Choosing What You See in the Equation Editor

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 14, 2026)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


As you enter text and fill equation slots with variables in the Equation Editor, you normally will not be able to see nonprinting characters such as spaces and tabs. If you select Show All from the View menu, however, you will be able to see where these characters occur.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (925) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Print Preview Freezes Word

It can be frustrating if the Word program freezes when you are trying to work with a document. If this happens to you, ...

Discover More

Using Named Formulas or Constants

An easy way to create a name for a formula or constant value. The name can then be used in other formulas or for ...

Discover More

Returning the Final Word

When processing text in a workbook, you may need to grab the last word in a cell. There are a few ways that you can do ...

Discover More

Discover the Power of Microsoft Office This beginner-friendly guide reveals the expert tips and strategies you need to skyrocket your productivity and use Office 365 like a pro. Mastering software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is essential to be more efficient and advance your career. Simple lessons guide you through every step, providing the knowledge you need to get started. Check out Microsoft Office 365 For Beginners today!

More WordTips (menu)

Choosing an Equation Style

You can define styles for different characters used in the Equation Editor. It is not as full-featured as styles in Word, ...

Discover More

Adding an Equation Editor Tool

If you use the Equation Editor a lot in creating your documents, you'll benefit by making sure it is accessible as ...

Discover More

Wrong Characters Printed in Equations

Ever have the problem of your document printing different characters than what appears on the screen? There are several ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is eight more than 1?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.