WhatsApp has become one of the most widely used messaging platforms, allowing people to stay connected effortlessly. While we all know how to send plain text messages, did you know that WhatsApp allows you to format your text? This can be a game-changer, especially when you want to highlight certain parts of your message, express emphasis, or even show a correction.

Formatting text makes your communication more straightforward and engaging, whether chatting with friends or sending professional messages. In this guide, we'll walk you through how to use bold, italics, underline, strikethrough, and other formatting options to enhance your WhatsApp conversations and make them more eye-catching.

Why Text Formatting on WhatsApp Matters

When we communicate online, the lack of tone and body language can sometimes lead to misunderstandings. Text formatting can help bridge this gap, allowing you to convey the right tone and emotions behind your words. Learn how to apply WhatsApp text formatting styles effectively.

In both personal and professional settings, text formatting on WhatsApp can improve communication by:

• Enhancing clarity to understand the way you intend.

• Draw attention to key details or important instructions.

• It makes your messages look better and easier for others to understand quickly.

How to Bold Text on WhatsApp

Bold text is a way to make certain words or phrases stand out in your message. Using bold text helps the reader immediately notice key information, making it easier to focus on what's essential in your message. This is incredibly easy and doesn’t require any special tools or apps. Here’s how you can do it:

Step 1: Launch WhatsApp and open a conversation where you want to send a message with bold text.

Step 2: Write your message as you usually would.

Step 3: Add asterisks around the text: To make a word or phrase bold, you must enclose it with asterisks (*). Let’s say you want to make the word “important” bold — just type it like this: *important*

Step 4: Once you send the message, the text inside the asterisks will appear bold to the recipient. Like this important

When to Use Bold Text

Bold text is best used sparingly. Here are a few moments when using this can make a real difference:

• Highlighting important words when you want your reader to focus on specific parts of the message

• Clarifying instructions, when you give step-by-step directions, bolding each step helps them understand easily.

• Adding a touch of emotion to your messages makes them easier to read and more engaging to look at.

How to Use Italics on WhatsApp

Italics are typically used to emphasise a word or phrase less forcefully than bold text. They can also indicate something meant to be read with a specific tone, like a thought, an inner reflection, or something that requires a softer emphasis. Just like bold text, adding italics to your WhatsApp messages is simple. Here's how:

Step 1: Launch the WhatsApp app and navigate to the chat where you wish to send your italicised message.

Step 2: Type out the message you’d like to send.

Step 3: To make a word or phrase italic, just place underscores (_) before and after it. For instance, if you want to make the word “hello” appear in italics, simply type it like this: _hello_

Step 4: Once you send the message, the text inside the underscores will appear italicised to the recipient. Like this “hello”

When to Use Italics

Italics are best used when you want to add nuance or make something stand out in a less obvious way than bold. Here’s when italics are especially effective:

• Emphasising soft tones, when you want to highlight a word or phrase, but don’t want to sound too forceful.

• Italics are often used for titles of books, movies, and quotes, giving them a distinctive look.

• In informal conversations, italics can show inner thoughts or a personal touch.

Can You Underline Text on WhatsApp?

Currently, WhatsApp does not support underlining text directly within the app. Unlike bold or italics, there’s no native formatting option to add underlines to your messages. However, you can use a couple of workarounds to highlight important text or emphasise a point in your message.

Alternative Methods for Underlining Text on WhatsApp

Some third-party apps allow you to generate text with underlines or other formatting options, which you can copy and paste into WhatsApp. These apps convert your text into a special format that includes underlines.

How to Strikethrough Text on WhatsApp

Strikethrough text often shows corrections, deletions, or changes in a message. Strikethrough is especially helpful when you want to show that something has been changed or removed, without completely erasing it. Adding strikethrough text on WhatsApp is simple, just like bold and italics. Here’s how you can do it:

• Write your message in the text box.

• To apply a strikethrough, enclose the word or phrase with tildes (~). For example, to strike through the word "mistake", you would type: ~mistake~

• Once you send the message, the word or phrase inside the tildes will appear with a line through it. (like: mistake)

When to Use Strikethrough

Here are some situations where strikethrough text proves helpful:

• If you’ve made a mistake in your message, you can strike through the wrong part and offer the correct information.

• In professional conversations, a strikethrough helps show updates or modifications without deleting the original message.

• In informal or playful chats, a strikethrough can show a humorous edit or change, adding a bit of personality to your messages.

Additional WhatsApp Text Formatting Tips

Now let's explore how you can use the text formatting more uniquely and attractively: 

1. Combining Multiple Formats

WhatsApp allows you to use multiple text formatting styles in a single message. You’re not limited to just one combination of bold, italics, and strikethrough to add more emphasis and express yourself more clearly. Here's how you can combine them:

• Bold and Italic

If you want to add extra emphasis, combine bold and italics. For instance, you can use both if you highlight a critical word or phrase and want it to stand out. Example: *_important_*

This will make the word "important" both bold and italicised.

• Bold and Strikethrough

You can combine bold text with a strikethrough to show something that was once important but has since changed or been cancelled. Example: ~*canceled*~

This will cross out the word "cancelled" and make it bold for extra visibility.

• Italics and Strikethrough

This combination can show that something was once considered but is now discarded with a softer touch. Example: ~_old idea_~

Here, "old idea" is crossed out and italicised, indicating it was once considered but is no longer relevant.

2. Using Emojis with Formatted Text

In addition to text formatting, emojis are a fun and colourful way to enhance your WhatsApp messages. Combining them with formatted text creates more dynamic and engaging messages. Here’s how you can do it:

Use bold or italics alongside emojis to give your message a playful or serious tone. For example: Important: Meeting at 10 AM ⏰. Emojis can also help clarify the tone of the message. 

Avoid Overuse of Formatting

While it’s fun to experiment with different formats, it’s important to remember that overusing text formatting and emojis can make your message look cluttered. Understand why:

• Too much formatting can distract from the main message and make it harder to read.

• Use text formatting only to highlight key points or emphasise important information.

• Keep your messages clean and readable by sticking to one or two formatting styles at most.

• If you use emojis, make sure they complement your text rather than overwhelm it.

• Remember, formatting should enhance your message, not complicate it.

Conclusion

WhatsApp text formatting offers a simple yet powerful way to enhance communication. Using bold, italics, and strikethrough, you can emphasise important information, correct mistakes, and make your messages stand out. Although WhatsApp doesn’t support underlining directly, creative alternatives such as symbols can still help highlight key points.

Text formatting improves clarity and helps set the right tone in your conversations. Using these formatting tools can make a big difference in how your message is received. Remember to use formatting strategically, keeping it clean and simple to ensure your message remains easy to read and effective.