Markdown Italic Syntax
The complete guide to italic text in Markdown. Covers the core *text* syntax, bold + italic, asterisks vs underscores, platform quirks, HTML fallbacks, and the mistakes that break it.
Basic Syntax
Wrap the text in one asterisk on each side. The asterisk must touch the first and last character - no spaces between the marker and the word.
*This text is italic.*This text is italic.
Bold + Italic
Use three asterisks or three underscores around the text. You can also nest one style inside the other if you need to mix markers.
***This text is bold and italic.***This text is bold and italic.
**_bold italic_**bold italic
Asterisks vs Underscores
Markdown accepts both *text* and _text_. They produce the same visual result. Asterisks are the safer default because underscores conflict with underscores in file names, identifiers, and URLs.
_This text is also italic._This text is also italic.
_my_file_name_ can fail in some parsers. Prefer *my_file_name* when the text contains underscores.Platform Variations
Most platforms use *text*. Slack is the main exception: its mrkdwn format uses a single underscore for italic and a single asterisk for bold.
*italic text*italic text
Single asterisks render italic in standard Markdown and GFM-based platforms.
_italic text_Slack mrkdwn uses a single underscore for italic and a single asterisk for bold.
HTML Fallback
If a renderer does not support Markdown emphasis, use inline HTML. Choose <em> for semantic emphasis or <i> for purely presentational italic.
<em>This is semantic emphasis.</em>This is semantic emphasis.
Semantic emphasis. Prefer this over <i>.
<i>This is presentational italic.</i>This is presentational italic.
Presentational italic. Use only when <em> semantics are wrong.
Reddit, Slack, and Discord strip or ignore inline HTML, so these fallbacks only help in document-based renderers like GitHub, GitLab, Obsidian, VS Code, and static-site generators.
Common Mistakes
The most frequent ways italic formatting fails. Each row shows the broken version and the corrected one side by side.
Broken
* italic text *Fixed
*italic text*Broken
**italic text**Fixed
*italic text*Broken
_my_file_name_Fixed
*my_file_name*Broken
*italic textFixed
*italic text*Broken
*italic*more italic*Fixed
*italic* and *more italic*Quick Reference
| Syntax | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| *text* | Italic | Most common syntax |
| _text_ | Italic | Underscore variant |
| ***text*** | Bold + italic | Three delimiters on each side |
| **_text_** | Bold + italic | Nested style, also valid |
| <em>text</em> | Italic | HTML semantic fallback |
Platform Support
Italic is one of the most widely supported Markdown features. The main variable is Slack, which flips the underscore and asterisk meanings.
| Platform | Supported? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub | Yes | *text* or _text_ both render italic. |
| GitLab | Yes | Same as GitHub Flavored Markdown. |
| Reddit (new) | Yes | *text* works in new Reddit and official apps. |
| Reddit (old) | Yes | *text* works in old Reddit's snudown parser. |
| Discord | Yes | *text* for italic; **text** for bold. |
| Slack | Yes | _text_ for italic in mrkdwn. *text* renders bold. |
| Notion | Yes | Pasting *text* or _text_ converts to italic formatting. |
| Obsidian | Yes | Renders single-asterisk italic in Live Preview and Reading view. |
| VS Code preview | Yes | Built-in preview supports standard italic syntax. |
| CommonMark | Yes | Emphasis is part of the CommonMark spec. |
| Docusaurus / VitePress / Astro | Yes | Remark plugins apply italic formatting. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you italicize text in Markdown?
Wrap the text in one asterisk: *italic text*. You can also use one underscore: _italic text_. Both render as italic in most Markdown parsers.
Is italic text part of standard Markdown?
Yes. Emphasis (italic) is part of the CommonMark specification. It is implemented with single asterisks or single underscores.
What is the difference between asterisks and underscores for italic?
Functionally, *text* and _text_ produce the same italic output. The practical difference is that underscores can conflict with underscores inside words or identifiers, such as my_file_name. Asterisks avoid this problem.
How do you make text bold and italic in Markdown?
Use three asterisks or three underscores around the text: ***bold italic*** or ___bold italic___. You can also nest one style inside the other: **_bold italic_** or __*bold italic*__.
Why does my italic text show as bold in Slack?
Slack's mrkdwn format uses a single asterisk for bold (*text*) and a single underscore for italic (_text_). This is the opposite of standard Markdown. If you want italic in Slack, use underscores.
Can I use HTML to italicize text in Markdown?
Yes. Use <em>text</em> for semantic emphasis or <i>text</i> for presentational italic. These work in HTML-enabled renderers such as GitHub, GitLab, Obsidian, VS Code, and most static-site generators. They do not work in Slack or Discord, which strip inline HTML.
What is the difference between <em> and <i>?
Visually, both render as italic. Semantically, <em> marks text with stress emphasis, which screen readers may announce differently. <i> is purely presentational. Use <em> unless you are styling a proper name, foreign word, or other text that needs italic for presentation only.
Why does my italic text show asterisks instead of italic?
The most common causes are spaces between the asterisks and the text, missing closing delimiters, or using double asterisks instead of single. Delimiters must touch the text and match exactly.
Related Markdown Guides
Italic is one piece of Markdown text formatting. For the rest of the syntax surface area: