Format your messages
Message formatting helps add detail and clarity to communication in Slack. When you use Slack's automatic formatting, you’ll see exactly what your messages look like before you send them, and you can even add multiple formatting options to the same selection of text.
If you'd prefer to format your messages with markup instead of automatic formatting on desktop, visit Use markup to format your messages.
Add formatting to your messages
Desktop
Mobile
If you're using Slack's automatic formatting on desktop, there are three ways to format your messages:
- Use the formatting toolbar in the message field
- Use keyboard shortcuts to format selected text
- Surround text with the symbols associated with each format
Note: To display or hide the formatting toolbar, click the text icon in the bottom-right corner of the message field.
Bold
- Select text, then click the bold icon in the formatting toolbar
- Select text, then press ⌘B on Mac or CtrlB on Windows/Linux
- Surround your text with asterisks: *your text*
Italic
- Select text, then click the italic icon in the formatting toolbar
- Select text, then press ⌘I on Mac or CtrlI on Windows/Linux
- Surround your text with underscores: _your text_
Strikethrough
- Select text, then click the strikethrough icon in the formatting toolbar
- Select text, then press ⌘ShiftX on Mac or CtrlShiftX on Windows/Linux
- Surround your text with tildes: ~your text~
Inline code
One word or one line:
- Select text, then click the code icon in the formatting toolbar
- Select text, then press ⌘ShiftC on Mac or CtrlShiftC on Windows/Linux
- Surround your text with backtick symbols (`):
`Format one word or one line`
Blocks of text:
- Select text, then click the code block icon in the formatting toolbar
- Select text, then press ⌘OptionShiftC on Mac or CtrlAltShiftC on Windows/Linux
- Begin your text with triple backticks (```):
```Format blocks of text
Note: Other formatting, like bold or italic text, will not display in code block. For enhanced code sharing, we suggest creating a snippet.
Blockquote
- Select text, then click the blockquote icon in the formatting toolbar
- Select text, then press ⌘Shift9 on Mac or CtrlShift9 on Windows/Linux
- Begin your text with angled brackets (>):
> Quote one or multiple sentences
Press ShiftEnter to create a new pre-formatted line
Lists
Ordered list:
- Select text, then click the ordered list icon in the formatting toolbar
- Select text, then press⌘Shift7 on Mac or CtrlShift7 on Windows/Linux
- Begin your message with 1, followed by a period (1.) and press Space
Press ShiftEnter to create a new pre-formatted line
Bulleted list:
- Select text, then click the bulleted list icon in the formatting toolbar
- Select text, then press ⌘Shift8 on Mac or CtrlShift8 on Windows/Linux
- Begin your message with a bullet (•) by typing an asterisk (*)
Press ShiftEnter to create a new pre-formatted line
Link
- Select text, then click the link icon in the formatting toolbar
- Select text, then press ⌘ShiftU on Mac or CtrlShiftU on Windows/Linux.
Copy the link you'd like to share and paste it in the empty field under Link, then click Save.
To quickly create hyperlinks, you can also copy a link, select text in Slack, then press ⌘V (Mac) or CtrlV (Windows/Linux).
Note: The following formatting options work as described when using full-width (JP) input mode. When using half-width (EN) input mode, you'll need to add spaces before and after the formatting symbols.
On mobile, there are two ways to format your messages:
- Use the formatting toolbar in the message field
- Surround text with the symbols associated with certain formats
Note: To display the formatting toolbar, tap the text icon at the bottom of the message field. To hide it, tap the icon on iOS or the icon on Android.
Bold
- Select text, then tap the bold icon in the formatting toolbar
- Surround your text with asterisks: *your text*
Italic
- Select text, then tap the italic icon in the formatting toolbar
- Surround your text with underscores: _your text_
Strikethrough
- Select text, then tap the strikethrough icon in the formatting toolbar
- Surround your text with tildes: ~your text~
Inline code
One word or one line:
- Select text, then tap the code icon in the formatting toolbar
- Surround your text with backtick symbols (`):
`Format one word or one line`
Blocks of text:
- Select text, then tap the code block icon in the formatting toolbar
Blockquote
- Select text, then tap the blockquote icon in the formatting toolbar
Lists
Ordered list:
- Select text, then tap the ordered list icon in the formatting toolbar
Bulleted list:
- Select text, then tap the bulleted list icon in the formatting toolbar
Link
- Select text, then tap the link icon in the formatting toolbar
Copy the link you'd like to share and paste it in the empty field under Add Link, then tap Save.
Tip: When you copy and paste formatted messages into Slack, the formatting is retained. To quickly apply new formatting, press ⌘ShiftF (Mac) or CtrlShiftF (Windows/Linux). To undo formatting, press ⌘Z or CtrlZ.