About Hidden Character Detector

A transparent first step for text cleanup

Copied text can move through browsers, PDFs, rich-text editors, spreadsheets, chat applications, and publishing systems before it reaches its final destination. Each step can preserve or add Unicode characters that are difficult to see. This site gives writers and developers a small, direct way to inspect those characters before they affect search, validation, or formatting.

What the detector does

The scanner checks an explicit list of common invisible and formatting code points. It reports each character's Unicode name, code point, position, and count. Detecting is separate from cleaning, so the original input remains available while you review the result.

Remove All creates a separate clean copy. Zero-width and selected formatting controls are removed. Unicode spacing characters are normalized to regular spaces, and line separators are normalized to ordinary line breaks to preserve readable structure.

Local processing and limits

The first version processes text in your browser and does not require an account. It accepts up to 2,000 Unicode characters per check and offers 20 browser-tracked checks per UTC day. The local counter is a product limit for ordinary use, not a security-grade anti-abuse system.

No pasted text is sent to a detection server by the current tool. See the Privacy Policy for the data-handling details.

What the result does not prove

A hidden character can be intentional and legitimate, especially in multilingual or bidirectional text. Finding one does not prove that a person used a particular application, that text was generated by AI, or that a watermark exists. The tool reports a reproducible Unicode fact and leaves interpretation to the person who understands the document's context.

Contact

For product feedback, accessibility issues, or privacy questions, contact support@hiddencharacterdetector.app. Paid Pro features and Waffo checkout are planned but are not active in this first release.