How to Make a URL Break at a Zero-Width Space in Word
Question details
The user wants to format a document so that a long URL breaks at a zero-width space instead of Word automatically hyphenating the words inside the URL.
- Product
- Microsoft Word 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Working with long URLs in a document where global automatic hyphenation is enabled, but the URL needs a clean line break without inserting visible soft hyphens.
- Observed behavior
- Instead of wrapping at the inserted zero-width space, Word ignores it and automatically hyphenates actual words within the URL (like "international") across the line break.
Ensure the horizontal ruler is visible in your Word document, as you will need it to adjust specific paragraph indents.
Adjust the Right-Indent Marker on the Horizontal Ruler
Since automatic hyphenation applies to the entire document, modifying the specific paragraph's indent is the best way to force the URL to wrap correctly without disrupting your global layout settings.
Changing the global hyphenation setting to "None" or "Manual" requires a significant amount of rework for the rest of your document. Instead, controlling the right indent limits the space available for that specific line, forcing the URL to drop exactly at the zero-width space.
Navigate to the 'View' tab on the top ribbon. Check the 'Ruler' box in the Show group if it is not already visible.
Click anywhere inside the paragraph containing the URL that is being incorrectly hyphenated.
Look at the right side of the horizontal ruler above your document. Click and hold the right-indent marker (the small triangle pointing upward) and slowly drag it to the left.
Continue dragging until the complete word moves to the next line. The zero-width space should now remain as the final character on the first line. If the paragraph contains multiple lines, you may need to experiment slightly to find the optimal position.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my URL break in the middle of a word instead of at a space?
This happens when automatic hyphenation is turned on in your document. The word processor treats long URLs as standard text and attempts to hyphenate recognizable words within the link to balance line length.
What is a zero-width space in a document?
A zero-width space is a hidden formatting character used to control where a long string of text, such as a URL or file path, is allowed to break across lines without actually displaying a visible gap or space.
Can I turn off hyphenation for just a single paragraph?
Yes. Select the paragraph, open the Paragraph settings dialog box, navigate to the 'Line and Page Breaks' tab, and check the box for 'Don't hyphenate'. This prevents Word from splitting words in that specific paragraph.
How do I insert a zero-width space in my document?
You can insert a zero-width space by navigating to the Insert tab, selecting Symbol, clicking More Symbols, going to the Special Characters tab, and choosing Zero Width Space.
