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. You can paste text or import a supported file so the same scanner can inspect it before it affects 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

Guests can inspect up to 1,000 Unicode characters per check for three checks per day. Signed-in Free accounts can run up to 10 checks per day with 3,000 characters per check. Active Pro subscriptions support up to 100,000 characters per check without the free daily cap.

The browser performs file extraction, OCR, Unicode analysis, and cleaning. The application server authorizes the daily quota without storing the submitted text. Image OCR only extracts visible text; it cannot recover invisible Unicode characters that were lost when text became pixels. 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 plans use Waffo checkout and are available from the pricing page.