Whatsapp messenger has long ceased to be just a tool for exchanging short messages and has turned into a full-fledged working platform. Users discuss projects, create task lists and exchange important information, where visual highlighting of key points is critical. Unfortunately, the application interface does not have the usual toolbar with buttons B, I or U, as in text editors, which often causes confusion among beginners.
However, the developers have provided a hidden formatting system based on the use of special characters. The secret of highlighting text on Android lies in the correct placement of special characters directly around a word or phrase without spaces. To change the appearance messages, you need to know the exact sequence of characters that serve as a kind of opening and closing tags. Understanding these principles will allow you to structure dialogues, focus on what is important and avoid misunderstandings in correspondence.
In this detailed guide we will analyze all the available ways to change the font style in the mobile version of the messenger for the Android platform. You will learn not only how to make text bold or italic, but also how to create neat lists, and also learn about the nuances of working with different versions of the operating system.
Basic principles of message formatting
The text styling system in WhatsApp is built on a syntax reminiscent of a simplified version of the Markdown markup language. In order to apply a style, you need to surround the selected piece of text with certain characters. The main rule that 90% of users violate on their first try is the absence of spaces between the special character and the letters. If you put a space after an asterisk, the system will treat it as a regular punctuation mark, and not as a formatting command.
Let's look at the main types of highlighting available to you right now. You can combine these styles by layering them on top of each other, although visually this may not always look aesthetically pleasing on small smartphone screens. Most often, users resort to bolding for headings or important terms of the transaction.
To apply the effect, just enter characters in the message input field before the beginning of the phrase and after its end. You should not try to highlight an already sent message - editing the style is only possible at the typing stage or when using the function for editing a sent message (available within 15 minutes after sending).
Instructions: how to make text bold
The most popular function is text selection bold. It's ideal for indicating meeting topics, amounts of money, or critical alerts in chat. To activate this mode, you will need the asterisk symbol.
The process is extremely simple: enter an asterisk, immediately write the desired word or sentence, and close it with another asterisk. The system automatically recognizes the design and converts it when sending.
If you want to highlight an entire sentence, make sure there is no space between the last letter and the closing asterisk. Otherwise, the asterisk will appear at the end of the phrase as a regular character, and the text will remain standard. This method works on absolutely all versions of Android, from old KitKat to the newest Android 14.
If you forgot to put a closing character, just add it to the end of the message before sending - WhatsApp will automatically apply the style to all text between the characters.
☑️ Bold Algorithm
)Use italics and strikethrough text
In addition to bold font, the messenger supports italic style, which is often used to highlight quotes, thoughts out loud or ironic remarks. To activate italics, the underscore symbol is used. The logic of the operation is identical to the previous point: opening character, text, closing character.
Strikethrough text is a less popular, but useful function. to correct errors without deleting a message or to indicate completed tasks in the list. The tilde is a special marker here. This symbol on the smartphone keyboard is sometimes hidden in the additional punctuation menu, so finding it may take a couple of seconds.
Pay attention to the keyboard layout Gboard or SwiftKey section of numbers and symbols. If you often use formatting, it makes sense to remember the location of these buttons so as not to waste time searching for them during live correspondence.
⚠️ Attention: When using strikethrough text, make sure that you use the tilde (~), and not the wave sign or other similar symbols from the Cyrillic layout, otherwise the formatting will not be applied.
Code formatting and monospace font
For developers or those who want to highlight technical information, order numbers or quotes in a separate block, there is a monospace font mode. In this mode, all characters are the same width, making the text look like output from a console or code editor. It is activated using a back apostrophe (E key in the English layout).
A single back apostrophe highlights a word in a line, changing its font to monospace. This is useful for highlighting command names, variables, or specific terms. However, if you need to format a large block of text, it is better to use a triple backtick.
The triple character creates a separate visual block that is visually separated from the rest of the message by a gray background. This greatly improves the readability of long instructions or error logs that you share with colleagues. The text inside such a block retains its indentation and structure.
```This is an example of a block of code.
The formatting is preserved here.
```
Where can I find the backtick on the keyboard?
Usually it is found in the menu of additional characters (punctuation marks). On many keyboards, you need to press the ?123 button, then =\< to see the ` symbol (often located next to the number 1 or period).
Creating bulleted and numbered lists
WhatsApp allows you to structure information using lists, which turns a chaotic flow of messages into an orderly list of items. This is indispensable when creating shopping lists, daily plans or instructions for employees. There are two types of lists: bulleted and numbered.
To create a bulleted list, you must start the line with a hyphen, which must be followed by a space. After that, you enter the text of the item. To add the next item, you need to go to a new line (pressing Enter) and start again with a hyphen and a space. The system will automatically turn the hyphen into a neat dot marker.
Numbered lists work on a similar principle, but require the use of a number, a period, and a space at the beginning of the line. You can start with one and WhatsApp will continue numbering the next lines if you follow the format. This eliminates the need to manually enter the numbers 1, 2, 3, and so on.
| List type | Character at the beginning | Required element | Example result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marked | Hyphen (-) | Space after hyphen | • List item |
| Numbered | Number and dot (1.) | Space after dot | 1. List item |
| Nested (indentation) | Spaces before character | Minimum 3 spaces | • Subitem |
It is worth noting that nested lists (lists within lists) are also are supported. To create a subclause, simply add a few spaces before the hyphen or number. This allows you to create a multi-level structure of information directly in the chat window.
The main condition for lists to work is the presence of a space after the control character (hyphen or period). Without a space, the text will remain normal.
Alternative method through the context menu
Not all users know that the latest WhatsApp updates for Android have made it possible to format text without manually entering special characters. This method is more visual and convenient for those who do not want to remember combinations of characters. It works through the standard text selection context menu.
To use this method, type your message as usual, without worrying about styles. Then press and hold your finger on the piece of text you want to change. From the menu that appears, select "Select" (or simply hold the selection), and a toolbar will appear above the text.
In this panel you will see icons for bold, italic, strikethrough and monospace format. Clicking on the corresponding icon will instantly apply the style to the selected area. This method is especially convenient if you wrote a long message and decided to highlight the key idea only at the end of the text.
However, this method has a limitation: it is only available in relatively new versions of the application and on the latest versions of Android. If you have an old smartphone installed or you have not updated the messenger, you will have to use the method with special characters described above.
⚠️ Attention: The context menu interface may differ depending on the model of your smartphone (Samsung, Xiaomi, Pixel) and the Android shell version. If you do not see the formatting bar, try updating WhatsApp to the latest version via Google Play.
Common errors and ways to solve them
Even knowing the rules, users often encounter the fact that the text is not formatted. The most common reason is using the wrong characters. For example, using the Russian letter "T" instead of the English "T" in combinations does not matter for the text, but for special characters it is critical. The asterisk on the Russian layout may differ from the asterisk on the English layout in some keyboard fonts.
Another error is extra spaces. If you write text , the stars will remain visible and the text will be normal. Correct: text. It's also worth checking to see if you have "monospace font" enabled for all chat in your phone's accessibility settings, although this is rare.
If you copy text from another source (such as notes or a browser), hidden formatting characters may be copied along with the text, which conflict with WhatsApp rules. In this case, it is better to first paste the text into the input field, remove all unnecessary, and then re-add control characters.
☑️ Checking for broken formatting
FAQ: Answers to popular questions
Is it possible to highlight text in color in WhatsApp?
At the moment, the standard WhatsApp functionality does not support changing the text or background color of messages. You can only use a change in style (bold, italic) and a monospaced font. Colored text requires third-party modified versions of the application, the use of which is not recommended for security reasons.
Why doesn't text highlighting work on my Android?
Make sure you are using the current version of the messenger. Also make sure that you are entering characters from the English keyboard layout. On some custom keyboards, the characters may be non-standard, try using the standard Gboard keyboard to check.
How to make a header in WhatsApp?
There is no separate “Header” style. To imitate a title, use bold font (asterisks) in combination with monospaced font (backticks) or simply write the text in bold and capitalize. The combination Text will make it both bold and italic, which will also highlight it visually.
Will the formatting be preserved when forwarding a message?
Yes, when forwarding a message (Forward) all applied styles are saved. The recipient will see the text exactly as it was originally sent. However, when you copy text from a chat and paste it into another application, formatting may be lost depending on where you paste the text.