WhatsApp’s built-in bold formatting
WhatsApp supports four native formatting styles, all triggered by wrapping text in symbols. To make text bold, wrap it in asterisks: *hello* becomes hello in bold. For italic, use underscores: _hello_. For strikethrough, use tildes: ~hello~. And for monospace, wrap text in triple backticks: ```hello```.
These styles work in both personal chats and group chats, on Android, iOS, WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp Desktop. They are the safest and most readable way to add emphasis because they use WhatsApp’s own font, which means screen readers and search handle them correctly.
How to bold text step by step
- 1Open the WhatsApp chat where you want to send the message.
- 2Type an asterisk, then your word, then another asterisk — for example *Important*.
- 3Send the message and WhatsApp will render it as bold automatically.
- 4To combine styles, nest the symbols — *_bold italic_* gives you bold italic text.
On mobile, you can also long-press the text you have typed, select the format option from the popup menu, and choose Bold without typing the symbols manually. This is handy when you are editing a longer message.
Using Unicode bold for heavier styles
WhatsApp’s native bold uses the app’s regular font, just thicker. If you want a genuinely different-looking bold — sans-serif bold, bold italic, bold script, bold fraktur — you can generate Unicode bold text with the Bold Text Generator and paste it in. Because these are Unicode characters rather than formatting, they render as styled text without any symbols, and they work even in places where markdown is not supported.
This is especially useful for status updates, broadcast lists and business profiles where you want a more designed look. Generate the text, copy it, and paste it into your message or status just like normal text.
Pro Tip: Unicode bold text cannot be combined with WhatsApp’s markdown. Once text is converted to Unicode bold characters, wrapping it in asterisks will not make it any bolder — the symbols will just show up literally. Pick one method per message.
When to use each method
- Use native asterisk bold for everyday emphasis — it is clean, readable and accessible.
- Use native monospace for code, links or anything where alignment matters.
- Use Unicode bold styles for status updates and profile text where you want a designed look.
- Use strikethrough for corrections, jokes or showing changed plans.
Formatting in group chats and broadcasts
In group chats, bold is invaluable for cutting through noise. Use it to highlight action items, names, times or questions so people skimming the chat can still catch the key points. In broadcast lists and WhatsApp Channels, bold headings help structure longer messages so they read like a mini newsletter rather than a wall of text.
The same discipline applies as everywhere: bold a word or a line, not a whole paragraph. Over-formatted messages feel shouty and get ignored, which defeats the purpose. A single bolded call to action will almost always outperform a message where everything is emphasised.
Troubleshooting common issues
If your asterisks are showing up literally instead of turning into bold, it usually means there is a space between the symbol and the word. WhatsApp only applies formatting when the symbols sit directly against the text with no spaces, so *hello* works but * hello * does not. The same rule applies to underscores and tildes.
With these techniques in your toolkit, you can make WhatsApp messages clearer, more scannable and more expressive — whether you are coordinating a group trip, running a business chat, or just making a point land harder.