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Slack formatting guide

Slack Message Formatting Syntax (mrkdwn vs Markdown)

Slack uses mrkdwn, not standard Markdown: one asterisk for bold, underscores for italic, and angle-bracket links. Here is the full reference.

Direct answer

Slack uses its own mrkdwn syntax, not standard Markdown: *bold* with a single asterisk, _italic_ with underscores, ~strike~ with a single tilde, `code` and ```code blocks```, and <https://url|link text> for links. Standard Markdown like **bold** and [text](url) does not render in mrkdwn, so convert first.

Open Markdown to Slack converter

When to use this

  • You are writing a Slack message, bot message, or Slack app payload.
  • Your Markdown formatting shows literal asterisks or brackets in Slack.
  • You need the exact mrkdwn syntax for bold, italic, links, and code.

Steps

  1. Use a single asterisk for bold: *important*.
  2. Use underscores for italic: _emphasis_.
  3. Use a single tilde for strikethrough: ~old~.
  4. Use backticks for `inline code` and triple backticks for a code block.
  5. Write links as <https://example.com|link text>, not [link text](url).
  6. Convert standard Markdown to mrkdwn before pasting into a message or app payload.

Example conversion

Markdown input
# Deploy notes

**Shipped** the new editor and *fixed* the ~~broken~~ export.

See the [runbook](https://example.com/runbook) and run `npm run deploy`.
Slack mrkdwn output
*Deploy notes*

*Shipped* the new editor and _fixed_ the ~broken~ export.

See the <https://example.com/runbook|runbook> and run `npm run deploy`.

Common mistakes

  • Slack bold is one asterisk (*bold*), not two — **bold** shows literal asterisks in mrkdwn.
  • Slack has no heading syntax in mrkdwn; a Markdown heading becomes bold text.
  • Slack links are <url|text> with angle brackets, not Markdown [text](url).

FAQ

Does Slack use Markdown?
Not exactly. Slack uses mrkdwn, its own variant. Bold is a single asterisk, italic uses underscores, strikethrough is a single tilde, and links use <url|text>. Standard Markdown syntax does not render the same way.
Why does my Markdown show asterisks in Slack?
You likely used **bold** (standard Markdown). In mrkdwn, bold is a single asterisk, so the extra asterisks appear as literal text. Convert to mrkdwn first.
How do I write a link in a Slack message?
Use angle-bracket syntax: <https://example.com|link text>. Markdown-style [link text](url) is not valid mrkdwn and will show as plain text.

Related Markdown guides

Markdown for GitHub Comments

Related Markdown to Slack guides

Convert Markdown to Slack mrkdwn

Turn standard Markdown into Slack mrkdwn — bold, italic, strikethrough, links, and headings mapped to Slack's syntax.

How to Post Code Blocks in Slack

Use backticks for inline code and triple backticks for multi-line code blocks in Slack messages, and know what Slack does not support.

Slack Bold and Italic Not Working? Use mrkdwn

If **bold** or __italic__ shows literal symbols in Slack, you are using Markdown instead of mrkdwn. Here is the fix.

Paste Formatted Text Into Slack Without Breaking It

Move text from Markdown, Google Docs, or Notion into Slack cleanly by converting to mrkdwn or clearing carried-over formatting.

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.