Module
Contents
Index 🔎︎
\<bookmark_value\>hyphenation;manual/automatic\</bookmark_value\>\<bookmark_value\>hyphenation;preventing for specific words\</bookmark_value\>\<bookmark_value\>separation, see hyphenation\</bookmark_value\>\<bookmark_value\>automatic hyphenation in text\</bookmark_value\>\<bookmark_value\>manual hyphenation in text\</bookmark_value\>\<bookmark_value\>words;wrapping/not wrapping in text\</bookmark_value\>

# Hyphenation

By default, LibreOffice moves words that do not fit on a line to the next line. If you want, you can use automatic or manual hyphenation to avoid this behavior:

## Automatic hyphenation

Automatic hyphenation inserts hyphens where they are needed in a paragraph. This option is only available for paragraph styles and individual paragraphs.

### To automatically hyphenate text in a paragraph:

1. Right-click in a paragraph, and choose \<emph\>Paragraph\</emph\>.

2. Click the Text Flow tab.

3. In the Hyphenation area, select the Automatically check box.

4. Click \<emph\>OK\</emph\>.

### To automatically hyphenate text in multiple paragraphs:

If you want to automatically hyphenate more than one paragraph, use a paragraph style.

For example, enable the automatic hyphenation option for the "Default" paragraph style, and then apply the style to the paragraphs that you want to hyphenate.

1. Choose View - Styles, and then click the Paragraph Styles icon.

2. Right-click the paragraph style that you want to hyphenate, and then choose \<emph\>Modify\</emph\>.

3. Click the Text Flow tab.

4. In the \<emph\>Hyphenation\</emph\> area, select the \<emph\>Automatically\</emph\> check box.

5. Click \<emph\>OK\</emph\>.

6. Apply the style to the paragraphs that you want to hyphenate.

## Manual Hyphenation

You can insert a hyphen where you want on a line, or let LibreOffice search for the words to hyphenate, and then offer a suggested hyphenation.

### To Manually Hyphenate Single Words

To quickly insert a hyphen, click in the word where you want to add the hyphen, and then press Command Ctrl
+Hyphen(-).

If you insert a manual hyphen in a word, the word is only hyphenated at the manual hyphen. No additional automatic hyphenation is applied for this word. A word with a manual hyphen will be hyphenated without regard to the settings on the \<emph\>Text Flow\</emph\> tab page.

### To manually hyphenate text in a selection:

1. Select the text that you want to hyphenate.

2. Choose \<emph\>Tools - Language - Hyphenation\</emph\>.

Related Topics

Checking Spelling and Grammar

Thesaurus

Changing the Default Template

Preventing Hyphenation of Specific Words

Text Flow