Insert a Nonbreaking Space in PowerPoint for Windows

Typing a space seems simple enough – just press the spacebar on your keyboard. However, what many people don't realize is that this action only adds a regular breaking space. Occasionally, you may require a specific type of spacing within a sentence. This spacing could be to prevent words from being split across two separate lines. In such cases, it's important to use appropriate spacing techniques that ensure the text stays legible and easy to understand. One effective way of achieving this is by using a nonbreaking space. Let us imagine that you want to type something similar to:

January 7, 1908

However, if this date happens to be near the edge of the slide or a text box, part of the date may show up in the next line, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 1, below.

Figure 1: Date with breaking spaces shows across two lines

There is a solution to the problem of dates or other content breaking up between two lines. By using a non-breaking space, the content can be ensured to stay in the same line. This can easily be achieved in Microsoft Word by using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Space for typing a nonbreaking space. However, this shortcut does not work in PowerPoint. So, users of PowerPoint need to use other options such as adjusting line spacing or manually changing text size to ensure that the spaced content remains together, and does not break up between two lines.

There are several ways to add a non-breaking dash in PowerPoint, and we will explore a few of them.

1. Copy and Paste from Word to PowerPoint

Follow these instructions to insert a nonbreaking space from Word into PowerPoint:

1. Launch PowerPoint and open the presentation you want to work with or create a new presentation. Navigate to the slide where you want to insert a non-breaking dash. With PowerPoint still open, launch Word, and create a new document, as shown in Figure 2, below.
2. 
   Figure 2: New Word document
2. In this new Word document, type any two characters. Place your insertion point between these characters and press the Ctrl+Shift+Space keyboard shortcut, and you will place a nonbreaking space at the insertion point, as shown in Figure 3, below. Now, select this space and copy it to the clipboard by pressing the Ctrl + C keyboard shortcut.
3. 
   Figure 3: Nonbreaking space in Microsoft Word


PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts

Do you want more keyboard shortcuts?

Explore our PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts and Sequences Ebook that is updated for all PowerPoint versions.

3. Back in PowerPoint, paste this nonbreaking space wherever you want, as shown in Figure 4, below. Compare these dashes with the ones shown in Figure 1, previously on this page, and you will notice that the entire date stays within one line. It's important to keep in mind that when copying content from Word into PowerPoint, the font, font-size, and font-formatting may not align with your desired presentation style. To avoid any inconsistencies or discrepancies in appearance, be sure to highlight and select all of the pasted text in PowerPoint and adjust the font type and format as needed to match your overall design theme. Don't forget that small details like font choice can make a big impact on the professionalism and clarity of your presentation.
4. 
   Figure 4: Date with nonbreaking spaces

2. Use Arial Unicode

For those looking for another option to add a nonbreaking space within PowerPoint, an effective technique is utilizing the Arial Unicode font. This approach requires that you have the Arial Unicode font already installed on your computer, but if you are using Microsoft Windows or Microsoft Office, this should be readily available. Follow these steps to use this technique:

1. Navigate to the slide where you want to insert a nonbreaking space and click where you want this dash inserted, as shown in Figure 5, below.
2. 
   Figure 5: Click to see an insertion point
2. Next, access the Insert tab of the Ribbon, and click on the Symbol button, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 6, below.
3. 
   Figure 6: Insert Symbol button
3. In the resultant Symbol dialog box, click the Font drop-down list to see a list of installed fonts, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 7, below. Choose the Arial Unicode MS font.
4. 
   Figure 7: Choose Arial Unicode MS in the Font drop-down list
4. Now match your settings sequentially, as shown within Figure 8, below:
5. Change encoding to Unicode (hex), as shown highlighted in orange
   Change Character Code to 00A0, as shown highlighted in red. You will have to type in the character code, which is two zeroes followed by an A, and finally a zero
   You will notice that the Unicode name now shows as No-Break Space, as shown highlighted in blue
   You will also see a preview of the space (empty box), as shown highlighted in green
6. 
   Figure 8: Choose highlighted settings in the Symbol dialog box
7. Click the Insert button, as shown highlighted in purple within Figure 8, above.
5. Now, the Cancel button as shown in Figure 8 will change to the Close button, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 9, below. Click this Close button to dismiss the Symbol dialog box and return to your slide.
6. 
   Figure 9: Click on the Close button
6. The nonbreaking space will now be placed on the insertion point, as shown in Figure 10, below. So, by using this tool, writers and editors can ensure that their text is clean and easy to read, without any awkward line separation of important words or characters.
7. 
   Figure 10: Nonbreaking spaces inserted
8. Do note that you can try to change the font to something other than Arial Unicode, but if you no longer see a nonbreaking space, you should change the font back to Arial Unicode, at least for the nonbreaking space. For more nonbreaking spaces in the same slide or presentation, you can just copy and paste this dash rather than summoning the Symbol dialog box repeatedly.
7. Save your presentation often.