Online Zero-Width Character Detector and Inspector
Use this free zero-width character detector to reveal, inspect, and remove invisible Unicode characters like ZWSP, ZWJ, and ZWNJ. Clean your text now.
About Zero-Width Character Inspector
The Zero-Width Character Inspector reveals hidden, non-printing Unicode characters lurking inside your text. Invisible characters like zero-width spaces (ZWSP), zero-width joiners (ZWJ), and zero-width non-joiners (ZWNJ) can corrupt code, break database queries, or cause unexpected formatting bugs.
Paste your text into the editor to immediately highlight hidden symbols, inspect their exact Unicode codepoints, and remove them with a single click. Processing runs entirely in your web browser, ensuring your content stays private and secure.
Key features
- Highlights hidden Unicode characters with precise position markers
- Identifies ZWSP, ZWJ, ZWNJ, and soft hyphens instantly
- Displays hexadecimal Unicode codepoints for every detected symbol
- One-click removal of all detected invisible characters
- Processes text locally in your browser for absolute privacy
- Provides character counts before and after sanitization
How to use Zero-Width Character Inspector
- Paste or type your text into the input field.
- Review the highlighted markers indicating hidden Unicode characters.
- Inspect individual character codepoints and exact text positions.
- Click the clean button to strip unwanted invisible symbols.
- Copy the sanitized text directly to your clipboard.
Who is it for?
- Software developers debugging mysterious syntax errors in source code
- Content editors cleaning text copied from word processors or PDFs
- Database administrators preventing hidden byte corruption during data imports
- Security specialists checking messages for invisible steganography payloads
- SEO professionals auditing web content and meta tags for hidden characters
Frequently asked questions
What are zero-width characters?
Zero-width characters are non-printing Unicode symbols that take up zero visible width on screen. Common examples include the zero-width space (U+200B), zero-width joiner (U+200D), and zero-width non-joiner (U+200C).
Why do invisible characters cause problems in code?
Compilers, interpreters, and database parsers treat invisible characters as distinct byte sequences rather than standard whitespace. This frequently leads to unrecognized token errors, broken variable names, and failed string comparisons.
How do zero-width characters get into my text?
They are typically introduced when copying text from rich-text editors, PDFs, communication platforms, or websites that use them to control line breaks and complex script rendering.
Does this tool upload my text to an external server?
No. The inspection and cleaning logic executes entirely on your device inside your browser, meaning your text never leaves your computer.
Is the zero-width character inspector free to use?
Yes, this tool is completely free with no registration or software installation required.