WhatsApp text formatting: bold, italic, strikethrough and lists
The ArabyBot teamOfficial Meta partner · written from our own platform dataThe short answer
WhatsApp formats text with symbols around a word: *bold*, _italic_, ~strikethrough~ and ```monospace```, and a line starting - becomes a list. Type your message here, select a word and click a format, see it as the customer's phone shows it, then copy and paste it into WhatsApp.
Also asked as: «كيف أنسق رسالة واتساب» · «كيف أكتب رسالة تسويقية بشكل مرتب» · «ازاي أخلي الكلام بولد في واتساب»
The tool runs in your browser and stores nothing. The copied message carries the symbols; WhatsApp turns them into formatting when sent.
WhatsApp formatting symbols
| Format | Type | Shows as |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | *نص* | text |
| Italic | _نص_ | text |
| Strikethrough | ~نص~ | |
| Monospace | ```نص``` | text |
| Inline code | `نص` | text |
| Bullet list | - نص | • text |
| Numbered list | 1. نص | 1. text |
| Quote | > نص | ▎text |
Formatting makes a message readable in a second: the price bold, the old price struck through, the steps a list. On ArabyBot the AI agent writes its replies formatted with the same symbols, and they work in campaign templates too. Check the template before sending it to Meta.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the bold not show?
Because the symbol must touch the word: *hello* shows bold, * hello * with a space after the asterisk does not. It also fails when the symbol is glued to another letter before it.
Does formatting work in templates and campaigns?
Yes; a template body accepts bold, italic, strikethrough and monospace with the same symbols, and the customer sees them formatted. A text header does not accept formatting.
Does it work on WhatsApp Web and desktop?
Yes, the same symbols work on the phone, WhatsApp Web and the desktop app. On a phone you can also select a word and pick the format from the menu.
What are lists, quotes and inline code?
Formats WhatsApp added in 2024: a line starting - becomes a bullet, 1. a numbered list, > a quote, and a word between ` marks shows as code. Type the symbol, then a space.
Do you store what I type?
No. The tool runs entirely in your browser and sends nothing to our servers.
Try the agent before you pay anything
The agent that will answer your customers is the one answering you now: ask it from the chat button here or on WhatsApp. Your account is free with no credit card, and the free trial on your own number or page is activated after you contact our team on customer-service WhatsApp.