Showing hidden text can be a crucial step in ensuring accuracy and quality of translations. In Trados Studio, displaying these characters is not enabled by default but can be activated manually. This article will guide you through the process of showing hidden text in Trados Studio.

To activate the show whitespace characters feature in Trados Studio, follow these steps:

1. Open the left panel of the box and click on Keyboard Shortcuts.

2. Choose Editor: Show Whitespace Characters from the list of commands on the right panel.

3. Place your cursor inside a cell of the Shortcut column.

4. Press CTRL+SHIFT+8 (or any other key combination that you prefer, as long as it is not in use for another command in Trados Studio).

5. Select OK to confirm.

Once activated, hidden characters will start to appear in the text, replacing all 'ordinary' spaces with dots and non-breaking spaces with circles. This can help translators identify potential issues with formatting or spacing that may be invisible in an ordinary text.

In Word, you can also show or hide hidden characters using the same key combination, CTRL+SHIFT+8. The Home tab contains the same key but with a different name - Show Whitespace Characters. After pressing this key, you will see all 'ordinary' spaces replaced with dots and non-breaking spaces with circles.

Displaying hidden text is essential for seasoned translators to identify potential problems while working with texts. It often conceals issues that are not visible in an ordinary text, making it a valuable tool for ensuring accuracy and quality of translations.

By following these simple steps, you can activate the show whitespace characters feature in Trados Studio and start identifying those hidden characters that may affect your translation work.

How to show hidden text