Question: Simple question: What's the quickest way to get an en dash (–, Unicode U+2013 EN DASH) in Windows? Note that this question is for all programs, not just Microsoft Word.

Even better if it can be copied to the clipboard as a pure Unicode character, with no formatting information (typeface, etc.) so that when I paste it into Word or Excel or other rich text editors, it doesn't carry its format with it.

Answer: 
Get [autohotkey](http://www.autohotkey.com/) and use hotstrings.  

Replace say -- with an en dash, the way word does.  

Here is the script: 

```
::--::{Asc 0151}

```

Yeah. Its that short. Works in my notepad on Windows 7.

PS:You can compile the script into standalone EXE with icon of your choice if you want to redistribute.
Answering my own question with my current unsatisfactory solution.

Right now I open character map with a keyboard shortcut (Ctrl-Alt-M), type "en dash" into the advanced-mode "Search for:" field, then click Select, and Copy. It's very slow, and if the character map is on a particular font, it will also carry formatting information with it.

![Screenshot of Windows Character Map showing an en dash](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kOgZu.png)