WhatsApp text formatter: Format a WhatsApp message, and see it before you send
Bold, italics, strikethrough, monospace, lists and quotes. Type or paste a message, format it, check the preview, and copy it into WhatsApp.
Formatter
189 characters
Preview
Weekend offers are live
Book by Sunday, 8 pm
Goa 3N/4D package: ₹16,999 ₹14,999
Kerala houseboat night: ₹8,499
Reply YES to hold your dates.
Use code WEEKEND10 at checkout.
The preview follows WhatsApp’s rules: a mark only works when it touches the words it wraps. Check anything unusual on your phone before a big send.
Reference
Every WhatsApp formatting code
WhatsApp formats a message from plain characters typed around the text, so the same codes work on Android, iPhone, WhatsApp Web and the desktop apps. Lists, quotes and inline code joined the original four styles in February 2024.
| Style | Type this | WhatsApp shows |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | *text* | The text in bold |
| Italic | _text_ | The text in italics |
| Strikethrough | ~text~ | The text struck through |
| Monospace | ```text``` | A fixed-width block, shown exactly as typed |
| Inline code | `text` | A short fixed-width snippet inside a sentence |
| Bulleted list | - text or * text | A bullet at the start of the line |
| Numbered list | 1. text | A numbered line |
| Quote | > text | The line set off with a bar, like a quotation |
On a phone
How to format text on your phone
You do not have to type the markers yourself. Both phone apps add them from the text-selection menu.
On Android:
- Type the message, then press and hold a word to select it. Drag the handles to cover everything you want to format.
- Tap the three-dot menu that appears above the selection.
- Choose Bold, Italic, Strikethrough or Monospace. WhatsApp adds the markers for you.
On iPhone:
- Type the message, then double-tap a word and drag the handles to select the text.
- In the menu above the selection, tap Format (shown as BIU on some versions; tap the arrow if you cannot see it).
- Choose Bold, Italic, Strikethrough or Monospace.
Troubleshooting
Why formatting sometimes does not work
The marks must touch the words. *Sale today* turns bold; * Sale today * does not, because of the spaces inside the asterisks.
If a style spread over several lines doesn't show, try putting the marks around each line separately.
Styles combine when you nest them: *_this is bold and italic_* works, as does ~*this*~.
Marks inside a word are left alone, so a file name like report_final_v2 does not turn italic halfway through.
Monospace shows its contents exactly as typed, so marks inside three backticks are not applied.
Lists and quotes only work at the start of a line, and need a space after the -, *, 1. or >.
Formatting you paste from a word processor is lost: WhatsApp reads the markers, not the styling. That is why this tool copies the markers.
These are WhatsApp's formatting rules as of October 2026. Lists, quotes and inline code arrived in February 2024, so if they don't show, update WhatsApp.
Formatting a quote or a follow-up for a lead
A follow-up is read on a phone between other chats, so let formatting carry the one thing the customer needs: the quote number or amount in bold, the options as a short list, and the next step on a line of its own. One bold line is emphasis; a bold paragraph is shouting.
Save the ones your teams send every day as quick replies in the shared inbox, so every store and rep sends the same well-formatted version.
Formatting announcements for groups
In a busy group, formatting is how a message gets read rather than scrolled past: one bold line that says what it is about, a short list for the details, and a quoted line for the one thing members must do. A message that is bold from top to bottom has no emphasis left.
When the same announcement goes to many groups, write and check it once, then post it everywhere on a schedule. The guide to sending one message to many WhatsApp groups covers how.
Questions
How do I make text bold on WhatsApp?
Put an asterisk on each side of the text with no spaces inside: *like this*. On a phone you can also select the text and choose Bold from the menu that appears.
How do I write in italics or strike text through on WhatsApp?
Use underscores for italics, _like this_, and tildes for strikethrough, ~like this~.
Can I make a bulleted or numbered list in WhatsApp?
Yes, since February 2024. As of October 2026, start a line with a hyphen or an asterisk followed by a space for a bullet, or with a number, a full stop and a space for a numbered list.
Why is my WhatsApp formatting not working?
Usually there is a space between the mark and the text, or the mark sits inside a word. If text spread over several lines doesn't format, try giving each line its own pair of marks, and check that WhatsApp is up to date.
Does WhatsApp formatting work on WhatsApp Web and the desktop app?
Yes. The same markers work on Android, iPhone, WhatsApp Web and the desktop apps, because the formatting travels with the message as plain characters.
Is this formatter free, and is my text stored?
It is free to use with no sign-up. The formatting happens in your browser: the text you type is not sent to or stored by WavesFlo.
See it on your own numbers.
A walkthrough on two of your own numbers, with your rollout questions answered.