- The Problem
- Technical Explanation
- Technical Solution
- Practical Application
Technical Guide
Fixing Arabic, Hebrew and Farsi RTL Text Direction
For YouTube, Facebook and Other Online Platforms
The Problem:
Arabic text in YouTube video descriptions sometimes displays incorrectly (left-to-right instead of right-to-left) when the browser and YouTube interface are set to Latin languages. This happens due to how YouTube's algorithm detects text direction.
The Technical Explanation:
Every character in Unicode has a specific direction with certain strength. Latin characters have Strong LTR (Left-to-Right), while Arabic characters have Strong RTL (Right-to-Left). Issues occur when mixing scripts or when the base direction isn't clearly defined.
Technical Solutions:
1. Use Unicode Control Characters (Primary Solution):
Add RLM (Right-to-Left Mark) at the beginning of descriptions:
- Character: (U+200F)
- HTML entity: ‏
- Direct copy:
Correct example:
هذا وصف باللغة العربية
المحتوى العربي يظهر بالاتجاه الصحيح
English text can be added at the end
2. Apply Unicode Bidirectional Algorithm Rules:
Basic Rules:
- Add RLM/LRM after punctuation marks to bind them to preceding text
- Use zero-width invisible characters for direction control: LRM and RLM
- Establish clear text direction hierarchy
Practical application:
عنوان الفيديو: "التكنولوجيا الجديدة"!
شرح مفصل عن الموضوع.
للمزيد رجاء زيارة: www.example.com
English description: Technology explained
3. Avoid Common Mistakes:
Don't start or end with:
- Numbers: 1. الموضوع الأول
- Symbols: >> النقطة الأولى
- Extra spaces: النص العربي
- English text: Title: العنوان العربي
Instead use:
النقطة الأولى في الموضوع
الفكرة الثانية مهمة جداً
العنوان: أهمية التكنولوجيا
Title: Technology Importance
4. Handle Mixed-Script Text:
First rule: It is better not to mix, but sometimes there is no Arabic equivalent and English letters must be used, so for text containing English within Arabic write English in the middle:
شرح لغة Python للمبتدئين
استخدام YouTube API في التطبيقات
مقارنة بين iOS و Android للمطورين
For software and website names:
شرح برنامج Adobe Photoshop بالعربية
طريقة استخدام Google Analytics للمواقع
دورة Microsoft Excel من الصفر
5. Working with Numbers and punctuation marks:
Use Arabic-Indic numerals (٠١٢٣٤٥٦٧٨٩):
الدرس الأول: مقدمة
الفصل الثاني: التطبيق العملي
النتيجة: ٨٥٪ من المشاركين نجحوا
25 يناير كان بداية الأحداث
If you have to use Latin numerals with Arabic make it in the middle:
هذا هو الجزء رقم 5 من السلسلة
المدة: 15 دقيقة تقريباً
العام: 2024 ميلادية
6. Use Ready-to-Use Correct Direction Template:
[Main Video Title in Arabic]
هذا عنوان رائع للفيديو
[Main Topic]
في هذا الفيديو نتحدث عن:
المحتويات:
- النقطة الأولى
- النقطة الثانية
- النقطة الثالثة
للتواصل: [Contact Information]
الموقع:[ [Website Link
English description:
[Content in English]
Tags: #[Arabic_Hashtags] #[English_Tags]
7. Testing Your Description:
Before publishing:
- Copy and paste description into a text editor that supports RTL
- Verify Arabic text displays right-to-left
- Test viewing in different browsers
- Check with different interface languages
Platform-Specific Best Practices
YouTube
- Video Titles & Descriptions: Always start your Arabic, Hebrew, or Farsi titles and descriptions with an **RLM** (``). This forces YouTube's rendering engine to adopt an RTL base direction for that text block, even if the user's interface is LTR.
- Comments: Use the RLM trick for comments as well, especially if your comment contains mixed content or is a reply to an LTR comment.
- Channel Description: Apply the same RLM rule to your channel's "About" section for consistent display.
Facebook (and other Social Media like X, Instagram)
Similar to YouTube, social media platforms often default to LTR. The RLM character is your best friend here too.
- Posts & Captions: Begin your RTL posts and photo/video captions with an **RLM** (``). This guides the platform's rendering.
- Comments: Use RLM at the start of your comments for correct directionality.
- Profile/Page Descriptions: Ensure your "About" sections or bio content also start with RLM if they are primarily in an RTL language.
- Hashtags: If using mixed-language hashtags (e.g., #تقنيةTech), ensure the RTL part is correct. RLM can sometimes help if the hash symbol misplaces the text.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
These are common practices that can confuse the Unicode Bidirectional Algorithm:
- Don't start or end with:
- Numbers: E.g., `1. الموضوع الأول` (Wrong)
- Symbols: E.g., `>> النقطة الأولى` (Wrong)
- Extra spaces: Leading or trailing spaces can sometimes interfere with UBA's auto-detection.
- English text: E.g., `Title: العنوان العربي` (Wrong)
Instead, use: Start directly with the RTL text and embed LTR content if necessary.
Testing Your Content
Always verify your content before publishing to ensure it displays correctly across different environments.
- Copy and paste into a text editor that supports RTL: Use tools like Notepad++ (with appropriate plugins), VS Code, or even a simple RTL-aware word processor to preview your text.
- Verify RTL display: Confirm that Arabic/Hebrew/Farsi text displays right-to-left, and mixed content is correctly ordered.
- Test in different browsers: Check how your content appears in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, etc.
- Check with different interface languages: View your content on platforms when the interface language is set to both RTL (e.g., Arabic) and LTR (e.g., English) to see how the UBA reacts.
Helpful Tools and Resources
- Online RTL Text Fixers: Websites like FixTxt.co can help automatically add RLM or fix common RTL text alignment issues.
- Text Editors with Full Unicode Support: Use modern code editors (e.g., VS Code) that have excellent Unicode and bidirectional text rendering capabilities.
- Browser Extensions: Extensions like "RTL Toggle" (for browsers like Chrome/Firefox) can temporarily switch the text direction of a webpage, useful for debugging.
- Unicode Consortium: Refer to the official Unicode Standard Annex #9 for the full Unicode Bidirectional Algorithm specification (for advanced understanding).
Key Takeaway
Successfully displaying Right-to-Left text correctly online, whether it's Arabic, Hebrew, or Farsi, depends on understanding the fundamental principles of the Unicode Bidirectional Algorithm and consistently applying appropriate control characters and semantic HTML. It's not about luck or trial-and-error, but a structured approach to text management. This proactive method ensures your content reaches your audience as intended across diverse digital platforms.