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Slack formatting guide

How to Make Bullet Points and Lists in Slack

Create bullet points and numbered lists in Slack using the composer's list buttons or literal bullet characters for bot messages.

Direct answer

In the Slack message composer, type - or 1. and Slack creates a bulleted or numbered list, or use the list buttons in the formatting toolbar. For bot and app messages, mrkdwn has no list syntax, so use a literal bullet character (•) at the start of each line.

Open Markdown to Slack converter

When to use this

  • You want a bulleted or numbered list in a Slack message.
  • Your Markdown dash list did not render as bullets in a bot message.
  • You are formatting a Slack app or workflow message payload.

Steps

  1. In the composer, start a line with - or * for a bullet, or 1. for a numbered list.
  2. Press Enter to continue the list; Slack keeps the formatting.
  3. Or use the bulleted/numbered list buttons in the formatting toolbar.
  4. For bot and API messages, prefix each line with a bullet character: • item.
  5. Keep list items short, since Slack does not deeply indent nested lists.

Example conversion

Markdown input
Agenda:

- Metrics review
- Launch blockers
- Q&A
Slack mrkdwn output
Agenda:

• Metrics review
• Launch blockers
• Q&A

Common mistakes

  • Classic mrkdwn for bots has no list syntax, so a dash stays a dash unless you use a real bullet character.
  • Nested and deeply indented lists do not render reliably; keep lists flat.
  • The composer's live list formatting is not the same as the mrkdwn a bot sends, so test app messages separately.

FAQ

How do I add bullet points in Slack?
In the message composer, start a line with a dash or use the bulleted list button. For bot or app messages, put a bullet character (•) at the start of each line since mrkdwn has no list syntax.
Why do my Markdown bullets not show in Slack?
In bot and API messages, mrkdwn does not convert - item into a styled bullet. Use a literal • character, or rely on the composer's list button when typing by hand.
Can I make a numbered list in Slack?
Yes. Type 1. at the start of a line in the composer, or use the numbered list button. For bot messages, write the numbers yourself at the start of each line.

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