WhatsApp Formatting Not Working? Here's How to Fix It

You typed the asterisks for bold, the underscores for italic, or the tildes for strikethrough — but your message came out as plain text with the symbols visible. Frustrating, but almost always fixable. This guide covers every common cause and how to resolve it.

Quick Checklist

Before diving into specifics, check these three things:

No spaces between the formatting character and your text
Correct character — asterisk for bold, underscore for italic, tilde for strikethrough
App is up to date — update WhatsApp from your app store

If all three are correct and formatting still doesn't work, read on for platform-specific troubleshooting.

Common Causes and Fixes

1. Extra Spaces Around Formatting Characters

This is the number one cause of formatting failures. WhatsApp requires the formatting character to be directly adjacent to the text — no spaces allowed.

Won't work	Will work
`* hello *`	`hello`
`_ italic text _`	`_italic text_`
`~ strikethrough ~`	`~strikethrough~`

2. Wrong Character

It's easy to accidentally use a similar-looking character. Make sure you're using exactly the right one:

Bold — asterisk * (Shift+8), NOT a bullet point or star emoji
Italic — underscore _ (Shift+hyphen), NOT a dash or minus sign
Strikethrough — tilde ~ (Shift+backtick), NOT a dash or hyphen
Monospace — backtick `, NOT a single quote or apostrophe

3. Outdated WhatsApp Version

Basic formatting (bold, italic, strikethrough, monospace) has been available since 2016, but newer features like bullet lists, numbered lists, and blockquotes were added more recently. If you're trying to use newer formatting features:

Open your device's app store (App Store on iOS, Google Play on Android)
Search for “WhatsApp”
If an “Update” button is available, tap it
Reopen WhatsApp and try formatting again

4. Copy-Paste Issues

When you copy formatted text from another app (email, notes, web browser) and paste it into WhatsApp, the formatting may not transfer. WhatsApp uses its own markdown-based formatting system — it doesn't recognise HTML bold, CSS styles, or rich text from other apps.

Solution: Use WhatFormatto format your message visually, then copy it. WhatFormat converts your formatting into WhatsApp's native syntax, so it works every time.

5. Formatting Across Line Breaks

WhatsApp formatting characters don't work across line breaks. Each line needs its own set of formatting markers.

Won't work	Will work
`Line one` `Line two`	`Line one` `Line two`

6. Special Characters Interfering

Certain characters next to formatting markers can prevent WhatsApp from recognising the formatting. For example, if an asterisk is immediately followed by a punctuation mark or another special character, WhatsApp may treat it as a literal asterisk rather than a formatting marker.

Tip: Keep formatting characters directly adjacent to alphanumeric characters (letters and numbers) for the most reliable results.

Platform-Specific Fixes

iPhone (iOS)

Update WhatsApp from the App Store
Try the built-in shortcut: select text → tap “BIU” → choose Bold/Italic/Strikethrough
If auto-correct changes your formatting characters, go to Settings → General → Keyboard → disable “Smart Punctuation” (this can replace standard quotes and dashes with “smart” versions)

Android

Update WhatsApp from the Google Play Store
Try a different keyboard if your current one substitutes characters (some keyboards replace straight quotes with curly quotes)
Long-press the text input field and check if a formatting menu appears (varies by WhatsApp version)

WhatsApp Web & Desktop

Refresh the page or restart the desktop app
Try keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl+B for bold, Ctrl+I for italic, Ctrl+Shift+X for strikethrough
Clear your browser cache if WhatsApp Web is behaving strangely

What WhatsApp Does NOT Support

Some formatting that people commonly try but WhatsApp does not support:

Coloured text — WhatsApp has no syntax for text colour
Font changes — you cannot change the font family
Text size changes — no way to make text larger or smaller
Underline — not supported; italic uses underscores but doesn't underline
Hyperlinks with custom text — URLs are auto-linked but you cannot create [click here](url) style links
Tables — WhatsApp does not render tables; use spaces and characters to create visual structure instead

WhatsApp Formatting Quick Reference

Format	Syntax	Result
Bold	`text`	text
Italic	`_text_`	text
Strikethrough	`~text~`	~~text~~
Monospace	`text`	`text`
Code block	```text```	text
Blockquote	`> text`	▐ text
Bullet list	`- item` or `* item`	• item
Numbered list	`1. item`	1. item

For the complete reference with examples, see our WhatsApp Formatting Cheat Sheet.

Skip the Syntax — Format Visually

Tired of getting formatting wrong? Use our free visual formatter — click Bold, type your text, and copy. No asterisks, no underscores, no tildes.

Open Formatter

Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn't bold working in my WhatsApp?

The most common reason is extra spaces between the asterisks and your text. *hello* works, but * hello * does not. Make sure there are no spaces between the formatting character and the first/last character of your text. Also ensure you're using the standard asterisk (*) and not a different symbol.

Does WhatsApp formatting work on all devices?

Yes, WhatsApp formatting (bold, italic, strikethrough, monospace, lists, and blockquotes) works on all platforms: iPhone, Android, WhatsApp Web, and the desktop app. However, very old versions of WhatsApp may not support all formats — make sure your app is updated to the latest version.

Do I need the latest WhatsApp version for formatting to work?

Basic formatting (bold, italic, strikethrough, monospace) has been supported since 2016. However, newer features like lists and blockquotes require more recent versions. If any formatting isn't working, updating WhatsApp is the first troubleshooting step.

Can I format messages in WhatsApp Business?

Yes, all formatting options work in WhatsApp Business exactly the same way as in the regular WhatsApp app. You can use bold (*text*), italic (_text_), strikethrough (~text~), and all other formatting in business conversations, quick replies, and template messages.

Why does my formatting disappear after sending?

If the formatting characters (asterisks, underscores, tildes) appear as plain text after sending, the most likely cause is spaces between the formatting character and your text, or using the wrong character. Another possibility is that the recipient's WhatsApp version is too old to render that format. Try removing any spaces and re-sending.