CompareTexts / Text inspection
Find invisible characters in text
Paste text that looks right but will not match, validate, or wrap as expected. This detector names hidden Unicode characters and shows their line and column so you can fix only the troublesome characters.
Results update as you type. Normal line feeds are not flagged.
Detected characters
0 occurrences across 0 character types.
Paste text to inspect it. No hidden characters were found in the current input.
Cleaned text
Select character types above to remove them. The original text is preserved in the editor.
Worked example
A hidden character between letters
Select Load example above to run this sample in your browser.
Original
A + U+200B zero-width space + B
Revised
AB
What the result means: The detector reports U+200B at line 2, column 2 in the sample. Select Zero-width space to remove that character while keeping the non-breaking space and tab.
How to use it
How to find invisible characters in text
- STEP 01
Paste the exact text that is causing trouble.
- STEP 02
Review each hidden character, its Unicode code point and position.
- STEP 03
Remove the character types you choose, then copy the cleaned text.
Why two visually identical strings may differ
A regular space and a non-breaking space can look identical. Zero-width spaces, joiners, bidirectional marks and a byte-order mark can be harder to notice. These characters can break searches, password pastes, spreadsheet matches, URL slugs and code. The results show where each character occurs; the cleanup controls are separate so you can keep intentional marks.
What to check in the results
The detector lists common invisible and control characters. It does not claim that every Unicode formatting character is an error. Pasted text remains in your browser.
For a general line and character comparison, use the text diff tool. The text comparison guide explains a worked example, line counts, and how to keep shared links private.
Common questions
How do I find a zero-width space in copied text?
Paste the text above. Each zero-width space appears with its U+200B code point and a line and column. Select that character type if you want it removed from the copyable output.
Does the cleaner remove all Unicode spaces?
No. Only the character types you select are removed. Ordinary spaces and line feeds are never removed by this tool.