Discord Text Formatting
Type once, tap the formats you want, and copy text that shows right in Discord.
Styles
Adds \ before * _ ~ | ` so Discord shows them instead of formatting. Links, mentions, and :emoji: codes stay as they are.
Colors show in Discord on a computer and in a browser. Phone apps may show the text in one color.
Preview close to Discord, not exact
Colors follow Discord's dark theme; other themes use slightly different shades.
⚠ Black text is hard to read on Discord's dark themes.
⚠ Text and background are the same color, so the words disappear.
Includes an invisible escape character before each [ that Discord reads as color.
``` in your text got an invisible space so the block stays together.
Formatting runs in your browser. Your text is never sent or saved. ToolNeko isn't affiliated with Discord.
How to format text in Discord
- Type or paste your message in the box.
- Tap the styles and the line format you want, or switch to Colored text and pick colors. The preview shows roughly how Discord will draw it.
- Tap Copy, paste into Discord, and check the message before you send it.
Discord formatting cheat sheet
Discord's help pages cover every format here except Colored text and Show a symbol (the backslash). Those two aren't documented; they follow how Discord's apps work today. Headings, subtext, quotes, and lists only work at the start of a line, with a space after the symbol.
| Format | Type this | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | **bold** | |
| Italicor _italic_ | *italic* | |
| Bold italic | ***bold italic*** | |
| Underline | __underline__ | |
| Strikethrough | ~~strikethrough~~ | |
| Spoiler | ||spoiler|| | |
| Big headingat the start of a line | # Big heading | |
| Medium headingat the start of a line | ## Medium heading | |
| Small headingat the start of a line | ### Small heading | |
| Subtextat the start of a line | -# small gray text | |
| Quote | > one quoted line | |
| Multi-line quote | >>> quotes every line after it | |
| Bulleted list | - first item
- second item | |
| Numbered list | 1. first item
2. second item | |
| Masked link | [link text](https://example.com) | |
| Inline code | `code` | |
| Code block | ```
code block
``` | |
| Colored textcomputer and browser | ```ansi
␛[31mred text␛[0m
``` | |
| Show a symbol | \*not italic\* |
On a computer, Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, and Ctrl+U (⌘ on a Mac) make selected text bold, italic, or underlined in Discord's message box.
Combine styles that work together
Stack styles from the outside in: spoiler, strikethrough, underline, and then bold and italic, as in ||~~__***text***__~~||. Headings, subtext, quotes, and list markers go first on each line, before the styles. For several lines, a quote starts once with >>> and covers everything after it.
Discord shows anything inside code exactly as typed, so bold, italic, and spoilers do nothing there. Discord's own spoiler help says text inside a code block isn't hidden. This tool turns the styles off when you pick a code format, so you never copy markup that won't show.
Colored text in Discord
Colored text uses a code block that starts with ```ansi. Inside it, an invisible escape character and a short code such as [31m set the color, and [0m turns it off again. This tool writes those codes for you, line by line.
| Color | Text | Background |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 30 | 40 |
| Red | 31 | 41 |
| Green | 32 | 42 |
| Yellow | 33 | 43 |
| Blue | 34 | 44 |
| Magenta | 35 | 45 |
| Cyan | 36 | 46 |
| White | 37 | 47 |
| Bold · Underline · Reset | 1 · 4 · 0 | |
Discord doesn't document colored text. This page follows what Discord's web app does today (checked October 2, 2026): each reader's theme sets the exact shade, so the same code looks a little different in light and dark themes. Code 30 is black, which is hard to read on dark themes. Colors show on a computer and in a browser; the phone apps may show the text in one color.
Keep symbols as typed
Discord treats symbols like *, _, ~, and | as formatting, so __init__ turns into an underlined word and 2*3*4 loses its stars. A backslash before a symbol makes Discord show it as is. Keep symbols as typed adds those backslashes for you, so ¯\_(°_°)_/¯ keeps its arm. Links, mentions, <t:…> timestamps, and :emoji: codes stay exactly as you typed them.
Turn the option off if you typed your own Markdown and want Discord to use it; the preview then shows what it does.
Line breaks and long messages
In Discord on a computer, Shift+Enter starts a new line and Enter sends. A message can have up to 2,000 characters, or 4,000 with Nitro (not Nitro Basic), and the formatting symbols count too. The counter above checks the exact text you copy. An About Me can hold 190 characters, including Markdown and links.
Frequently asked questions
How do you format text in Discord?
Discord uses Markdown: you put symbols around words, such as **bold**, *italic*, __underline__, ~~strikethrough~~, and ||spoiler||, or start a line with #, -#, or > for a heading, subtext, or a quote. Type your message above, tap the formats you want, and copy the result.
How do I make colored text in Discord?
Use a code block that starts with ```ansi and color codes. Pick Colored text above, choose a color for all lines or for each line, and copy. Colors show in Discord on a computer and in a browser.
Does colored text work on the Discord mobile app?
It isn't guaranteed. Discord doesn't document colored code blocks. On Discord's feedback site, users reported from 2022 to 2024 that the phone apps showed the color codes as plain text, or the whole block in one color, and newer guides disagree on whether that has changed. Don't use color as the only way to mark something important.
How do I make a spoiler in Discord?
Put two vertical bars on each side, like ||this||, or type /spoiler before your message. Readers tap the spoiler to see it. Spoiler bars don't hide text inside a code block.
How do I stop Discord from formatting my text?
Put a backslash (\) before the symbol: \*not italic\* shows the stars. Keep symbols as typed adds the backslashes for you and leaves links, mentions, and :emoji: codes alone.
How do I make small text in Discord?
Start the line with -# and a space. Discord shows that line as smaller gray subtext. For small letters in a name, use the Discord fonts tool instead, because Markdown doesn't work in names.
How do I start a new line in Discord?
On a computer, press Shift+Enter; Enter on its own sends the message. You can also write your message here with line breaks and paste it into Discord, and the line breaks stay.
Is my message sent anywhere?
No. Formatting, the preview, and copying all happen in your browser. ToolNeko doesn't save your text, put it in the page address, or send it in analytics.