker reveals every single one so you can identify what's causing your problems.
How to Use This Unicode Checker
Our hidden character finder makes it incredibly easy to view non-printable unicode characters in three simple steps:
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1
Paste your text
Copy from any source - your code editor, ChatGPT output, a Word document, a PDF, or anywhere you suspect hidden characters might be hiding and paste into the text box.
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2
Check the Character Analysis panel
View the panel on the right to see instant stats about visible vs invisible characters, total character count, word count, and a grouped list of every hidden character type found in your text.
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3
Toggle "Show Hidden Characters"
Click the toggle below the text box to see your text with all invisible characters highlighted in red. This unicode checker shows exactly where each hidden character appears so you can fix the problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between invisible and visible hidden characters?
Invisible characters like zero-width space (U+200B) are completely unseen. Visible hidden characters like em-dash (—) or smart quotes (" ") look similar to normal punctuation but are different Unicode code points that behave differently in code and data processing.
Why won't my copied code work even though it looks correct?
This is the classic hidden character problem. When you copy code from websites, PDFs, or AI tools, invisible characters tag along. Use this unicode checker to view non-printable unicode characters and find the invisible culprit breaking your code.
Can I use this hidden character finder on sensitive data?
Yes, absolutely. All processing happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your text never leaves your computer or gets sent to any server. You can even disconnect from the internet and this tool will still work.
What are the most common hidden characters I should watch for?
The troublemakers you'll find most often with this unicode checker are: zero-width space (U+200B), non-breaking space (U+00A0), em-dash (U+2014), smart quotes (U+201C, U+201D), byte order mark (U+FEFF), and zero-width joiners (U+200C, U+200D).
How do I remove hidden characters after finding them?
Once our hidden character finder shows you where they are, you can manually delete and retype that section. For bulk removal, copy the Unicode code point (like U+200B) and use find-and-replace in your text editor to remove all instances.
Will removing hidden characters help bypass AI detectors?
No. Testing shows that AI content remains detectable whether hidden characters are present or removed. AI detectors analyze writing patterns, not just formatting characters. This unicode checker is for fixing technical problems, not bypassing detection.