Urdu Bidirectional Text Tester

Test how Urdu mixes with English, numbers, and punctuation, and find the bidirectional characters that change how it reads.

Quick Answer

The Urdu Bidirectional Text Tester analyses mixed Urdu and English text. It shows the base direction, counts the right-to-left and left-to-right characters, lists any hidden bidirectional control characters, and breaks the text into directional runs, so you can see exactly why it renders the way it does. Everything runs in your browser.

Test Bidirectional Text

Paste Urdu, English, numbers, and punctuation to see how they mix.

Paste any mix of Urdu, English, numbers, and symbols.0 characters
Options

Analysis

Base direction
RTL letters
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LTR letters
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Bidi controls
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Live preview (dir=auto)

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    Your text is analysed right here in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, saved, or shared.

    What the Urdu Bidirectional Text Tester Does

    The Urdu Bidirectional Text Tester shows how a piece of text behaves under the Unicode Bidirectional Algorithm, the rules that decide how right-to-left Urdu and left-to-right English sit together on one line. It reports the base direction, counts the characters of each direction, lists any hidden control characters, and splits the text into runs.

    This helps developers and writers reproduce and understand rendering problems in mixed Urdu and English text.

    Everything runs on your own device. Your text is never uploaded or stored, so it stays private while you test it.

    How to Test Bidi Text

    1. Paste your text. Enter a mix of Urdu, English, numbers, and symbols.
    2. Read the base direction. See whether the text is treated as right-to-left or left-to-right.
    3. Check the runs and controls. See the directional runs and any bidi control characters.
    4. Copy or download. Copy the report, or save it as a text file.
    Tip: The live preview uses dir=auto, which picks the direction from the first strong character.

    Base Direction

    The base direction is the overall direction of the text, set by the first strong character. If the text starts with an Urdu letter, the base is right-to-left, and English words within it are laid out from left to right inside that flow. If it starts with an English letter, the base is left-to-right.

    Directional Runs

    A run is a stretch of characters that share a direction. The tester splits your text into runs of right-to-left letters, left-to-right letters, numbers, and neutral characters like spaces and punctuation. Seeing the runs makes it clear where the direction changes.

    Bidi Control Characters

    Bidi control characters are invisible marks that force or isolate direction, such as the right-to-left mark, the embeddings, the overrides, and the isolates from the Unicode Bidirectional Algorithm. The tester lists any it finds, with the name and code point, since an override in particular can make text read differently from how it is stored.

    A Worked Example

    Text:

    Loading example…

    Analysis:

    Loading example…

    The live tester is preparing this example…

    The result above comes from the same function the tool uses, so it reflects real behavior. Press Load Example to try it.

    Who Uses This Tester

    Developers use it to reproduce bidi rendering bugs. Translators and writers use it to check mixed text. Anyone working with Urdu and English together uses it to see the direction.

    Accuracy and Limits

    The tester classifies each character by its Unicode range and reports the runs and controls it finds. It gives the base direction from the first strong character, the common case. It is a practical guide to the Bidirectional Algorithm, not a full reference implementation of every rule.

    Good to know: the live preview shows how a browser renders the text with dir=auto.

    Your Data Stays Private

    The tester runs fully in your browser with standard web technology. Your text is not uploaded or stored, and it is not sent to any analytics service. Only your star rating is sent, to record the tool’s rating. When you close the page, your text is gone.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What does the Urdu Bidirectional Text Tester do?

    It analyses mixed Urdu and English text, showing the base direction, the counts of each direction, any bidi control characters, and the directional runs.

    What is the base direction?

    The overall direction of the text, set by the first strong character. Urdu first means right-to-left, English first means left-to-right.

    What are bidi control characters?

    Invisible marks that force or isolate direction, such as the right-to-left mark, embeddings, overrides, and isolates. The tester lists any it finds.

    Why does my text render oddly?

    Mixed direction, numbers, and punctuation can reorder in ways that surprise you. The runs and controls in the report explain why.

    Does the preview match a real browser?

    Yes. The live preview uses dir=auto, so it renders the way a browser would with that setting.

    Is my data safe?

    Yes. Everything runs in your browser. Your text is never uploaded, saved, or shared.

    Is this tool free?

    Yes, it is completely free and needs no account to use.

    Does it work on mobile?

    Yes. It works on phones, tablets, and computers.

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    Reviewed by Bilal Khan (Software Engineer, Unicode & Localization) Last updated:
    Sources and standards

    This free tool analyses bidirectional text, showing the base direction, the counts of each direction, any bidi control characters, and the directional runs. It is a practical guide to the Unicode Bidirectional Algorithm, not a full reference implementation. Your star rating is stored on the site.