- WhatsApp Web guide
- Free tools
- Text formatter
WhatsApp text formatter
Write your message, select some text and press a button to make it bold, italic, struck through or a list. The preview shows roughly how WhatsApp will display it.
Preview
The preview is a close approximation. WhatsApp itself has the last word, so check the message in the chat before it goes to a large group.
The formatting characters
| Effect | Type this |
|---|---|
| Bold | *text* |
| Italic | _text_ |
| Strikethrough | ~text~ |
| Monospace | ```text``` |
| Inline code | `text` |
| Quote | > text |
| Bulleted list | - text or * text |
| Numbered list | 1. text |
Rules that trip people up
- No space inside the markers.
*bold*works,* bold *does not. - Quotes and lists start the line. The
>,-or1.must be the first thing on the line and be followed by a space. - Monospace uses three backticks on each side and can span several lines; one backtick on each side marks a short piece of inline code.
- A marker in the middle of a word is left alone, so file_names_like_this stay as they are.
For business messages
Formatting earns its place in customer messages: a bold order number, a short list of next steps, a quoted line of the customer's own question. Keep it sparse; a message with every second word in bold reads like spam. The same characters work in quick replies in the WhatsApp Business app, and bold, italic, strikethrough and monospace also work in the body of message templates on the Business Platform.
Questions people ask
How do I write bold text in WhatsApp?
Put an asterisk on both sides of the text, like *this*. WhatsApp shows it in bold once the message is sent.
Can I combine bold and italic?
Yes. Nest the characters, for example *_important_*, and WhatsApp shows the text bold and italic.
Why does my formatting not work?
The characters must touch the text: "* text *" with spaces inside does nothing. Each style also has to close on the same line, and the list and quote characters only work at the very start of a line, followed by a space.
Does formatting work on WhatsApp Web?
Yes. The same characters work on the phone, on WhatsApp Web and in the desktop apps, because the formatting is part of the message itself.
Is the text I type here stored?
No. The preview is made inside your browser and nothing you type is sent to this site.
Related guides
- Keyboard shortcutsThree tables (Web, Windows app, Mac app) plus the text formatting codes.
- WhatsApp link generatorMake a wa.me click-to-chat link with a pre-filled message. Nothing is stored.
- On a PCBrowser or Windows app, files, notifications, calls and shared computers.
- On a MacSafari, Chrome or the Mac App Store app, with the Mac specifics.
Sources
- WhatsApp Help Center: How to format your messages (checked 18 September 2026)
Checked against WhatsApp's own help pages on . WhatsApp changes its apps often; if a menu has moved, the official Help Center has the last word.