Formatting Issues

How to Insert Spaces Between Arabic and English Text in Word

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to automatically add a space when English letters are directly followed by Arabic text in a document.

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Formatting a bilingual document containing mixed English and Arabic text without proper spacing.
Observed behavior: English text and Arabic text are conjoined without spaces, requiring a bulk separation method.

Before you start

Before applying bulk wildcard replacements, it is highly recommended to save a backup copy of your document to prevent unintended formatting changes.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Find and Replace with Wildcards

Utilize Word's advanced Find and Replace feature with wildcards to automatically detect and separate English and Arabic text.

Microsoft Word allows the use of wildcards to find specific patterns of text, such as a sequence of English letters immediately followed by Arabic characters.

Because wildcard syntax can vary depending on your computer's regional and language settings, you may need to adjust the specific character ranges used in the search string.

Open Find and Replace

Press 'Ctrl + H' on your keyboard to open the Find and Replace dialog box in Word.

Enable Wildcards

Click on the 'More >>' button at the bottom of the dialog box and check the 'Use wildcards' option.

Enter the Find String

In the 'Find what' box, type the wildcard pattern that groups an English letter followed by an Arabic letter using parentheses, such as: ([a-zA-Z])([!a-zA-Z]). Note that specific Arabic unicode ranges might be required depending on your exact text.

Enter the Replace String

In the 'Replace with' box, enter '\1 \2' to insert a space between the first found group (English) and the second group (Arabic).

Execute Replacement

Click 'Replace All' to apply the spacing throughout the document.

Syntax Variation: The exact wildcard characters for Arabic ranges depend on your system's Unicode settings. Always test the replacement on a small section of text first by using 'Find Next' and 'Replace' before clicking 'Replace All'.

Advanced Formatting in WPS Writer

Format Bilingual Text Easily with WPS Writer

WPS Writer offers a fully featured Find and Replace tool that supports wildcards, allowing you to format complex multilingual documents effortlessly while remaining completely compatible with Microsoft Word formats.

1. Open your document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your bilingual Word document.
2. Launch Find and Replace: Navigate to the Home tab and click on 'Find and Replace', or simply press Ctrl + H.
3. Use Wildcards: Click 'Options' in the dialog box and check 'Use wildcards'.
4. Apply Formatting: Input your character grouping strings in the Find and Replace fields (e.g., \1 \2) and click 'Replace All' to add spaces.

Advanced Find and Replace utility supporting regular expressions and wildcards.Seamless compatibility with Microsoft Word document formats (.docx, .doc).Excellent support for complex scripts, including Arabic text rendering.Lightweight, fast, and free to use with a familiar user interface.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn't the wildcard search finding my Arabic text?

Wildcard syntax for non-Latin scripts relies on specific Unicode ranges. If your search fails, ensure you are using the correct Unicode values for Arabic characters in the Find box, or use the negation of English letters if applicable.

Can I add spaces when Arabic text is followed by English text instead?

Yes. You simply need to reverse the order of your wildcard groups in the 'Find what' box to search for an Arabic character sequence followed by an English character sequence, then apply the same '\1 \2' replacement logic.

Will this Find and Replace operation affect punctuation marks?

It will only affect the characters specified in your wildcard brackets. To avoid adding spaces before punctuation, ensure your wildcard search strictly defines only alphabetic character ranges.

How do I undo the changes if the replacement adds too many spaces?

Immediately after running the Replace All command, you can press Ctrl + Z on your keyboard (or click the Undo button in the quick access toolbar) to revert the document to its previous state.

Document & File Issues