Reddit Markdown Formatting
Every Reddit formatting trick with copy-ready examples — bold, italic, superscript, spoilers, tables, and the quirks that make old.reddit.com and new Reddit render differently.
Reddit uses a customized version of Markdown with its own extensions (superscript, spoilers, subreddit auto-links). Some syntax behaves differently between old.reddit.com and the new redesign.
Text Formatting
The basic emphasis syntax matches standard Markdown. Wrap text with the symbols shown below.
**bold text**bold text
*italic text*italic text
***bold and italic***bold and italic
~~strikethrough~~strikethrough
`inline code`inline code
Superscript
Superscript is a Reddit-specific extension. Prefix text with a caret (^) for a single word, or wrap in parentheses for multi-word superscript. There is no subscript syntax on Reddit.
Normal text ^superscript hereFootnote^(this is in superscript)E = mc^2Spoiler Tags
Wrap text in >! and !< to hide it as a spoiler. Readers see a black bar and click to reveal. Works on both old and new Reddit.
>!the killer was the butler!<The answer is >!42!<.Headers
Reddit supports headers up to ###. Use them in posts to organize long content. Note: headers must have a space between the # and the text.
# Header 1Header 1
## Header 2Header 2
### Header 3Header 3
Links and Auto-links
Reddit auto-links anything that starts with r/ or u/. Bare URLs are also clickable. For named links, use the standard Markdown [text](url) form.
[Visit Reddit](https://reddit.com)Check out r/AskReddit for great threads.Check out r/AskReddit for great threads.
Message u/spez about it.Message u/spez about it.
Plain URL: https://reddit.comPlain URL: https://reddit.com
Code Blocks
This is the most confusing part of Reddit markdown. Old.reddit.com uses 4-space indented code blocks. New Reddit and the apps support triple backticks. For maximum compatibility, use triple backticks in posts and fall back to 4-space indents only when targeting old Reddit.
```
multi-line code block
no language hint
```multi-line code block
no language hint
indented code block
four spaces at the start
of every lineindented code block
four spaces at the start
of every line
Tables
Reddit supports GitHub-style pipe tables in both posts and comments. Separate cells with | and add a row of dashes under the header. Mobile app rendering can be inconsistent — test before posting long tables.
| Subreddit | Subscribers | Created |
|-----------|-------------|---------|
| r/AskReddit | 47M | 2008 |
| r/funny | 70M | 2008 |
| r/gaming | 42M | 2007 || Subreddit | Subscribers | Created |
|---|---|---|
| r/AskReddit | 47M | 2008 |
| r/funny | 70M | 2008 |
| r/gaming | 42M | 2007 |
Blockquotes
Start a line with > to quote it. Reddit nests quotes when you stack >>.
> This is a quoted line.This is a quoted line.
> Outer quote
>> Nested quote inside itOuter quote
Nested quote inside it
Lists
Bullet lists with - or *, numbered lists with 1.. Indent with 2 spaces to nest.
- First item
- Second item
- Third item- First item
- Second item
- Third item
1. First step
2. Second step
3. Third step- First step
- Second step
- Third step
- Outer item
- Indented sub-item
- Another sub-item
- Outer item two- Outer item
- Indented sub-item
- Another sub-item
- Outer item two
Old Reddit vs New Reddit
Reddit runs two front-ends with two different markdown parsers. Some syntax renders only on one, some renders differently. Pick syntax that works in both unless you know your audience.
| Feature | Old Reddit | New Reddit |
|---|---|---|
| Triple-backtick code blocks | No | Yes |
| 4-space indent code (comments) | Yes | No |
| Strikethrough (~~) | No | Yes |
| Tables | Yes | Yes |
| Spoilers (>!!<) | Yes | Yes |
| Superscript (^) | Yes | Yes |
| Headers (# ##) | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-link r/sub u/user | Yes | Yes |
Quick Reference
All Reddit markdown syntax at a glance.
| Feature | Supported? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bold (**text**) | Yes | Works on old and new Reddit, mobile, apps |
| Italic (*text* / _text_) | Yes | Works everywhere |
| Strikethrough (~~text~~) | Partial | New Reddit and mobile only — not old.reddit.com |
| Superscript (^text) | Yes | Reddit-specific syntax |
| Spoiler (>!text!<) | Yes | Reddit-specific syntax |
| Headers (# ##) | Yes | Up to ### supported |
| Inline code (`code`) | Yes | Works everywhere |
| Code block (```) | Partial | New Reddit and mobile — old Reddit needs 4-space indent |
| Code block (4-space indent) | Partial | Old Reddit only — broken in new Reddit comments |
| Tables | Yes | GitHub-style pipe tables work in posts and comments |
| Blockquotes (>) | Yes | Works everywhere |
| Lists (- and 1.) | Yes | Works everywhere |
| Horizontal rule (---) | Yes | Works in posts and comments |
| Inline images | No | Reddit blocks markdown image syntax — upload directly |
| Underline | No | No syntax for underline anywhere on Reddit |
| HTML tags | No | Reddit strips all HTML |
| Subscript | No | No subscript syntax — only superscript |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't my Reddit markdown work in new Reddit?
Reddit has two renderers and they differ. Old.reddit.com uses traditional Markdown (4-space indent for code, no triple backticks). New Reddit uses Fancy Pants Editor with a different parser — triple-backtick code blocks work, but 4-space-indented code blocks render as plain text in comments. If you switch between old and new Reddit you will see different results.
How do I make superscript on Reddit?
Use a caret followed by the text: ^superscript. For superscript with spaces or multiple words, wrap in parentheses: ^(superscript text with spaces). This is a Reddit-specific extension and does not work in standard Markdown.
How do I make a spoiler tag on Reddit?
Wrap your text in >! and !< like this: >!hidden text!<. The text is hidden behind a black bar and revealed when clicked. Old Reddit used [text](#s) instead, but the >! syntax now works in both old and new Reddit.
How do I make a table on Reddit?
Use GitHub-style pipe tables. Separate cells with | and put a row of dashes (---) under the headers. Example: `| Header | Header |` then `|--------|--------|` then `| Cell | Cell |`. Tables work in posts and comments on both old and new Reddit, but rendering on the mobile app can be inconsistent.
Can I use HTML in Reddit posts?
No. Reddit strips all HTML tags from posts and comments for security. You cannot use <u>, <font>, <span>, or any other HTML element. Stick to Markdown syntax.
Why are images not working in my Reddit comment?
Reddit disables markdown image syntax () in posts and comments to prevent spam and abuse. To share an image, upload it directly using the image button in the editor, or paste an i.redd.it or imgur link as a regular URL.
How do I underline text on Reddit?
Reddit does not support underline in any form — there is no Markdown syntax for it and HTML is stripped. The closest alternatives are bold (**text**) for emphasis or italic (*text*) for stylistic emphasis. Some users use [text](#s) but this only creates a spoiler in old Reddit.
Does Reddit support strikethrough?
Yes on new Reddit and the mobile apps using ~~text~~, but no on old.reddit.com — it renders as literal tildes. If you post in a sub where users browse on old Reddit, your strikethrough will not display correctly for them.
What is the difference between old Reddit and new Reddit markdown?
Old Reddit (old.reddit.com) uses snudown, a fork of Markdown with limited features. New Reddit uses the Fancy Pants Editor and a richer parser. Triple-backtick code blocks and tables work better on new Reddit. Strikethrough and some advanced formatting only render on new Reddit. For maximum compatibility, prefer simple syntax that works in both.
Learn More Markdown
Reddit uses a customized subset of Markdown. To see the full standard syntax: