The discord servers are the main reason people use discord a lot. The type of convenience and features discord provides are unmatchable as there is no other platform serving this much of customisability, bot support, and other features. One such feature is text formatting. Discord has a lot of options to customize the text messages that you send in personal or server chat. You can make discord text bold, italic, underline, strikethrough. You can even send Discord text in different colors. Though Discord doesn’t support the colored text, we can use a simple trick to do that as well. We’ll be covering all of that in this article as I am going to provide you a complete and comprehensive guide about Discord Text Formatting. This is going to be a very detailed and in-depth guide for text formatting covering the basic to advanced formatting of the text messages in Discord. So, let’s get started.Also Read:
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Discord Markdown: The Discord Text Formatting Engine
Before knowing the process of formatting the text in different ways, let’s have a look at the boss that works behind all the Discord text formatting. This is called the Discord Markdown. Markdown is a markup language that Discord uses to offer a wide variety of text formatting including making text bold, italic, underline, etc. This markup language is not made by Discord rather it has been since 2004. It was originally created by John Gruber and Aaron Swartz back in 2004 as a lightweight text-based language. It is still being used in various works like formatting readme files and converting plain text into rich text. Looking at its potential Discord developers decided to use the markup in the core of the Discord software to deliver text formatting to its users.
highlight.js: The Discord colored text library
Though Markdown serves a wide variety of text formatting, it is still limited to just normal default non-colored text. Embedding markup in the Discord doesn’t give Discord-colored text formatting. In fact, there is no default support of any kind to deliver normal messages in colored text. But there is a library called Highlight.js that Discord uses to display code blocks. And when a code block with specific syntax is used, the discord display that particular text under that syntax with a particular color. So, you can say that we can utilize the highlight.js’ code displaying the capability to deliver colored text discord messages. This is more like a highlight.js hack.
Discord Text Formatting Guide: Make Discord text Bold, Italic, Underline, Strikethrough and other combinations
Now when you’re all set with the basics behind the text formatting in discord, it’s time to learn some actual text formatting like how to make text bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough in Discord. Doing this text formatting is extremely easy. Here’s how to do that.
Discord Bold Text
To make the text bold in your Discord message, simple start and end your message with two asterisks (*). You will find the asterisks symbol on the number 8 key on the keyboard and use that press shift+8 key combination. For illustration, you can look at the below image where I typed the following text:
Discord Italic Text
Just like you did for making the text bold, you can make the text italic by placing the message b/w two asterisks. That means you will have to use a single start symbol on either side of the message. Jut like the following text:
Discord Underline Text
In the same manner, you made the text bold, you can also make the text underline. What you have to do only is replace the two asterisks with two under score symbol (_). The underscore symbol is located on the dash key (-) and can be pressed simultaneously with the Shift key to use the underscore sign. Here is the illustration for underlined text.
Discord Strikethrough (crossed-out) Text
Lastly, one more simple formatting that is used in discord messaging is strikethrough that makes the text crossed out. In order to strikethrough the text, simply start and end the message with two tide symbols on either side. The tide symbol is located on the key right next to the number 1 key. And in order to type ~ press the key along with shift. Here is the illustration of an strikethrough text in discord.
Discord Text Formatting combinations
Now when you’re done with the simple discord text formatting, you’re ready to use the combination of these. E.g. making the text bold and italic, bold and underlined, etc. Let’s have a look at how you can do that.
Bold + Italic
Let’s start with combining the bold and italic text. It’s actually very simple. Just combine the ways you make the text bold and italic i.e. put three asterisks in the start and end of the message. Here one asterisk is for making the text italic and two are for making it bold. Here is how the written message looks like:
Bold + Underline
To make the text bold and underline at the same time, combine the underline and bold formatting in one single message. To do so, simply put two asterisks and two underscores (**__) on each side of the message text. Here is how the message looks like:
Bold + Strikethrough
To make the text bold along with a strikethrough you will have to combine the two asterisks and two rides. Simply put the **~~ on both sides of the text and the text will become bold along with a strikethrough across the text. This is how a raw message with bold and strikethrough formatting looks like:
Italic + Underline
Making the text Italic and underlined is no different that other combinations. You will have to use the formattings used for making the text italic followed by the underline formatting. Put a single asterisks and two tides (*~~) on either sides of the text to give the text both italic and underlined properties. Here’s how it looks like:
Bold + Italic + Underline + Strikethrough
You might be able to guess how the formatting combination works and can easily guess how to make the text bold, italic, underline and strikethrough at the same time. Yes, you guessed it right just combine all the formatting that you learned in the basic ones. Combine two three asterisks, two tides, and two underscores (***~~__) in the starting and ending of the test. Here is an example: By using similar technique you can achieve rest of the text formatting combinations like italic and strikethrough, bold and strikethrough, etc.
Other Discord Text Formattings
Apart from the basic text formatting, Discord also has features to send other kinds of messages like Quoted text, Boxes text, or even a blank message. Let’s see how to do these formattings.
Discord Quoted Text
Starting with the Quote Text. In order to send quote text over discord, you’ll have to add a “greater than” symbol (>) followed by space right before the discord message. Quoting a text in discord ads a thick vertical like to the left of your message making the text stand out from the rest. This is how the message and its resultant looks like:
Discord Boxed Text
Boxed text is a single line code text formatting that makes whatever you type in the message to get enclosed in a box. You will just have to put “tick” or “backtick” on each side of the text. Backtik sign is located on the left of the number 1 key. Here is how the code and boxed text looks like:
Discord Invisible/Blank Text
You can also send blank messages over discord where there is no message and any kind of text available. You can also call it the invisible text. To send an invisible message simple type two underscores separated by space. Here’s how the formatting looks like:
Typing Spoiler Text in Discord
This is one of the most creative types of messages that you can send on discord. This is called the spoiler text and your sent spoiler text will be hidden with a black bar to the users unless they don’t click on that message to know what’s the hidden message there. To type spoiler text, simple put vertical bars (|) on each side of the message. Here’s how the message looks like in raw formatting:
Sending non-embedded URL
You might have sent URLs of some sort over discord and you have noticed that discord automatically embeds the page preview along with the url. But you can avoid this and send a non-embed url to the discord chat. In order to send non-embedded URL over discord, simply put the ulr link between the less than (<) and greater than (>) symbols. Here’s the illustration of the non-embedded URL formatting:
Discord small text formatting
Many of you might be wondering and searching for the text formatting to make the font of discord message smaller in size. But let me make it very clear that Discord text formatting doesn’t have anything like small text. That means you can not make the discord message text smaller by any means. But I am not saying that it’s not possible. There is a way by which you can send small text in the discord chat and that is by copying the small text from online tools and send it. You can use websites like Tiny Text Generator where you can type in not just small text but in different types of interesting fronts. When you’re done writing your message in small text, simply copy that and paste it into the discord chat.
Typing Code Blocks in Discord
Whenever you need to send code in your discord message then Discord has the code blocks in text formatting that you can use. And this is the same way by exploiting which you’ll be sending colored text messages. So, its important to understand the code blocks in discord. When you send a code text, then there are two possibilities. The first is writing a single-line code block and the second one is writing a multi-line code block. Let’s see how you can write both kinds of code blocks.
Single Line Code Blocks
Let’s first cover the single-line code block. In order to write a single line code block simply place whatever you want to send between backtick (`). Now you will say isn’t it the same text formatting that I told you to make the boxed text. Well, that boxed text was nothing but the single-line code block. There are just two different ways to use the same text formatting. This is how you write a single line code block:
Multiple Line Code Blocks
Now it comes to the multiple line code block. This is the important one and will help you in writing the colored text. As the name suggests, there will be more than one line of code that you will be writing. And in order to write multiple lines in the code block just put the whole text in between three backticks (`). Here’s how a multiple line code looks like:
Send formatting signs (*, _, ~, etc.) in the discord message
Usually, the asterisks, underscores, hyphens, tides, etc. are used for formatting the text in discord and as soon the text formatting is applied these signs get disappear from the output text message. But what if you want to send these symbols in the discord chat. In that case, you’ll have to use the backslash () before the sign that you want to send. Also, make sure that you’ll have to add a backslash before each symbol that you want to send in the chat. In the cases like two underscores or tides, you’ll need to add the backslash to only one side to prevent the symbols to add formatting. For example: However, in the case of making the text italic, you’ll have to add the backslash on both sides to cancel its effect. Example:
Discord Colored Text Formatting
Finally, the moment you’re waiting for. You’re now an advanced discord text formatting player and have reached a level where you can learn how to send colored text messages on discord using the multiple line code blocks. I have already told you that discord has no default colored text formatting that you can use to send in the chat. We will be using the Highlight.js library to display the text in different colors. Discord uses this library to display the text in colored when it’s written in a code block along with a specific syntax. Basically, we’ll be making discord to think that we’re writing some sort of code in the code block and will tell discord to display the text in different colors by writing that text under a specific syntax. Let’s not make this more complex and head straight to how you can write discord text in different colors like red, yellow, blue, green, etc.
Make Discord text Red colored
Let’s start with the Red colored text. In order to write the text in red color you’ll have to use the diff syntax in the Discord code block. While using the diff syntax always start your main message text after a hyphen and space. Here is the raw code block for red color looks like:
Make Discord text Orange colored
Coming to the orange text in discord, you’ll have to use the css syntax followed by putting the main text between square brackets. Here’s the raw code for orange color looks like: You can also use cs syntax to make the text orange. Just use the syntax and start the message with a hash (#) If you don’t want to put anything in the starting or end of the message then you can use the arm syntax. But keep in mind that while using this syntax you can’t implement space between the text.
Make Discord text Light Yellow colored
The yellow colored text in the discord chat can be send in two ways. First is by using the fix syntax and the other one is by using the apache syntax. In the former one you’ll have to use nothing special in the starting or ending of the message. But in the latter one, you;” have to start the message with a percentage symbol and will have top put the text in curly brackets. Here’s how to write yellow colored text using fix syntax: Here’s how to write the text in yellow using the apache syntax. Remember that there should be no space b/w the characters of the message while using this method to make the text yellow colore.
Make Discord text Light Green colored
The discord text in a light green color can be done by using the diff syntax. Also, remember that in this method you’ll have to start the message with a plus sign followed by space.
Make Discord text Cyan (Dark Green) colored
The Cyan or dark green colored text is also possible by using two ways. By using the bash and json syntax. Both requires the text to be placed b/w quotation marks. Here’s how to make text dark green using bash syntax: Here’s how to make the text cyan colored using the json syntax:
Make Discord text Blue colored
To send the text in blue color, you can use either the ini syntax or the css syntac. The ini syntac requires the message to be in the square brackets while the css requires the message to start from a decimal along with no space in between the text. Here’s how to use ini syntax to make the discord text blue: Here’s how to use css syntax to make the discord text blue:
Make Discord text Grey colored
The yaml syntax is used in discord code block to make the message grey in color. Also make sure to start the message with a hash (#). Here’s how to make the text grey using yaml syntax:
Color Highlight Discord text
To send a color highlighted text in discord you can use the tex syntax. Also put a dollar sign and space before writing the main text. Here’s the example:
Discord colored text combinations
Apart from sending messages in a specific color, you can also use the same technique to make color combinations. Let’s explore the different color combinations that you can make using the code blocks.
Yellow and Cyan Discord colored text
You send yellow and cyan-colored text combines in one single message. In order to do that you’ll have to use the fix syntax. Format the message under the fix syntax and separate your message with an “equals to” sign. Text before the equals to sign will be yellow and after the sign will be cyan in color. Here’s the example
Cyan and Grey Discord colored text
In a similar manner, you can use the yaml syntax. Format the text under this syntax and type the message. It’ll be in Cyan color and as soon as you’ll start writing by putting a hash (#) the text will become greay. Here’s how you write in cyan and grey combination:
Red and light green Discord colored text
You can use the diff syntax to use a yellow and orange colored text combinations. Under the diff formatting start the line with hyphen (-) to make it red and start the line with + to make it yellow. Also, apply space after the hyphen and plus symbols.
Orange and Blue and Cyan Discord colored text
You can combine the orange, blue and cyan colors in a single text message on discord using the css syntax. Under the css syntax formatting close the text in square brackets to make it orange, start the line with a decimal with no space in the line contents to make it blue and any numbers you type under the css syntax will appear in cyan color. You can further explore this method to find out new color combinations.
Discord Text Formatting Video Tutorial
If you’re finding it difficult to format discord text by the written tutorial. I would highly recommend you to refer to the following YouTube video tutorial on discord text formatting and discord colored text.
Can you format text in Discord?
Absolutely yes. You can format the text in Discord in a lot of different ways like Bold, Italic, Underline, Strikethrough, Quoted text, code blocks and a lot more. Discord uses highlight.js library that provides discord flexibility to do a lot of text formatting.
How to bold text in Discord?
Making the text Bold in discord is really very simple. Just add two asterisks (**) in the start and end of the text. Here’s how to do it:
How to underline text in Discord?
To underline the text in discord put two underscores (__) on either side of the text.
How to do strikethrough on Discord?
To make the text crossed out put two tides (~~) on either side of the text.
How do you get red text in Discord?
You’ll have to use the diff syntax in the code block to get red-colored output text. Format the text in a code block with diff syntax and a hyphen and space before the message. Here’s the example.
What font does Discord use?
The discord uses Uni sans font as its default font all over its platforms that includes the web, android, ios and windows app.
How do I make text smaller in Discord?
There is no such option to make and send smaller text in discord. However, you can copy and paste small text from sites like Tiny Text Generator.
How do I hide text in Discord?
The hidden text on discord is actually called the spoiler text. In order to send spoiler text in discord, simply add two vertical lines on either side of the text. The text will get overlayed by a black bar and will get revealed when the recipient clicks on the message. Here’s the example.
Bottom Line
So this was the complete guide on Discord text formatting. I have tried each and every aspect of the text formatting that currently possible on discord. I hope this very detailed and comprehensive guide will help you sending some well-formatted text over discord and will make you a discord pro. If I have left any kind of text formatting in this guide then please let me know in the comments below. If you’ve any questions or suggestions you can also leave them in the comments below as well.
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