WhatsApp text formatter
Make WhatsApp text bold, italic or strikethrough, add lists and quotes, and see how the message will look before you send it.
Select the words you want to change, then press a button. 140 characters.
Preview
An approximate preview. WhatsApp draws the final message on the phone.
How to make text bold in WhatsApp
Put an asterisk on each side of the words: *bold*. WhatsApp turns it into bold when the message is sent. The formatter above adds the symbols for you: select the words and press Bold.
WhatsApp text formatting codes
| Style | Type this | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | *text* | Asterisk on each side |
| Italic | _text_ | Underscore on each side |
| Strikethrough | ~text~ | Tilde on each side |
| Monospace | three backticks on each side | Fixed-width text, useful for codes and order numbers |
| Inline code | one backtick on each side | Highlights a short code inside a sentence |
| Bulleted list | a hyphen or an asterisk, then a space | At the start of each line |
| Numbered list | 1. then a space | At the start of each line |
| Quote | > then a space | At the start of the line |
You can combine styles, for example bold and italic together, by nesting the symbols.
Formatting from the phone keyboard
- Android: press and hold the text in the message box, then choose Bold, Italic or More.
- iPhone: select the text, then tap Format and choose the style.
- WhatsApp Web and desktop: type the symbols around the words, or paste a message formatted with the tool above.
Why WhatsApp bold is not working
- There is a space inside the symbols. * text* stays plain. The symbol must touch the first and the last letter.
- Only one side has the symbol. Both sides need it.
- There is a letter right after the closing symbol. Leave a space or punctuation after it.
- A different symbol was typed, such as a bullet or a multiplication sign in place of the asterisk.
Can WhatsApp underline text or change the font colour?
No. WhatsApp has no underline, no font colour and no font size setting for a single message. The "stylish fonts" on font generator sites are special Unicode characters, not real formatting: screen readers cannot read them, they can show as empty boxes on some phones, and search inside WhatsApp will not find the words. For business messages, stay with bold and italic.
Using formatting in business messages
- Bold the one thing the customer must not miss: the date, the amount or the address.
- Use a list for steps or documents to bring.
- Do not bold whole paragraphs. When everything is bold, nothing stands out.
- Templates on the WhatsApp Business API accept the same symbols in the message body. Our template message examples show approved styles.
Need the words too? The message template library has ready messages for payment reminders, appointments, introductions and follow-ups.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write bold text in WhatsApp?
Type an asterisk before and after the words, with no space between the symbol and the letters, like *this*. Or select the text in the message box and choose Bold.
How do I underline text in WhatsApp?
You cannot. WhatsApp supports bold, italic, strikethrough, monospace, inline code, lists and quotes. It has no underline.
How do I change the font style in WhatsApp?
The only built-in alternative font is monospace: put three backticks on each side of the text. Other "fonts" are Unicode look-alike characters from generator sites and may not display correctly on every phone.
Is this WhatsApp text formatter free?
Yes. It runs in your browser, needs no sign-up, and your text is not sent to our servers.
Does formatting work in WhatsApp Business and in broadcasts?
Yes. The same symbols work in the WhatsApp app, the WhatsApp Business app, broadcast lists, groups and in the body of API templates.
Last updated 13 November 2026 by the Responseify team.
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