Learn how to bold text in markdown using asterisks or underscores. Syntax, examples, platform support, and common mistakes.
Bold text in markdown is created by wrapping words with double asterisks (**) or double underscores (__). Bold draws attention to important words and phrases, making your content easier to scan.
The most common way to bold text. Works everywhere.
Alternative syntax. Some parsers don't support underscores mid-word.
Combine three asterisks for bold and italic simultaneously.
| Platform | Supported | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub | Yes | — |
| GitLab | Yes | — |
| Discord | Yes | Both ** and __ work |
| Slack | Yes | Uses *single asterisks* for bold |
| Yes | — | |
| Stack Overflow | Yes | — |
| Notion | Yes | — |
| Obsidian | Yes | — |
** bold text **
**bold text**
Spaces inside the asterisks will prevent bold from rendering. The asterisks must touch the text.
**bold text*
**bold text**
Mismatched asterisks — you need exactly two on each side for bold.
__bold__inword
**bold**inword
Underscores don't work mid-word on most platforms. Use asterisks instead.
Asterisks (**) work everywhere. Underscores (__) can fail mid-word on GitHub and other platforms.
If everything is bold, nothing stands out. Reserve bold for key terms, warnings, and important phrases.
Use three asterisks (***) for bold italic, or nest them: **this is _bold and italic_**.
***important note***
Everything you need to know.
Wrap text with double asterisks: **your text**. Most markdown editors also support Ctrl+B (or Cmd+B on Mac) as a keyboard shortcut.
Italic text in markdown is created by wrapping words with a single asterisk (*) or single underscore (_). Italics are used for emphasis, titles of works, technical terms, and foreign words.
Strikethrough in markdown is created by wrapping text with double tildes (~~). It renders as crossed-out text and is commonly used to show deleted content, corrections, or completed tasks.
Markdown headings are created with hash symbols (#). One hash for H1 (largest), two for H2, up to six for H6 (smallest). Headings structure your document and create a hierarchy that readers and search engines can follow.
Paste your markdown and see bold rendered instantly with professional themes.