---
title: "ShowStringCharacters"
language: "en"
type: "Symbol"
summary: "ShowStringCharacters is an option for Cell that specifies whether to display \" when a string is entered."
keywords: 
- display string characters
- quotes
- show double-quotes
- show quotes
- strings
canonical_url: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ShowStringCharacters.html"
source: "Wolfram Language Documentation"
related_guides: 
  - 
    title: "Automatic Text Styling Features"
    link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/AutomaticTextStylingFeatures.en.md"
  - 
    title: "Text Styling"
    link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/TextStyling.en.md"
related_functions: 
  - 
    title: "ShowSpecialCharacters"
    link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ShowSpecialCharacters.en.md"
related_tutorials: 
  - 
    title: "Options for Expression Input and Output"
    link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/ManipulatingNotebooks.en.md#24767"
---
# ShowStringCharacters

ShowStringCharacters is an option for Cell that specifies whether to display " when a string is entered.

## Details

* ``ShowStringCharacters`` is typically set to ``False`` for output cells and ``True`` for input cells.

* ``ShowStringCharacters`` is usually set at the level of styles or notebooks rather than at the level of individual cells.

---

## Examples (2)

### Basic Examples (2)

By default, quotation marks are shown around strings in input cells, but not in output cells:

```wl
In[1]:= "string"

Out[1]= "string"
```

Create a cell in ``"Output"`` style but with quotation marks showing:

```wl
In[2]:= CellPrint[ExpressionCell["string", "Output", ShowStringCharacters -> True]]

Out[2]= "string"
```

---

Show a grid of characters without quotation marks:

```wl
In[1]:= CellPrint[ExpressionCell[Grid[{{"A", "B"}, {"C", "D"}}], "Text", ShowStringCharacters -> False, CellMargins -> {{200, 200}, {6, 6}}]]
```

|     |     |
| --- | --- |
| "A" | "B" |
| "C" | "D" |

## See Also

* [`ShowSpecialCharacters`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ShowSpecialCharacters.en.md)

## Tech Notes

* [Options for Expression Input and Output](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/ManipulatingNotebooks.en.md#24767)

## Related Guides

* [Automatic Text Styling Features](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/AutomaticTextStylingFeatures.en.md)
* [Text Styling](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/TextStyling.en.md)

## History

* Introduced in 1996 (3.0)