How to Bold Text in Discord (Quick Guide)

Whether you are trying to make an important server announcement stand out, highlighting a crucial raid time, or just adding a little punch to your chat messages, knowing how to bold text in Discord is an essential skill.

Discord uses a lightweight plain text formatting system called Markdown, making it incredibly easy to style your words across desktop, web, and mobile apps. Here is everything you need to know to start bolding your text instantly.

Method 1: The Markdown Shortcut (Works Everywhere)

The fastest and most universal way to bold text—whether you are on a PC, Mac, iPhone, or Android device—is by using double asterisks.

• How to do it: Type two asterisks (**) directly before and after the text you want to emphasize, with no spaces between the asterisks and your words.
• Example: **This text will be bold**
• Result: This text will be bold

Method 2: Desktop Keyboard Shortcuts

If you prefer using your keyboard rather than typing out symbols manually, desktop and web users can take advantage of standard formatting shortcuts:

1. Type your message into the chat box.
2. Highlight the specific word or phrase you want to change using your mouse or cursor.
3. Press Ctrl + B (Windows / Linux) or Cmd + B (Mac). Discord will automatically wrap your selection in the necessary markdown tags.

Method 3: Using the Mobile and Desktop Toolbar

If you don’t want to memorize shortcuts or symbols, Discord also features an interactive visual toolbar:

• On Desktop/Web: Highlight any text inside the chat box to bring up a floating menu with quick-click icons for bolding, italicizing, and adding code blocks.
• On Mobile (iOS & Android): Tap and hold your typed text to open your phone’s native text selection menu, then tap the formatting options to apply bold styling instantly.

Pro-Tips: Combining Bold with Other Styles

Want to take your formatting a step further? You can nest Discord’s Markdown markers to combine bold with italics, underlines, or strikethroughs.

| Style Combination | Markdown Syntax | How it Renders |
| :— | :— | :— |
| Bold & Italic | ***bold and italic*** | bold and italic |
| Underline & Bold | __**underlined bold**__ | underlined bold |
| Bold & Strikethrough | **~~crossed-out bold~~** | ~~crossed-out bold~~ |

Note: When combining underlines with other styles, always place the double underscores (__) on the outside of your other markers.