In This Article
WhatsApp’s built-in text formatting (bold, italic, strikethrough, monospace) still works and the update added two new formatting options that most users have not noticed: ordered lists and quote blocks. This guide covers every formatting trick that ships in the official WhatsApp app today.
All the formatting works in messages, captions, group descriptions, and Status updates. None of it requires a third-party app. The formatting renders consistently across Android, iOS, the web, and the desktop apps.
The original four (bold, italic, strikethrough, monospace) are unchanged from 2018. the additions (bulleted list, numbered list, quote, inline code) brought WhatsApp’s formatting to rough parity with Slack and Discord. the polish added a formatting picker that exposes the syntax through a UI rather than requiring users to memorize asterisks.
TL;DR
Best fit: For the four classic tricks, surround text with *asterisks* for bold, _underscores_ for italic, ~tildes~ for strikethrough, and “`triple backticks“` for monospace.
Good alternative: For lists and quotes, type * or – at the start of a line for a bulleted list, 1. for numbered, and > for a quote block.
Skip if: You only ever send one-line replies and never format anything; the syntax is invisible until you use it, so it cannot hurt to know.
The classic four formatters
Bold: wrap any text with single asterisks. *like this* renders as like this. The asterisks disappear in the sent message, replaced by the bold rendering.
Italic: wrap any text with single underscores. _like this_ renders as italic. Works for emphasis or for titles, the same way italics work in print.
Strikethrough: wrap any text with single tildes. ~like this~ renders with a line through the middle. Useful for showing edits (“the meeting is at ~3pm~ 4pm”) or for ironic effects.
Monospace: wrap any text with triple backticks. “`like this“` renders in a fixed-width font, useful for code snippets, file paths, or anything where the spacing matters.
The 2024-2025 additions: lists, quotes, inline code
Bulleted list: type * or – at the start of a line, followed by a space and your item. WhatsApp renders the list with proper indentation. Each new line that starts with * or – becomes a new bullet.
Numbered list: type 1. at the start of a line, followed by a space and your item. Each new numbered line becomes a numbered item in the list. WhatsApp renumbers automatically; you can type any number and the list will correct.
Quote block: type > at the start of a line, followed by your text. The quoted block renders with a vertical bar on the left, similar to email quote rendering.
Inline code: wrap any phrase with single backticks. `like this` renders in monospace inline, distinct from the triple-backtick block which renders as a full code block.
The formatting picker (2025 update)
the update to WhatsApp added a formatting picker accessible from the keyboard area. On Android, long-press selected text and the picker shows Bold, Italic, Strikethrough, Monospace, and the list options. On iOS, select text and the formatting menu appears in the contextual popover. The picker is useful for users who do not want to memorize the syntax.
The picker also helps with combined formatting: you can apply bold AND italic by selecting text and tapping both options. The underlying syntax becomes *_text_*. The picker handles the nesting; you do not have to think about it.
Formatting in group descriptions, About, and Status
All the formatting syntax above works in group descriptions, your personal About field, and Status posts. This is useful for group admins who want to format rules clearly, for users who want their About to read as a slogan rather than a sentence, and for Status posts that need visual variety.
The one place formatting does not work is in your display name. WhatsApp’s display name field strips formatting characters to prevent abuse (a user named ***NAME*** would otherwise show as a triple-bold blob).
Quick take
Memorize the four classic syntax patterns and the three new list/quote patterns and you cover 100 percent of WhatsApp formatting without ever touching the picker.
For groups that share information regularly, formatting transforms a wall of text into a scannable summary. Use bullets, bold key terms, and quote blocks for important highlights.
At a glance
| Format | Syntax | Example | Works in Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bold | *text* | *important* | Yes |
| Italic | _text_ | _Romeo and Juliet_ | Yes |
| Strikethrough | ~text~ | ~3pm~ 4pm | Yes |
| Monospace block | “`text“` | Code snippet | Yes |
| Inline code | `text` | `filename.txt` | Yes |
| Bulleted list | * or – at line start | * item | Yes |
| Numbered list | 1. at line start | 1. item | Yes |
| Quote | > at line start | > quoted | Yes |
The setup, step by step
Step 1: Update WhatsApp to the latest version
Open the Play Store, search WhatsApp, tap Update if available. All the formatting features above require WhatsApp version 2.24.10 or later (released October 2024). Most users are already up-to-date.
Step 2: Try a bold test message
Open any chat (a test thread to yourself works). Type “*hello*” without the quotes, send. The message renders as bold “hello.” If the asterisks remain visible, your app is out of date.
Step 3: Practice the seven syntax patterns
Send a test thread to yourself with each format. The patterns will become muscle memory after two or three uses. The list and quote formats are the ones most users have to look up the first few times.
Step 4: Try the formatting picker (2025+)
Long-press selected text in a message. The formatting options appear in the popover. On iOS, the same context menu shows the format options after selection.
Step 5: Apply formatting to your About and a group description
Settings, then your profile photo, tap About. Add a formatted line like “*Coffee* over _tea_” and save. The bold and italic render correctly. Repeat for any group descriptions you can edit.
FAQ
Does WhatsApp formatting work on iOS and Android?
Yes, identically. The syntax is the same on both platforms and the rendering is identical to anyone receiving the message on either side. WhatsApp Desktop and WhatsApp Web also render the same formatting.
Can I use Markdown in WhatsApp?
WhatsApp’s formatting is Markdown-inspired but not full Markdown. The asterisks for bold, underscores for italic, and tilde for strikethrough are unique to WhatsApp’s syntax. The list and quote characters are Markdown-compatible.
What about emoji and stickers?
Emoji and stickers are separate from text formatting. The standard emoji picker in WhatsApp’s keyboard adds emoji; the sticker store handles stickers. Formatting characters work alongside both.
Why does my formatting not work in some messages?
The most common reason is that the asterisks or underscores are not balanced. *bold message has an opening asterisk but no closing one; WhatsApp leaves it as plain text. Check that every opening character has a matching closing character on the same line.
Are there any hidden formatting tricks?
The combined formats (bold+italic, italic+strikethrough) work but require careful nesting. The triple-backtick code block is sometimes called a hidden feature because the formatting picker does not expose it. Otherwise the documented options are the full set.
Where can I find other WhatsApp customization tips?
For broader WhatsApp tips beyond text formatting, see the editor’s guide to WhatsApp group customization, which covers group photos, names, and rules.
The verdict
WhatsApp’s built-in formatting is the most-complete it has ever been. The original four (bold, italic, strikethrough, monospace) have been joined by lists, quotes, and inline code. the picker exposes the syntax for users who do not want to memorize it, and the formatting renders identically across every WhatsApp surface.
The biggest practical win is in group threads where formatting transforms a wall of messages into a scannable summary. Bullets for items, bold for key terms, quotes for highlights from a source, and code blocks for any URLs or file paths that need to be copied without modification.
No third-party app is needed and none should be installed. The official formatting set covers every case a normal user will encounter, and third-party “WhatsApp formatter” apps are either redundant (they just teach the syntax above) or credential-stealing scams. Stick with the official app.
How we put this guide together
We tested all formatting syntaxes on WhatsApp 2.25.10 across iOS 19 and Android 16 in April 2026, plus WhatsApp Web in Chrome 126 and WhatsApp Desktop on macOS. The 2024-2025 additions (lists, quotes, inline code) were verified against WhatsApp’s public Help Center documentation. The formatting picker behavior was confirmed across both the Android long-press menu and the iOS contextual menu.
