How to Use Text Effects on WhatsApp on Android

This wikiHow teaches you how to make your message text appear in bold, italics, or strikethrough in a WhatsApp chat conversation, using Android.

Edit10 Second Summary

1. Open WhatsApp on your Android.
2. Tap on a chat.
3. Tap Type a message at the bottom.
4. Type a message between two *asterisks* for bold.
5. Type a message between two _underscores_ for italics.
6. Type a message between two ~tilde marks~ for strikethrough.
7. Tap the Send button.

EditSteps

1. Open WhatsApp Messenger on your Android. The WhatsApp icon looks like a green speech bubble with a white telephone in it. WhatsApp will open up to your CHATS tab.
   
   • If WhatsApp opens up to a conversation, tap the back button to go back CHATS.
2. Tap on a contact on your CHATS list. The CHATS tab shows you a list of all your recent personal and group conversations. Selecting a conversation will open the chat in full-screen.
   
   • Alternatively, you can click the green-and-white speech bubble icon in the lower-left corner of your screen. It will bring up your contacts list, and let you select a contact to start a new conversation.
3. Tap the message field. It reads "Type a message" at the bottom of the conversation. Tapping will bring up your keyboard.
   
4. Switch to your keyboard's special character keys. Special characters include asterisks, dashes, and various punctuations such as question and exclamation marks. You will need to type your message between two special characters in order to use text effects.
   
   • If you're using a Google keyboard, tap the ?123 button in the lower-left corner of your keyboard to switch to special characters. On other devices, this button may appear as Sym, or another combination of special characters.
5. Hit the button twice for bold. Two asterisk marks on each side will make your message appear in bold text.
   
6. Hit the button twice for italics. Two underscores on each side will make your message text appear in italics.
   
7. Hit the button twice for strikethrough. Two tilde marks on each side will draw a strikethrough line on your message text.
   
   • If you don't see a tilde mark in your special characters, tap the =\< button to check the second page of your special character keyboard. On some devices, this button may appear as 1/2, or a different combination of special characters.
8. Switch back to your standard keyboard letters. You can now type your message using your standard keyboard.
   
   • On most devices, you can switch to your standard keyboard letters by tapping ABC in the lower-left or lower-right corner of your screen.
9. Tap between the special characters in the message field. You will need to type your message between the two special characters you've entered (asterisk, underscore, or tilde) in order to make it bold, italics, or strikethrough.
   
10. Enter your message between the two special characters. Use your keyboard to type a message, or paste text into the message field from your clipboard.
    
11. Tap the Send button. This button looks like a green-and-white paper plane icon next to the message field. It will send your chat message. Your message will appear bold, italics, and/or strikethrough in the chat conversation.
    
    • Special characters you've typed in the message field will not be visible in the chat once you send your message.