Telegram Text Formatter

Telegram formatting cheat sheet

These are Bot API formats. In the app itself, select text and use the formatting menu or shortcuts instead.

How to format text in Telegram

In the Telegram app, formatting comes from selecting text and choosing a style. Some apps may turn typed symbols into styles, but behaviour varies by app and version, and this tool does not rely on it.

Telegram markdown for bots and channels

The Bot API accepts two formats, MarkdownV2 and HTML, chosen with the parse_mode setting. MarkdownV2 is shorter to write, but these characters must be escaped with a backslash when they are meant as text: _ * [ ] ( ) ~ ` > # + - = | { } . ! and the backslash itself, while HTML only needs <, >, & and " written as entities.

A message like "Price: 5.99 - sale!" sent as MarkdownV2 fails with a "can't parse entities" error, because the dot, dash and exclamation mark are not escaped. In MarkdownV2 mode the checks panel points to each character, and Escape fixes the selection, or the whole text, in one click.

Message templates

Each template is shown in every Telegram text format this tool supports: MarkdownV2, HTML and styled letters. Use template loads the version for the mode you have selected, then replace the text in brackets.

• Channel announcement

  A short post for a channel with a headline, key details and a link.

  MarkdownV2

  *\[Announcement title\]*
  
  We are \[what is happening\] on __\[date\]__\.
  
  What to know:
  \- \[Detail one\]
  \- \[Detail two\]
  \- \[Detail three\]
  
  [Read the full update](https://example.com/update)

  HTML

  <b>[Announcement title]</b>
  
  We are [what is happening] on <u>[date]</u>.
  
  What to know:
  - [Detail one]
  - [Detail two]
  - [Detail three]
  
  <a href="https://example.com/update">Read the full update</a>

  Styled letters

  [𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲]
  
  We are [what is happening] on [̲d̲a̲t̲e̲]̲.
  
  What to know:
  - [Detail one]
  - [Detail two]
  - [Detail three]
  
  Read the full update (https://example.com/update)

  Use template

• Changelog or release notes

  Release notes for a bot, app or project, grouped by type of change.

  MarkdownV2

  *\[Product name\] \[version\]*
  
  __New__
  \- \[New feature\]
  \- \[Another new feature\]
  
  __Fixed__
  \- \[Bug that was fixed\]
  
  __Removed__
  \- ~\[Old option\]~ \[what replaces it\]
  
  Update with `[command]`\.

  HTML

  <b>[Product name] [version]</b>
  
  <u>New</u>
  - [New feature]
  - [Another new feature]
  
  <u>Fixed</u>
  - [Bug that was fixed]
  
  <u>Removed</u>
  - <s>[Old option]</s> [what replaces it]
  
  Update with <code>[command]</code>.

  Styled letters

  [𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲] [𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻]
  
  N̲e̲w̲
  - [New feature]
  - [Another new feature]
  
  F̲i̲x̲e̲d̲
  - [Bug that was fixed]
  
  R̲e̲m̲o̲v̲e̲d̲
  - [̶O̶l̶d̶ ̶o̶p̶t̶i̶o̶n̶]̶ [what replaces it]
  
  Update with [𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚍].

  Use template

• Giveaway rules

  Clear rules for a channel or group giveaway, with dates and how winners are picked.

  MarkdownV2

  *Giveaway: \[prize\]*
  
  _How to enter_
  1\. \[First step\]
  2\. \[Second step\]
  
  _Dates_
  Ends on \[date\] at \[time and time zone\]\.
  
  >Winners are picked \[how winners are picked\] and contacted by \[contact method\]\.
  [Full rules](https://example.com/rules)

  HTML

  <b>Giveaway: [prize]</b>
  
  <i>How to enter</i>
  1. [First step]
  2. [Second step]
  
  <i>Dates</i>
  Ends on [date] at [time and time zone].
  
  <blockquote>Winners are picked [how winners are picked] and contacted by [contact method].</blockquote>
  <a href="https://example.com/rules">Full rules</a>

  Styled letters

  Spoilers and quotes become plain text.

  𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆: [𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲]
  
  𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳
  1. [First step]
  2. [Second step]
  
  𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴
  Ends on [date] at [time and time zone].
  
  ❝ Winners are picked [how winners are picked] and contacted by [contact method].
  Full rules (https://example.com/rules)

  Use template

• Daily digest with a spoiler

  A daily roundup with a hidden answer or surprise behind a spoiler.

  MarkdownV2

  *Daily digest: \[date\]*
  
  1\. \[First story in one line\]
  2\. \[Second story in one line\]
  3\. \[Third story in one line\]
  
  _Question of the day:_ \[question\]
  Answer: ||\[answer\]||
  >\[Longer background or notes for readers who want more detail\.\]
  >\[More detail that stays folded until tapped\.\]||

  HTML

  <b>Daily digest: [date]</b>
  
  1. [First story in one line]
  2. [Second story in one line]
  3. [Third story in one line]
  
  <i>Question of the day:</i> [question]
  Answer: <tg-spoiler>[answer]</tg-spoiler>
  <blockquote expandable>[Longer background or notes for readers who want more detail.]
  [More detail that stays folded until tapped.]</blockquote>

  Styled letters

  Spoilers and quotes become plain text.

  𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁: [𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲]
  
  1. [First story in one line]
  2. [Second story in one line]
  3. [Third story in one line]
  
  𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺: [question]
  Answer: [answer]
  ❝ [Longer background or notes for readers who want more detail.]
  ❝ [More detail that stays folded until tapped.]

  Use template

• Bot welcome message

  The first message a bot sends after someone starts it, with the main commands.

  MarkdownV2

  *Welcome to \[bot name\]\!*
  
  I can help you \[what the bot does\]\.
  
  Try these commands:
  `/start` \[what it does\]
  `/help` \[what it does\]
  `/settings` \[what it does\]
  
  Questions? See the [help page](https://example.com/help)\.

  HTML

  <b>Welcome to [bot name]!</b>
  
  I can help you [what the bot does].
  
  Try these commands:
  <code>/start</code> [what it does]
  <code>/help</code> [what it does]
  <code>/settings</code> [what it does]
  
  Questions? See the <a href="https://example.com/help">help page</a>.

  Styled letters

  𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 [𝗯𝗼𝘁 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲]!
  
  I can help you [what the bot does].
  
  Try these commands:
  /𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝 [what it does]
  /𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚙 [what it does]
  /𝚜𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 [what it does]
  
  Questions? See the help page (https://example.com/help).

  Use template

• Code snippet help request

  Ask a developer group for help with a code block and the error you see.

  MarkdownV2

  *Help needed: \[short problem summary\]*
  
  I am using `[language or library] [version]` and get this error:
  ```
  [paste the error message here]
  ```
  Here is the code:
  ```python
  def example():
      return "[your code here]"
  ```
  What I tried: \[what you tried\]

  HTML

  <b>Help needed: [short problem summary]</b>
  
  I am using <code>[language or library] [version]</code> and get this error:
  <pre>[paste the error message here]</pre>
  Here is the code:
  <pre><code class="language-python">def example():
      return &quot;[your code here]&quot;</code></pre>
  What I tried: [what you tried]

  Styled letters

  𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱: [𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆]
  
  I am using [𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚞𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚘𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚛𝚢] [𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗] and get this error:
  [𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎]
  Here is the code:
  𝚍𝚎𝚏 𝚎𝚡𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎():
      𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗 "[𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚘𝚍𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎]"
  What I tried: [what you tried]

  Use template

Styled letters or real formatting?

Styled letters are what a Telegram font generator makes: Unicode symbols that look bold, italic or monospace, so they paste into chats, bios and channel names without a bot. Spoilers, quotes and links cannot be made this way, so this mode shows them as plain text.

Real formatting from the app's menu or the Bot API keeps the words as normal text, so they can be searched, copied cleanly and read aloud by screen readers. Use it whenever you can, and keep styled letters for a few words where real formatting is not available.

Frequently asked questions

Related tools

• WhatsApp Text FormatterBold, italic and a chat preview for WhatsApp.
• Instagram Text FormatterStyled letters for captions and bios.
• LinkedIn Text FormatterBold and italic for LinkedIn posts.
• Fancy Text GeneratorBold, italic, script and other Unicode styles to copy.