I made this quick video to help people format their Reddit comments and posts using bold and italic text. Here’s the full tutorial:

Reddit uses Markdown formatting, which lets you style your text — even though it looks plain at first. Adding emphasis can make your posts easier to read and help key points stand out.

In the video, I explain how to do both:

  • Italics: wrap your text in one asterisk or underscore on each side
    Example:     *this is italic* or _this is italic_
  • Bold: wrap your text in two asterisks or underscores
    Example:     **this is bold** or __this is bold__

These work in both comments and post bodies, whether you’re replying to someone or starting a new thread.

I also show how Reddit’s fancy-pants editor (the visual editor) handles this formatting differently. You can highlight text and click the “B” or “I” buttons to format, but I always prefer Markdown for speed and reliability.

Using formatting wisely makes your writing stand out in long threads — just don’t overdo it. Too much bold or italics can be distracting.

Have you tried styling your Reddit posts before?