What is it?
The WhatsApp Text Formatter adds WhatsApp’s formatting symbols for you and shows a live preview under How it looks in WhatsApp.
Who is it for?
Shop owners writing price lists and order updates, admins posting group announcements, teachers sending homework, and anyone who wants important words in bold or a neat list, but doesn’t remember WhatsApp’s symbols or keeps getting stars instead of bold.
How to use it
- Type or paste your message.
- Select words and tap a format, or type the symbols yourself.
- Check How it looks in WhatsApp, then Copy message or Send in WhatsApp.
The symbols WhatsApp understands
- Bold:
*text*· Italic:_text_·Strikethrough:~text~ - Monospace:
```text```· Inline code:`text` - Bulleted list: a line starting with
-or*· Numbered list:1.· Quote: a line starting with>
It shows *stars* instead of bold
- There is a space just inside the symbol:
* text*does not work,*text*does. - The symbol is stuck to a letter outside:
a*text*may not format. Put a space or punctuation before it. - Lists, quotes and inline code need an updated WhatsApp; older versions show the symbols as they are.
- Formatting works in messages, captions and group descriptions, but not in your profile name.
Sending it
Use Copy message and paste it into any chat, or Send in WhatsApp to open WhatsApp with the message filled in. Formatting also works in WhatsApp Business quick replies and greeting messages.
Worked example
An order confirmation written as:
*Order #1042 confirmed* ✅ _Delivery:_ Tomorrow, 10 am–1 pm - 2 kg Basmati rice - 1 L Mustard oil > Pay on delivery or UPI
shows a bold heading, an italic label, a bulleted list and a quoted note in WhatsApp.
Where it’s most useful
- Shop price lists, order updates and broadcast messages.
- Group announcements and rules (bold the important line).
- WhatsApp Business quick replies.
Errors and how to fix them
- Stars or underscores show instead of formatting: no space must be inside the symbols, and the word should start after a space or the start of the line.
- Lists and quotes don’t format: update WhatsApp; older versions only support bold, italic, strike and monospace.
- Formatting is lost after forwarding: some forwarded or copied messages lose symbols; send it fresh from the tool.
- Send in WhatsApp opens nothing: on a computer, WhatsApp Desktop or Web must be available; otherwise use Copy message.
Open the tool: WhatsApp Text Formatter
Still stuck?
Contact support. Tell us which tool or page you were using, what you tapped, what you saw, and your phone or computer and browser (for example: Android phone, Chrome). We reply by email.
Questions, or an error not listed here?
Tell us in the comments: what you were doing, the exact message you saw, and your device and browser. We read every comment and add new fixes to this article.