WhatsApp Fonts: Formatting Tricks & Fancy Text Styles
WhatsApp is one of the most-used messaging apps in the world, but most people don't know it supports multiple text formatting options. Beyond the built-in bold, italic, and strikethrough, you can also paste fancy Unicode fonts into WhatsApp messages for an entirely unique look.
This guide covers both WhatsApp's native formatting and how to use external font generators to take your messages to the next level.
WhatsApp's Built-in Text Formatting
WhatsApp supports four native formatting styles using simple character shortcuts:
Bold: Place asterisks around your text — *bold text*. This makes the text appear in bold weight. It's the most commonly used formatting option and works in both individual and group chats.
Italic: Use underscores — _italic text_. Italic text adds emphasis or indicates a different tone, like thoughts or whispered text.
Strikethrough: Use tildes — ~strikethrough~. This draws a line through the text, commonly used for corrections or humor. For more strikethrough styles, try the Strikethrough Generator.
Monospace: Use three backticks — ```monospace```. This switches to a fixed-width font, useful for sharing code, data, or creating visual contrast.
You can combine these: *_bold italic_* creates bold italic text. All formatting works on iOS, Android, WhatsApp Web, and the desktop app.
Using Fancy Fonts in WhatsApp
WhatsApp's built-in formatting is limited to four styles. For something more distinctive — cursive, gothic, bubble text, small caps, or any of dozens of other styles — you need Unicode characters.
The WhatsApp Fonts Generator on Fontlix provides 12 styles specifically tested and optimized for WhatsApp. Here's how to use them:
- Open the generator in your phone's browser.
- Type your message.
- Tap "Copy" on your preferred style.
- Switch to WhatsApp, open a chat, and paste.
The entire process takes about 10 seconds, and the styled text displays correctly for everyone in the chat — they don't need any special app or settings.
Best Font Styles for WhatsApp
Bold Sans (𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀): Similar to WhatsApp's native bold but with a cleaner, more modern look. Use it when you want bolder emphasis than WhatsApp's asterisk formatting provides.
Cursive (𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼): Adds warmth and personality to messages. Perfect for birthday wishes, congratulations, or any message where you want to convey care and thoughtfulness. Generate with the Cursive Text Generator.
Small Caps (ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ): Subtle and refined. Works well for names, labels, or any text where you want understated style. Try the Small Text Generator.
Outline (𝕃𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤): Eye-catching without being overwhelming. Great for announcements in group chats where you need people to pay attention.
Creative Uses in WhatsApp
Group chat announcements: Use bold or outline text for important messages in group chats. When everyone is chatting, a styled message breaks the visual monotony and signals importance.
Status updates: WhatsApp Status supports Unicode text. A cursive or styled status update stands out among plain-text updates in your contacts' Status feed.
Contact names: You can save contact names with Unicode characters. While this is purely for your own phone, it can help you categorize contacts or add visual flair to your contact list.
Business messages: If you use WhatsApp Business, styled text in quick replies and away messages adds a professional polish that distinguishes your business from others.
Compatibility Notes
WhatsApp has excellent Unicode support across all platforms — iOS, Android, Web, and Desktop. Characters from the Mathematical Alphanumeric Symbols block (bold, italic, cursive, double-struck) render consistently everywhere.
The main limitation is extremely complex characters like heavy zalgo text, which WhatsApp may simplify or strip. Stick to clean Unicode alphabets for reliable display.
Also note that WhatsApp's search function doesn't index Unicode characters the same way as regular text. If someone searches your chat history for a word you typed in fancy text, it may not appear in results. Use fancy text for emphasis and decoration, not for information someone might need to search for later.
Start Styling Your Messages
Try the WhatsApp Fonts Generator on Fontlix — 12 styles, free, instant, works on any phone.