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How to Turn On Automatic Hyphenation in Word

Tap a step to see how to turn on automatic hyphenation in Word.

  1. Open the "Layout" tab

    Click the "Layout" tab in the ribbon at the top of the window.

  2. Click "Hyphenation"

    In the "Page Setup" group, select "Hyphenation."

  3. Choose "Automatic"

    Selecting "Automatic" makes long words at the end of a line break with a hyphen automatically.

  4. Adjust hyphens manually

    Choose "Hyphenation Options" to review and adjust each hyphen break point one by one.

  5. Why it helps

    It is especially useful for multi-column layouts or narrow columns of English text, keeping line ends even instead of leaving big gaps.

Make Multi-Column Documents Look Cleaner

When words sit inside a narrow column, automatic hyphenation lets long words break naturally at the end of a line, producing a tidier document with more even right-hand margins.

Works Even Better With Column Layouts

Automatic hyphenation is especially handy when you also use multi-column or justified layouts, since it reduces the large gaps that justified text can create between words.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does hyphenation apply to every language?

Hyphenation is primarily designed for languages that use Latin-based alphabets; languages that don't split words with hyphens, such as Korean or Chinese, are not affected by this feature.

Can I stop specific words from being hyphenated?

Yes. Select the word (useful for proper nouns or brand names) and mark it as a hyphenation exception, and Word will keep it on one line.