How to type an em dash on iPhone
To type an em dash on iPhone, tap the 123 number key, touch and hold the hyphen (-) key, and slide to the longest dash (—). iOS also turns two consecutive hyphens into an em dash on iPhone automatically when Smart Punctuation is active.
Quick answer
Tap 123 → press and hold - → slide to — (or type two hyphens: --).
Step by step
Open the numeric keyboard
Tap the 123 button in the lower-left corner of the iPhone keyboard.
Touch and hold the hyphen key
Press and keep your finger on the hyphen (-) key until an accent bubble with multiple dashes pops up.
Slide to the longest dash
Without lifting your thumb, slide to the longest horizontal line (—) on the far right and release.
Smart punctuation alternative
Alternatively, type two consecutive hyphens (--) in most iOS apps to trigger automatic conversion to an em dash.
The long-press hyphen shortcut on iOS
The em dash (—) is the longest and most expressive punctuation dash in English typography, used to emphasize a parenthetical thought, indicate an abrupt pause, or set off an explanatory clause. On the iPhone’s virtual keyboard, the em dash is hidden within the hyphen key. When you tap 123 to open the numeric keyboard, pressing and holding the hyphen (-) key displays a popup menu containing four distinct dashes: the standard hyphen (-), the en dash (–), the em dash (—), and a bullet symbol (•).
Sliding your thumb across to the longest bar on the right and releasing inserts the em dash directly into your sentence. This gesture is completely consistent across all iPhone and iPad models running iOS or iPadOS.
Smart Punctuation: typing two hyphens
If you find long-pressing too slow while typing quickly, iOS includes a feature called Smart Punctuation that is enabled by default. In standard apps like Notes, Mail, Pages, and Safari, typing two hyphens in a row (--) automatically transforms them into an em dash (—) the instant you type the next letter or space.
If this automatic substitution fails to occur, verify that the setting is active by opening Settings → General → Keyboard and ensuring the “Smart Punctuation” toggle is turned on. Some code editors and plain-text developer apps disable this feature intentionally to prevent interfering with code syntax.
When to use em dash versus en dash
Precision writers distinguish between three horizontal marks: the hyphen (-), which joins compound words like “user-friendly”; the en dash (–), which indicates number and time ranges such as “pages 10–20”; and the em dash (—), which replaces commas, parentheses, or colons to create dramatic pauses. In American publishing (Chicago Manual of Style), em dashes connect words without surrounding spaces: “She had one goal—victory.” In British style, writers often prefer an en dash with spaces: “She had one goal – victory.”
For external hardware keyboard shortcuts on iPad, press Option + Shift + - on a standard US keyboard. Review desktop shortcuts in our guides on the em dash on Mac and em dash on Windows, and see mobile alternatives in the em dash on Android and how to type symbols on iPhone guides.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the em dash on the iPhone keyboard?
Tap 123, then touch and hold the hyphen (-) key. The em dash (—) is the longest dash on the popup menu.
Can I type an em dash by typing two hyphens on iPhone?
Yes. With Smart Punctuation enabled in Settings → General → Keyboard, typing two hyphens (--) automatically converts into an em dash.
How do I type an em dash with an iPad Magic Keyboard?
Press Option + Shift + Hyphen on a US hardware keyboard layout to insert an em dash instantly.