Strip the em dashes (—) and en dashes (–) that AI writing overuses, replacing them with a plain hyphen, comma or space.
Em Dash Remover
🔒 Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or stored. All processing happens in your browser.
How it works
The em-dash (—) is a perfectly good punctuation mark, but its overuse has become one of the most recognisable signatures of AI-generated writing. Many people also want to remove it simply because it is awkward to type, does not exist on most keyboards, and can render inconsistently across fonts and platforms.
This tool finds every em-dash, en-dash (–), figure dash, and horizontal bar in your text and replaces them all with the character you choose: a plain hyphen for a like-for-like swap, a comma and space when the dash was joining two clauses, or a single space when you just want it gone. The count tells you how many were changed so nothing slips through.
It works live as you type and runs entirely in your browser, so long documents and private drafts are processed instantly without ever leaving your device.
Examples
“The plan — which nobody liked — was scrapped.” → Comma + space → “The plan, which nobody liked, was scrapped.”
“Pages 10–12” → Hyphen → “Pages 10-12” for systems that dislike en-dashes.
A ChatGPT paragraph full of — → Hyphen → a cleaner, less obviously machine-written tone.
Em dash, en dash and hyphen — the difference
Mark
Character
Width
Correct use
How to type
Hyphen
-
Shortest
Joining words: 'part-time', 'well-known'
The key next to 0
En dash
–
Width of 'n'
Ranges: '2010–2020', 'pages 5–10'
Alt+0150 / Option+hyphen
Em dash
—
Width of 'm'
Break in a sentence — like this
Alt+0151 / Shift+Option+hyphen
AI models produce em dashes constantly because they mimic polished, published writing. Replacing them with a hyphen or comma is one of the fastest ways to make text read as though a person typed it — and it keeps your punctuation consistent across a document.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an em-dash and an en-dash?
An em-dash (—) is the width of a capital M and sets off clauses. An en-dash (–) is narrower, the width of an N, and usually marks ranges like 10–12. This tool handles both, plus the figure dash and horizontal bar.
Why do people say em-dashes signal AI writing?
Language models tend to use em-dashes far more often than the average person, so a paragraph peppered with them can read as machine-generated. Replacing them is one quick way to normalise the punctuation.
Does it touch ordinary hyphens?
No. Regular hyphens between words like 'well-known' are left exactly as they are. Only the longer dash characters are replaced.
Which replacement should I choose?
Use a comma when the dash separated a full clause, a hyphen when it stood in for a range or a compound, and a space when you simply want the dash removed without adding punctuation.
Is anything uploaded?
No. The replacement happens locally in your browser, so your text stays private.
Why does ChatGPT use so many em dashes?
Large language models are trained on edited, published prose — books, articles, essays — where the em dash is a common stylistic device. So they reach for it far more often than an average person typing on a keyboard, which is why a text full of em dashes reads as 'AI'.
What's the difference between a hyphen, en dash and em dash?
A hyphen (-) joins words like 'well-known'. An en dash (–), the width of an 'n', marks ranges like '10–20'. An em dash (—), the width of an 'm', sets off a clause — like this. This tool can replace the en and em dashes while leaving ordinary hyphens alone.
Can I replace em dashes with a comma instead of a hyphen?
Yes. Choose your replacement — hyphen, comma-and-space, or a single space — and every em/en dash is swapped for it in one pass.
How do I type an em dash myself?
On Windows, Alt+0151; on Mac, Shift+Option+hyphen; on mobile, long-press the hyphen key. Knowing this helps you spot where AI added them.
Is anything uploaded?
No — the replacement runs entirely in your browser, so your text stays on your device.