Discord Text Styling: Tips and Tricks (2024)

Discord has become a popular platform for communication, offering various features to enhance your messaging experience. One of these features is text styling, which allows you to add flair and emphasis to your messages. Let's explore the different ways you can style your text on Discord to make your conversations more engaging and expressive.

Basic text formatting

Discord supports several basic text formatting options that you can use to highlight important information or add emphasis to your words. These are easy to apply and can make your messages stand out.

Bold text

To make your text bold, simply surround the words with two asterisks on each side. For example:

**This text will appear bold**

Italic text

For italics, use a single asterisk or underscore on each side of the text:

*This text will be italicized*
_This will also be in italics_

Underlined text

To underline your text, use two underscores on each side:

__This text will be underlined__

Combining text styles

You can combine different text styles to create more eye-catching messages. Here are some examples:

Strikethrough text

Strikethrough can be useful for showing changes or corrections in your messages. To apply strikethrough, use two tildes on each side of the text:

~~This text will have a line through it~~

Code blocks

Discord also allows you to format text as code, which is particularly useful for sharing snippets or commands. There are two ways to do this:

Inline code

For short code snippets within a sentence, use a single backtick (`) on each side:

Use the `print()` function to display text in Python.

Multi-line code blocks

For longer code snippets or multiple lines, use three backticks (```) before and after the code block:

```
def greet(name):
print(f"Hello, {name}!")

greet("Discord user")
```

Spoiler tags

Spoiler tags are great for hiding content that some users might not want to see immediately. To create a spoiler, use two vertical bars (||) on each side of the text:

||This text will be hidden until clicked||

Quotes

Quoting text can help organize conversations and respond to specific points. To create a quote, use the greater-than symbol (>) at the beginning of the line:

> This text will appear as a quote

For multi-line quotes, use three greater-than symbols (>>>):

>>> This is a multi-line quote
It can span multiple lines
Without needing additional symbols

Headers

While Discord doesn't support traditional HTML headers, you can create header-like text using a combination of bold formatting and different font sizes:

**# Large header**
**## Medium header**
**### Small header**

Custom text colors

Discord doesn't natively support custom text colors in messages. However, you can use role colors to change the color of your name, which affects how your messages appear in the chat.

Tips for effective text styling

While text styling can enhance your messages, it's important to use these features judiciously. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Don't overuse styling: Too much formatting can make your messages hard to read.
Use bold for important information or key points.
Apply italics for emphasis or to indicate titles.
Use code blocks when sharing code snippets or commands.
Employ spoiler tags for sensitive information or potential spoilers.

Keyboard shortcuts

To speed up your text styling, you can use these keyboard shortcuts:

Ctrl + B (Cmd + B on Mac): Bold
Ctrl + I (Cmd + I on Mac): Italic
Ctrl + U (Cmd + U on Mac): Underline
Ctrl + Shift + M: Strikethrough

Mobile text styling

All the text styling options mentioned above work on Discord's mobile app as well. However, since mobile keyboards don't have the same shortcuts, you'll need to manually type the formatting characters.

Text styling in different Discord channels

Keep in mind that text styling may be more appropriate in some channels than others. For example:

Use code blocks in programming-related channels
Apply spoiler tags in channels discussing books, movies, or games
Utilize quotes in discussion or debate channels

Accessibility considerations

When using text styling, consider how it might affect users who rely on screen readers or have visual impairments. Excessive use of formatting can make it difficult for these users to understand your messages.

Discord Markdown

Discord's text styling is based on Markdown, a lightweight markup language. If you're familiar with Markdown from other platforms, you'll find Discord's styling options intuitive and easy to use.

Text styling etiquette

Different Discord communities may have their own rules or preferences regarding text styling. It's a good idea to observe how others use formatting in a server before applying extensive styling to your own messages.

Troubleshooting text styling issues

If your text styling isn't working as expected, try these troubleshooting steps:

Ensure there are no spaces between the formatting characters and your text
Check that you've closed all formatting tags properly
Verify that you're using the correct characters for each style
Make sure your Discord app is up to date

Future of Discord text styling

Discord regularly updates its features, so keep an eye out for potential new text styling options in the future. The platform might introduce more advanced formatting tools or even custom styling options for servers.

By mastering these text styling techniques, you can enhance your Discord communication and make your messages more engaging and effective. Remember to use these tools thoughtfully, and you'll be able to express yourself more clearly and creatively in your Discord conversations.