Have you ever wanted to emphasize important words in a message WhatsAppbut didn't know how to do it? Unlike computer instant messengers, where text formatting is available through the toolbar, in the mobile version WhatsApp for Android everything works through hidden characters. This guide will tell you not only about the standard way to highlight text in bold, but also about the nuances that 90% of users miss.

The secret lies in the use of special characters that convert regular text into bold, italics or ~strikethrough~. But there are pitfalls: for example, not all fonts in WhatsApp support formatting equally well, and display bugs may occur in some versions of the application. We tested all methods on the latest versions Android 13-15 and collected working solutions.

Standard method: how to write in bold with asterisks

The most reliable method is text framing symbols *. It works in all versions WhatsApp since 2017 and is supported both in personal chats and in groups. Here's how to do it:

  1. Open the chat and start typing a message.
  2. Before the word or phrase you want to highlight, put an asterisk * (without a space).
  3. Write the text, then immediately after it, put another asterisk *.
  4. Send message - the text will automatically become bold.

Example:

Enter: Attention! The meeting has been postponed to 15:00

It turns out: Attention! The meeting has been rescheduled for 15:00

Make sure that the asterisks are TIGHT to the text (no spaces)|

Check that you are using the English layout (Russian “*” may not work)|

Send a test message to yourself to see result|

If the text is not bold, update WhatsApp in Google Play-->

Important: if there is a space between the asterisk and the text, the formatting will not work. For example, text will be displayed as regular text with asterisks.

Alternative characters for bold font

In addition to asterisks, WhatsApp supports other characters for formatting. For example, an underscore _ also makes the text bold, but with one caveat: it only works in pairs with other characters or in certain versions of the application.

Symbol Input example Result Support
text Urgent Urgent All versions
_text_ _Important! Important! (italics) All versions
~text~ ~Canceled~ Canceled (crossed out) All versions
``text`` ```Code`` Code (monospace) Starting with 2.22.8.7

The only character that is guaranteed to make the text bold is the asterisk (*). Underscore (_) and tilde (~) produce italics and strikethroughs, respectively. If you need a bold font, use only text.

Stars for bold text|

Underlines for italics|

Tilde for strikethroughs|

Monospace font for code|

I don’t use formatting-->

Why bold font doesn’t work: common mistakes

If you put the stars correctly, but the text remains normal, the problem may be one of the following points:

  • 📱 Old version of WhatsApp. Text formatting appeared in 2017. If you have an older version 2.17.1, update the application via Google Play.
  • 🌐 Incorrect keyboard layout. The characters must be on the English layout. Russians “" (from the "YTSUKEN" layout) do not work.
  • ⚠️ Spaces before asterisks. There should be no spaces between the symbol and the text: text → will not work, text → will work.
  • 🔄 Application cache. Sometimes display bugs are related to the cache. Try clearing the data WhatsApp in the settings Android (but this will delete unsaved chats!).
💡

To quickly insert an asterisk on the English layout, hold down the number key with your finger 8 on a standard keyboard Gboard or Samsung Keyboard. A pop-up menu with special characters will appear.

⚠️ Attention: If you copy text with bold formatting from another source (for example, from a website), the characters * may be replaced with non-breaking spaces or other invisible characters. In this case, remove all characters and enter asterisks manually.

Bold font in WhatsApp statuses

Formatting works not only in chats, but also in WhatsApp statuses (aka “Stories”). However, there are limitations here:

  • 📝 You can make bold text onlyadded on top of the photo/video. Text in a pure status (without media) cannot be formatted.
  • 🎨 Characters * are not displayed in the preview when typing, but after publishing the text will become bold.
  • ⏱️ If the status contains animation or GIF, bold font may not be displayed correctly (for example, flicker).

Instructions for status:

  1. Open the section Status and select My status.
  2. Upload a photo or video (or take a photo directly in the application).
  3. Tap the icon Text (letter “A” in a circle).
  4. Enter text with with asterisks: 50% discounts!.
  5. Publish the status - the text will appear in bold.

How to combine bold font with other styles

B WhatsApp can be combined multiple types of formatting in one message. For example, make part of the text bold and italic at the same time. To do this, use combinations of characters:

  • 🔤 Bold + italic: _text_ → text
  • 🗑️ Bold + strikethrough: ~~text~~ → text
  • 💻 Fullwidth + bold: ```text``` → text

Example of a combined message:

Input: Important! _Meeting_ ~~cancelled~~ rescheduled to 15:00

Result: Important! Meeting cancelled moved to 15:00

⚠️ Attention: When combining styles, pay attention to the order of the characters. For example, _*text*_ will give a different result than _text_ (in the first case, the text will be italic with asterisks inside).
What happens if you use three stars?

If you frame text with three stars on each side (text), in most versions of WhatsApp this will result in bold italics. However, in some firmware (for example, on devices Xiaomi with a shell MIUI) simply bold text without italics may be displayed. Test before sending!

Bold font in WhatsApp Business

If you use WhatsApp Business to work with clients, bold font becomes an even more useful tool. For example, you can highlight:

  • 💰 Prices and promotions: 30% discount until the end of the week!
  • ⏰ Delivery times: Orders before 14:00 we ship today
  • ❗ Important notices: Payment must be confirmed within 24 hours

In WhatsApp Business also available quick replies (message templates). You can create a template with bold text in advance and use it for frequent queries. For example:

  1. Open Settings → Business tools → Quick replies.
  2. Create a new template with text surrounded by stars: Thank you for your order! Tracking number: [number].
  3. Save the template and use it in dialogues via the sign /.

This saves time and makes communication with clients more professional.

Problems with bold font on different devices

Not all smartphones are compatible Android display formatted text in the same way WhatsApp. Here are the most common problems and their solutions:

Problem Cause Solution
Bold font is displayed as normal with asterisks Outdated version of WhatsApp or firmware Update the application and check for updates Android
The text becomes bold only after the phone is restarted Bug with the graphics engine cache Clear the cache WhatsApp in the settings applications
Bold font works in chats, but not in statuses Version restrictions WhatsApp below 2.21.4 Update the application to the latest version
Characters * visible in the message Incorrect encoding (for example, text copied from Word) Remove all characters and enter asterisks manually

On devices Samsung with shell One UI sometimes a bug occurs in which bold text is displayed only after the message is resent. In this case, it will help:

  1. Delete message (hold your finger → Delete for everyone).
  2. Rewrite it with the correct characters.
  3. Send again.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about bold font in WhatsApp

Is it possible to make only one word bold in sentence?

Yes, it’s enough to frame the desired word with asterisks. For example: The meeting is scheduled for Friday → "The meeting is scheduled for Friday".

Why can’t I insert an asterisk on keyboard?

If you are using a keyboard with an alternative layout (for example, SwiftKey or Fleksy), try:

  1. Switch to the standard keyboard Gboard.
  2. Hold your finger on the key with number 8 —a menu with special characters will appear.
  3. Copy the asterisk from this guide and paste it into a message.
Does bold font work in voice messages?

No, text formatting is only available for written messages Voice messages and transcription. (speech recognition) do not support bold fonts.

Is it possible to preserve bold text when copying a message?

When copying a message from WhatsApp to another chat or application (for example Telegram), the formatting is preserved only if the target application supports similar characters (*, _, ~). The text with asterisks will be copied into a regular text editor (for example, Notepad).

How to remove bold font from an already sent message?

If the message has already been sent, it cannot be edited. You can:

  • Delete the message (Delete for everyone) and resend without stars.
  • Send a new message with a correction (for example: “Sorry, the previous message should have been without highlighting”).
💡

The asterisk (*) is the only reliable way to make text bold in WhatsApp on Android. All other symbols either give a different effect (italics, strikethrough) or are unstable. Always check the result before sending!