How to make a text divider
Start from a design, then change one thing at a time. A layout decides the shape: a plain line, a line with a motif in the middle, a heading between two lines, a repeated motif, a line with end caps, a box, or lines above and below your words. The line choice sets the line piece, and the motif is the symbol in the middle or at the ends. Use the length slider to make it wider or narrower.
Every symbol in the lists is a long-standing Unicode text symbol with no emoji version, so it keeps the same kind of shape across devices. You can also type your own motif, including emoji.
Why dividers look different in each app
A divider is plain text, so the app you paste it into decides how it looks. Line pieces like โ and โ are drawn by that appโs font. In some fonts they join into one smooth line; in others small gaps show between them. Lengths also change, because one fontโs star can be twice as wide as anotherโs.
| Where you paste | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Instagram or TikTok bio | Short lines and motifs work well. Long lines may wrap onto two rows on a phone. |
| Chat messages | Lines and motifs show as typed. Boxes line up only inside a code block, where the app supports one. |
| Notes and documents | The documentโs font decides the width. Boxes line up only in a monospaced font. |
Boxes need a monospaced font
The Box layout draws three lines with corners and sides. It lines up only when every character has the same width, as in a code block or a terminal. In a normal font the right side looks uneven. Top and bottom is a softer choice: it puts lines above and below your words with no sides, so nothing needs to line up.
Dividers and screen readers
Some screen readers read symbols by their names, so a line of 20 symbols can be read out 20 times. This depends on the screen reader and its settings. Keep dividers short where people use screen readers, and never put information only in a divider.