---
title: "WhatsApp text formatter"
description: "Format WhatsApp messages with bold, italic, strikethrough, monospace, quotes and lists. See a live preview, then copy the text. Free, runs in your browser."
canonical: "https://kaptionai.com/tools/whatsapp-text-formatter/"
lang: "en"
---

# WhatsApp text formatter

> Format WhatsApp messages with bold, italic, strikethrough, monospace, quotes and lists. See a live preview, then copy the text. Free, runs in your browser.

Canonical: https://kaptionai.com/tools/whatsapp-text-formatter/

The page formats text in the visitor's browser; nothing typed there is uploaded.

## How do you make text bold in WhatsApp?

Put an asterisk on both sides of the text. WhatsApp's formatting syntax ([WhatsApp Help Center: How to format your messages](https://www.whatsapp.com/faq/en/general/26000002)):

| Style | Type | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bold | `*text*` | |
| Italic | `_text_` | |
| Strikethrough | `~text~` | |
| Monospace | ` ```text``` ` | May span several lines |
| Inline code | `` `text` `` | |
| Bulleted list | `* text` or `- text` | At the start of a line |
| Numbered list | `1. text` | At the start of a line |
| Quote | `> text` | At the start of a line |

## Rules that trip people up

- The markers must touch the text: `*bold*` works, `* bold *` does not.
- A letter or number right after the closing marker cancels it (`2*3*4` stays plain).
- Styles nest: `*_bold italic_*`. Text inside monospace or inline code is shown exactly as typed.
- Lists, quotes and inline code arrived in 2024; older WhatsApp versions show the symbols as plain text.

## How the tool works

1. Type or paste the message.
2. Select text and click Bold, Italic, Strikethrough, Monospace or Inline code; click again to remove it. Quote and list buttons work on whole lines.
3. Check the live preview and copy the text (or a copy without formatting) into WhatsApp.

More free tools: https://kaptionai.com/tools/