Discord Text Formatting Guide
Discord uses Markdown for text formatting. Type the syntax directly in any message, or use the generator above to build it and copy the result.
Basic Formatting
**bold**— bold text*italic*or_italic_— italic text***bold italic***— bold and italic combined__underline__— underlined text~~strikethrough~~— crossed out text||spoiler||— hidden until clicked`code`— inline code block```code block```— multi-line code block
Discord Timestamps
Discord's timestamp system shows a date and time that automatically adjusts to each viewer's local time zone. The format is <t:UNIX_TIMESTAMP:FORMAT>. Use the generator above to create these tags without calculating Unix time manually.
Zalgo & Glitch Text in Discord
Discord fully supports Zalgo and Unicode glitch text in messages, usernames, and server names. Use the Zalgo generator or cursed text generator and paste the result directly into Discord.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Discord formatting work in usernames?
No — Discord Markdown only works inside messages. For styled usernames you need Unicode text like small caps, fancy fonts, or Zalgo, which are actual characters rather than formatting codes.
Why isn't my bold/italic formatting working?
Make sure there are no spaces between the asterisks and your text. ** bold ** won't work; **bold** will.
Can I combine formatting?
Yes. **__bold underline__** and ***bold italic*** both work. Experiment with nesting different markers.