Discord Text Formatting: Bold, Italics, Strikethrough & More

Discord formatting lets you make messages easier to scan by adding bold, italics, strikethrough, quotes, code blocks, and spoiler covers. Type the punctuation around your text in a message box, check the preview if available, then send; no extra app or setting is required.

What You’ll Need

A Discord account and access to a channel or direct message where you can post.
A keyboard or mobile keyboard that can type asterisks (*), underscores (_), tildes (~), backticks (`), and vertical bars (|). You can also copy the examples below and replace the sample text.

Step-by-Step

Start a message and identify the text to format. Click or tap the message field, then decide whether the effect should apply to a word, phrase, or several lines. Discord uses Markdown-style punctuation: you put matching characters immediately before and after the text. The characters themselves normally disappear when the message is rendered.
Make text bold. Put two asterisks on each side: **important** appears as important. You can use two underscores on each side as an alternative: __important__. Keep the opening and closing pairs together around the words, without an extra space inside them.
Italicize text. Surround it with one asterisk or one underscore: *please note* or _please note_. Use one marker at the beginning and one at the end. This is useful for emphasis, titles, or a short aside.
Combine bold and italics when needed. Put three asterisks around the text: ***read this first***. Discord renders it bold and italic. If a combination does not render as expected, use a single set of markers for each effect, such as **bold and *italic* words**, and inspect the draft before sending.
Strike through text. Use two tilde characters at each end: ~~old time~~ appears as ~~old time~~. This is commonly used to show a correction or mark something as no longer current. A single tilde on either side will not make the standard strikethrough effect.
Make an inline code snippet. Wrap a short command, filename, or code fragment in one backtick on each side: `/help`. Inline code uses a distinct fixed-width style and is useful when punctuation or spacing must be read literally. Do not use apostrophes in place of backticks.
Format a code block. Put three backticks on a line before the code and three more on a line after it. For example, type three backticks, press Enter, type print("Hi"), press Enter, then type three backticks. The rendered block keeps code separate from ordinary prose. You may add a language name after the opening backticks for syntax highlighting, but support and appearance can vary; it is optional.
Add a quote. Start a line with > followed by a space to quote one line: > Please check the pinned post. For a multi-line quote, use >>> followed by a space at the start. The multi-line form continues to the end of the message, so put any regular text before it or in a separate message.
Hide a spoiler. Place two vertical bars on either side: ||surprise ending||. Discord displays the content behind a spoiler cover that readers can reveal. Use this for plot details or other content people may prefer not to see immediately. A spoiler cover is a reveal control, not a substitute for following a server’s content rules.
Use a heading or list where supported. On a line by itself, # Heading creates a large heading, while ## Heading and ### Heading create smaller ones in supported Discord message composers. Start a list item with - or * , followed by the item text. Formatting support can differ by client and composer, so check the draft; if a heading or list stays literal, use plain text or separate lines instead.
Review the draft and send it. Confirm that every opening marker has a matching closing marker and that no unwanted spaces split a pair. If your client shows a formatted preview, use it. Otherwise, send the message only when you are happy with the source text; edits can usually be made through the message’s edit option if you catch a mistake afterward.

Common Mistakes

The most frequent issue is using the wrong number of markers: bold needs two asterisks at both ends, italics one, strikethrough two tildes, and spoilers two vertical bars. Another common problem is leaving a space next to the marked text, as in ** important **; write **important** instead.

Make sure characters match on both sides and are typed in the right order. A backtick (`) is not an apostrophe ('), and a vertical bar (|) is not a lowercase letter or slash. On many keyboards, the vertical bar shares a key with the backslash; use the shifted key where appropriate.

For code blocks, three backticks must open and close the block. If the closing line is missing, the rest of the message may be treated as code. Similarly, >>> makes the rest of that message a quote, so do not put ordinary text after it expecting normal formatting.

Tips

Use formatting sparingly. A few bold words or a short list are easier to read than a whole message marked up in several styles.
Keep punctuation outside the markers when you do not want it styled, for example **Important**:.
For a long message, write the plain text first and then add formatting. This makes unmatched markers easier to spot.
Use code formatting for commands and exact text people may need to copy. Avoid putting ordinary paragraphs in a code block, which can make them harder to read on small screens.
Check how a message appears on the device you use. Desktop, web, and mobile layouts can differ, and some formatting features may not render identically everywhere.

Troubleshooting

The punctuation appears instead of formatting: Check for missing or mismatched markers, extra spaces, and typographic substitutions. Re-enter the characters directly in Discord rather than relying on a text editor that may replace straight punctuation with curly characters. Try a short test such as **test**.

Only part of the phrase is styled: Move the closing markers to the exact end of the intended phrase. If the text includes punctuation, decide whether the punctuation should be included and place the closing markers accordingly.

A combination looks wrong: Simplify it, confirm each pair is balanced, and apply one effect at a time. Nested formatting can be harder to read and troubleshoot than a simple bold phrase or a separate italic phrase.

A heading, list, quote, or spoiler does not behave as expected: Put the relevant marker at the start of a new line where the format calls for it, and check whether your current Discord client supports that form in the composer. For quotes, ensure there is a space after the greater-than sign. For a spoiler, confirm that both pairs of vertical bars surround the intended text.

You already sent a message with broken formatting: Open the message’s menu, choose the edit option if it is available, correct the markers, and save. If you cannot edit it, send a brief correction or a new properly formatted message.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I format text on Discord mobile?
Yes. Type the same markers in the mobile message box. You may need to switch keyboard layouts to find backticks or vertical bars.

Can I combine bold, italics, and strikethrough?
Some combinations work, but nested markers can be easy to mistype. Test a short phrase and use the simplest formatting that communicates your meaning.

How do I make a blank line?
Press Enter to start a new line. If Enter sends the message in your client, use the available newline shortcut or draft the text in a safe place and paste it into Discord.

Can I format other people’s messages?
No. Formatting markers affect text you write. You can quote or reply to another person’s message, but you cannot change how their original message is formatted.

Will Markdown formatting work in every Discord field?
No. Formatting is intended for messages, and behavior can vary in other fields such as names, channel descriptions, or app interfaces. If the markers remain visible, that field may not support the formatting.

Can I remove formatting after typing it?
Delete the surrounding markers before sending. If the message is already posted, edit it and remove them, or replace the formatted text with plain text.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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