Reddit formatting reference for posts and comments

Reddit formatting is mostly Markdown, but rendering differs between new Reddit, old Reddit, mobile apps, and the Fancy Pants editor. This page gives the quick version and links to the complete guide.

Short answer

Use double asterisks for bold, single asterisks for italic, greater-than for quotes, hyphen-space for bullets, numbered lines for ordered lists, backticks for code, and standard Markdown links for URLs.

Open the full guide
See Reddit CMS

Quick Reddit Markdown cheat sheet

Most common formatting needs are handled with a small set of Markdown patterns. Always preview before posting because Reddit clients can render edge cases differently.

• bold for bold text
• italic for italic text

• quote for block quotes

• code for inline code

Lists and spacing

List formatting fails most often because there is no blank line before the list. Put an empty line before bullets or numbered steps, then use a hyphen or number at the start of each line.

• Use hyphen-space for bullets
• Use 1. for numbered lists
• Add a blank line before lists
• Keep nested lists simple

Formatting for marketing posts

Readable Reddit posts usually use short paragraphs, plain language, useful headings, and limited links. Overformatted promotional posts often look less native.

• Use formatting to clarify, not decorate
• Keep links relevant
• Avoid giant walls of text
• Match the subreddit tone

Comparison table

FAQ

Common questions

These answers are structured for search and AI citation, while still giving buyers a useful summary before they click into the deeper guides.

How do I format text on Reddit?

Use Markdown syntax: double asterisks for bold, single asterisks for italic, hyphen-space for bullets, greater-than for quotes, and backticks for code.

Why is my Reddit formatting not working?

The most common causes are missing blank lines before lists, switching between Fancy Pants and Markdown mode, mobile app differences, or hidden formatting from pasted text.