Fix Arabic and Hebrew Right-to-Left Text in LibreOffice Writer

If Arabic or Hebrew text appears in the wrong order, starts from the left margin, or behaves strangely beside English words and numbers, set the paragraph’s text direction to Right to Left (RTL). Right-aligning the paragraph alone does not change its writing direction. If the RTL command is missing, first enable Complex Text Layout (CTL) support in LibreOffice’s language options, then apply RTL to the affected paragraph.

Choose the fix that matches what you see

• The words look right, but begin at the left edge: set the paragraph direction to Right to Left. Alignment and direction are separate settings.
• The RTL command is missing: enable Complex Text Layout support in options. The exact menu wording can vary by operating system and LibreOffice version.
• Arabic or Hebrew characters appear reversed or disconnected: check that the text direction is RTL and use a font with the necessary script support. Do not reverse the characters manually.
• English words, dates, or digits jump around: keep the paragraph RTL, then inspect the mixed text and punctuation. Embedded Western text is expected to remain left-to-right.

The steps below apply to a current desktop version of LibreOffice Writer. LibreOffice Help describes Hebrew and Arabic as languages using Complex Text Layout and documents the RTL command. If your interface uses different wording, search the Options dialog for “Complex Text Layout” or “Right to Left.”

1. Enable Complex Text Layout if needed

Open LibreOffice’s options. On Windows and many Linux desktops, choose Tools > Options. On macOS, the options may be under LibreOffice > Preferences. Expand Languages and Locales, choose General, and enable the option for Complex Text Layout or bidirectional writing. Select OK or Apply, then return to Writer.

In some versions, enabling CTL exposes the RTL and left-to-right controls on the formatting toolbar and in paragraph properties. It does not automatically turn every existing paragraph into RTL. You still need to apply the direction to the relevant text. LibreOffice documents the option path and explains that CTL support provides language and cursor controls for complex scripts.

2. Set the paragraph direction to Right to Left

Click inside the Arabic or Hebrew paragraph. If you need to change several paragraphs, select them first. Use whichever route is available in your interface:

• Keyboard: press Ctrl+Shift+D to switch to right-to-left text entry. On some systems, the Ctrl+Right Shift combination is also documented for RTL when CTL support is enabled. If a shortcut is intercepted by your operating system or does not respond, use the menu or sidebar instead.
• Menu: choose Format > Paragraph, open the Alignment tab, and select Right to Left (RTL) under the paragraph properties or text direction setting.
• Toolbar or sidebar: click the Right to Left direction button, or open the Properties sidebar and choose RTL in its Paragraph or Alignment panel.

For example, if a Hebrew sentence is sitting at the left margin, place the cursor in that paragraph and apply RTL. The text should flow from the right margin toward the left as you type. If you only click the right-align button, the paragraph may sit on the right side while still behaving as left-to-right text; use the direction command to correct the flow.

3. Set alignment and language separately

After setting direction, choose the visual alignment you want. For ordinary Arabic or Hebrew prose, right alignment is common, but a heading may be centered. Alignment controls where a paragraph sits between its margins; direction controls its reading and typing flow. These settings can be combined, so choosing RTL does not prevent you from centering a title.

Set the proofing language as a separate step. Select the affected text, open Tools > Language or use the language indicator in the status bar, and choose the correct language, such as Arabic or Hebrew, if it is available. This affects spelling and language-aware tools; it is not a replacement for paragraph direction. Spell checking also depends on having the corresponding language module installed.

4. Check mixed text, numbers, and punctuation

Right-to-left paragraphs often contain left-to-right pieces: an English product name, a web address, a date, or a number. LibreOffice’s CTL guidance says embedded Western text remains left-to-right within an RTL flow. For example, a paragraph that says in Hebrew “Meeting at 10:30 with Alex” should keep the Latin name and time readable even though the paragraph begins at the right edge.

If punctuation appears on an unexpected side, first confirm the paragraph direction and then inspect where the cursor is positioned. Bidirectional text uses reading-order rules to place punctuation and numbers; visual order can differ from the order in which characters are stored. Do not add invisible direction marks at random or retype the whole sentence backward. If a short English phrase or identifier must stay together, select only that phrase and set its character direction to left-to-right when the available formatting controls support it. Keep the surrounding paragraph RTL.

For a form with separate Arabic and English fields, consider placing each language in its own paragraph or table cell and explicitly setting each paragraph’s direction. This is often easier to maintain than mixing long passages of both scripts in one paragraph.

5. Fix lists, tables, and existing document styles

Lists inherit paragraph behavior, but list numbering and indentation may need adjustment after you switch direction. Apply RTL to each list paragraph, then check that the bullet or number appears on the intended side and that the text indent is comfortable. For a table, set the direction of the text inside each affected cell. Changing the paragraph direction does not necessarily reverse the table’s column order.

If new Arabic or Hebrew paragraphs keep reverting to left-to-right, update the paragraph style used for them. Open the style editor for the current style and set its text direction or alignment there, if the style dialog offers that property. This is useful for a document written mostly in one RTL language. For occasional RTL quotations in an English document, changing only the selected paragraphs is usually less disruptive.

6. Verify the result and save a copy

1. Start a new paragraph and type a short Arabic or Hebrew test phrase. Confirm that the insertion point begins on the right and advances in the expected direction.
2. Add an English word and a number, such as “Room 204,” inside a test sentence. Confirm that the Latin characters and digits remain readable.
3. Check punctuation, list markers, indentation, and any table cells that contain RTL text.
4. Save the document, close it, and reopen it. Confirm that the paragraph direction remains correct.

For important files shared with people using other office applications, test a copy in the format you plan to send. If the layout changes after export or when opened elsewhere, retain an editable LibreOffice or OpenDocument copy and inspect the recipient format before distributing it. Font availability and the receiving application can affect how scripts are rendered, so a successful view on one computer does not guarantee identical display on every device.

If the text still looks wrong

• Text direction controls are still absent: revisit the language options and confirm CTL support is enabled, then restart Writer if the controls do not appear immediately.
• Letters are separated or shown as empty boxes: try a font that supports Arabic or Hebrew shaping and check whether the font is installed on the computer. A font change can address missing glyphs, but it will not correct an LTR paragraph.
• Only text pasted from another app is broken: test by typing a fresh phrase in Writer. If the fresh text works, paste without formatting or paste into a plain-text editor first, then apply RTL in Writer.
• Cursor movement feels backward: review the CTL cursor-control option. LibreOffice offers logical and visual movement behavior for mixed RTL and LTR text; this changes cursor navigation, not the saved reading direction.

Official references

• LibreOffice Help: Right to Left — command locations and keyboard shortcut.
• LibreOffice Help: Languages Using Complex Text Layout — supported CTL languages, mixed-direction behavior, and cursor shortcuts.
• LibreOffice Help: Complex Text Layout options — cursor control and numeral settings.