Discord Text Formatting
Updated November 2026 · By Minhaz
Discord uses simple symbols, called Markdown, to style messages. This page covers all Discord text formatting: bold, italic, underline, big and small text, spoilers, cross out, hiding text, code blocks and text to speech. Use the formatter to add any Discord text effect and copy it straight into chat.
Discord text formatter
All Discord text effects (cheat sheet)
| Effect | Type this | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | **text** | text |
| Italic | *text* or _text_ | text |
| Bold italic | ***text*** | text |
| Underline | __text__ | text |
| Cross out (strikethrough) | ~~text~~ | |
| Spoiler (hidden) | ||text|| | text |
| Big text | # text | text |
| Medium text | ## text | text |
| Small header | ### text | text |
| Small text (subtext) | -# text | text |
| Inline code | `text` | text |
| Code block | ```text``` | text |
| Quote | > text | text |
| Bulleted list | - text | • text |
| Masked link | [text](https://…) | text |
You can mix them: ***__text__*** is bold, italic and underlined. Headers, subtext, quotes and lists must be at the start of a line, with a space after the symbol.
Discord text commands and tricks, step by step
How to bold text in Discord
Put two asterisks on each side: **your text**. On a computer you can also select the text and press Ctrl + B (Cmd + B on Mac).
How to cross out text in Discord
Wrap the words in two tildes: ~~your text~~. Discord shows a line through them, which is great for jokes like homework gaming.
How to spoiler text on Discord
Put two vertical bars on each side: ||spoiler||, or type /spoiler before your message. Readers tap or click the black box to reveal it. Spoiler Discord text is perfect for movie endings and game twists.
How to hide text in Discord
Use the spoiler tag ||text|| to hide text until someone clicks it. To hide a link, use a masked link like [click here](https://example.com), which shows only the words.
How to censor text on Discord
Spoiler tags also work for censoring: what the ||heck|| hides only the censored word. You can also replace letters with symbols, like f*** or h@ck.
How to make text small in Discord
Start the line with a hyphen, a hash and a space: -# your text. This "subtext" shows smaller and gray under your message. That is how to make small text in Discord. If you are wondering how to do small text on Discord on your phone, it works the same way in the mobile app. For tiny letters that work everywhere, you can also use the small text generator, which gives ˢᵘᵖᵉʳˢᶜʳⁱᵖᵗ and sᴍᴀʟʟ ᴄᴀᴘs letters.
How to make text big in Discord
Start a new line with a hash and a space: # Big text. Use ## for medium and ### for a smaller header. Headers only work at the start of a line. That is all you need to know about how to make text big on Discord.
Discord text to speech
Type /tts followed by your message to have Discord read it out loud to everyone in the channel who has text to speech turned on. It only works if the server allows it (the "Send Text-to-Speech Messages" permission). You can turn hearing TTS on or off in User Settings → Accessibility → Text-to-Speech.
Discord text tricks
- To show the symbols without formatting, put a backslash in front: \*not italic\*.
- Code blocks keep spacing, which is great for ASCII art and tables.
- Want color? Use the Discord colored text generator. Want fancy letters for your name? Try the Discord font generator.
Frequently asked questions
What are all the Discord text effects?
Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, spoiler, big headers (#, ##, ###), small subtext (-#), inline code, code blocks, quotes, lists and masked links. You can combine most of them, and you can add color with an ansi code block.
How do you make small text on Discord?
Start the line with -# and a space, for example -# see you later. Discord shows it smaller and in gray.
How do I make text big in Discord?
Start the line with # and a space for the biggest text, ## for medium and ### for small headers.
How do I spoiler text on Discord?
Put || on both sides of the text, like ||secret||, or start your message with /spoiler. People click it to reveal the text.
How do I cross out text in Discord?
Wrap it in two tildes, like ~~text~~.
How does Discord text to speech work?
Type /tts and your message. Discord reads it aloud to people in the channel who have text to speech enabled, if the server allows TTS messages.