Reddit markdown formatting cheat sheet
Updated
Reddit parses a dialect of markdown in the Markdown editor, wikis, sidebars and rules. It is standard markdown plus spoilers (>!text!<), superscript (^word) and automatic r/ and u/ links, minus images and HTML. The first table is the whole syntax; the last two cover the Rich Text editor and the differences on old Reddit, all from Reddit's own formatting guide.
Reddit markdown syntax
| Effect | Type this | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Italic | *italic* or _italic_ | Part-of-word emphasis only works with asterisks |
| Bold | **bold** or __bold__ | |
| Bold italic | ***both*** or ___both___ | Nested emphasis like _a __b__ c_ fails on old Reddit |
| Strikethrough | ~~text~~ | Double tilde only |
| Spoiler | >!hidden text!< | Reddit-only; no space after >! or before !< |
| Superscript (one word) | ^word | Ends at the next space |
| Superscript (phrase) | ^(several words) | Misparsed on old Reddit; ^each ^word is the safe form |
| Inline code | `code` | Use `` double `` backticks if the code contains a backtick |
| Code block | ```
code
``` or 4-space indent | Fences work on www.reddit.com; old Reddit needs the indent |
| Heading | # H1 … ###### H6 | H1/H2 also via === / --- underline |
| Quote | > quoted | Prefix every line for multi-paragraph quotes; nest with > > |
| Bulleted list | - item or * item | Sub-items: 2+ spaces under -, 3+ under 1. |
| Numbered list | 1. item (or 1) item) | Must start at 1; the ) form fails on old Reddit |
| Link | [text](https://example.com "title") | Scheme required — www.example.com alone is not a link; no space before ( |
| Reference link | [text][1] … [1]: https://example.com | |
| Community / user link | r/help, /r/help, u/reddit, /u/reddit | Autolinked everywhere |
| Bare URL | https://www.reddit.com or <https://…> | Angle brackets fix URLs that parse badly |
| Table | | a | b |
|:--|--:|
| 1 | 2 | | Header row required; leading/trailing pipes recommended |
| Line break | two trailing spaces or \ | Backslash only works on www.reddit.com |
| Blank line (extra space) | | A paragraph containing only |
| Horizontal rule | ---, *** or ___ | |
| Escape | \* \- \# \> \^ \! | Backslash before any markdown character |
| HTML entity | —   | Entities work; HTML tags do not |
| Emoji | :smile (Rich Text editor picker) | Shortcodes are a picker, not markdown; paste the character in Markdown mode |
Emphasis, spoilers, superscript
Bold, italic, strikethrough
Lorem ipsum *dolor* sit **amet**, ***consectetur*** ~~adipiscing~~ vul*pu*ta**te**.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing vulputate.
Asterisks and underscores both work around whole words; inside a word only asterisks do.
Spoiler
The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to >!reddit and be reddited in return!<.The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to ████ ████ ███ ██████ ██ ██████.
Reddit-only. The text is blacked out until tapped; it still appears in the raw markdown and in notifications.
Superscript
just to ^reddit and ^(be reddited in return)
or ^and ^be ^reddited ^in ^returnA caret superscripts one word; ^(…) a phrase on www.reddit.com but not reliably on old Reddit. Use   between words to keep spacing even. There is no subscript.
Links and autolinks
Inline, reference, community and user links
[Reddit Help](https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/ "hover title")
[Lorem ipsum][cl] with the target elsewhere.
[cl]: https://www.reddit.com
r/help, /u/reddit and https://www.reddit.com autolink.Reddit Help Lorem ipsum with the target elsewhere.
r/help, /u/reddit and https://www.reddit.com autolink.
The URL needs its scheme (https://). Accepted prefixes include http, https, ftp, mailto, git, steam, irc, ssh, / and #. Wrap a URL that parses badly in < >.
Headings, lists, quotes
Headings
# Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading 3
Heading 1 again
===
Heading 2 again
---Heading 1
Heading 2
Heading 3
Heading 1 again
Heading 2 again
Six levels with #; the underline form covers H1 and H2 only. Headings only work in posts, wikis and sidebars — comments render them too but moderators tend to dislike it.
Lists and sublists
- List item 1
- Sublist item (2 spaces under a bullet)
- List item 2
1. First
1. Sub-step (3 spaces under a number)
2. Second- List item 1
- Sublist item (2 spaces under a bullet)
- List item 2
- First
- Sub-step (3 spaces under a number)
- Second
Ordered lists must start at 1. Use 1. rather than 1) for old Reddit.
Quote with a nested quote and a table inside
> - First point
>
> > A nested reply.
>
> | Lorem | Ipsum |
> |-----|-----|
> | 8 | 1 |
First point
A nested reply.
Lorem Ipsum 8 1
For a single paragraph one leading > is enough; for anything longer prefix every line.
Tables
Aligned table
| Ticker | Investment | Profit |
|:-------|-----------:|:------:|
| BTC | $100 | $-50 |
| ETH | $1000 | $-500 || Ticker | Investment | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| BTC | $100 | $-50 |
| ETH | $1000 | $-500 |
The dashed marker row is required and sets alignment (:-- left, --: right, :-: center). Columns do not need to line up. Keep the outer pipes: both parsers misread tables without them.
Code
Inline code and fenced block
Curabitur `gravida` molestie.
```
if ((err = SSLHashSHA1.update(&hashCtx, &signedParams)) != 0)
goto fail;
goto fail;
```Curabitur gravida molestie.
if ((err = SSLHashSHA1.update(&hashCtx, &signedParams)) != 0)
goto fail;
goto fail;
Fences (``` or ~~~, 3+ matching characters) work on www.reddit.com. Old Reddit only understands the four-space indented form — use it when compatibility matters.
Old-Reddit-safe indented block
fn main() {
println!("hey")
}fn main() {
println!("hey")
}
Four spaces (or a tab) before every line, with a blank line above. No language tag, no syntax highlighting on Reddit either way.
Line breaks, spacing, escaping
Line break vs paragraph
Sed luctus ultricies leo et ultricies.
Two trailing spaces broke that line.
A blank line starts a paragraph; extra blank lines are collapsed.Sed luctus ultricies leo et ultricies.
Two trailing spaces broke that line.
A blank line starts a paragraph; extra blank lines are collapsed.
A backslash at the end of the line also breaks it on www.reddit.com, but not on old Reddit. For visible vertical space, post a paragraph containing only .
Escaping a character
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
\- consectetur, not a list item.
\*not italic\* and 1\. not a listLorem ipsum dolor sit amet - consectetur, not a list item.
*not italic* and 1. not a list
A dash or number at the start of a wrapped line turns into a list; put a backslash in front of it.
Rich Text (Fancy Pants) editor vs Markdown editor
| Aspect | Rich Text editor | Markdown editor |
|---|---|---|
| Default when you write a post or comment | Yes | Click "Markdown Editor" / "Switch to Markdown" |
| Formatting | Toolbar buttons (bold, italic, link, list, quote, code, spoiler, table, superscript, heading) | You type the syntax |
| Pasting markdown | Shows the asterisks and brackets literally | Rendered on submit |
| Live preview | WYSIWYG | No preview until posted (or use the toggle to check) |
| Switching mid-draft | Rich → Markdown keeps formatting as syntax | Markdown → Rich may lose unsupported syntax |
| Tables | Table button, no alignment control | Full pipe-table syntax with alignment |
| Spoilers, superscript | Buttons | >!text!< and ^text |
| Nested lists, nested quotes | Limited | Full control |
| Headings | One "Heading" button | Six levels |
| Emoji | :shortcode picker | Paste the character |
| Best for | Short comments | Guides, tables, code, bots |
www.reddit.com vs old.reddit.com
Old Reddit runs an older parser. Reddit's guide lists these differences and recommends writing for the overlap when readers may use either.
| Feature | www.reddit.com | old.reddit.com |
|---|---|---|
| Hard line break with \ | Yes | No — use two trailing spaces |
| Fenced code blocks ``` | Yes | No — indent four spaces |
| Ordered list with 1) | Yes | No — use 1. |
| Link title in (parentheses) | Yes | No — use "quotes" |
| Nested emphasis _a __b__ c_ | Yes | No |
| Superscript ^(phrase) | Yes | Often misparsed — use ^each ^word |
| Superscript towers ^a^b^c | No | Yes |
| HTML entities ( ) | Unescaped during parsing | Preserved |
| Space between [text] and (url) | Breaks the link | Tolerated |
| Tables without outer pipes | Works, quirks differ | Works, quirks differ |
| Spoilers >!text!< | Yes | Yes |
Does Reddit use markdown?
Yes — a Reddit-specific dialect. Comments and posts written in the Markdown editor, plus wikis, sidebars, community rules and profile text, are parsed as markdown. The Rich Text editor (formerly Fancy Pants) is the default and does not interpret markdown you type; switch to the Markdown editor or paste will show literal asterisks.
How do I make a spoiler on Reddit?
Wrap the text in >! and !<, for example >!the butler did it!<. Do not put spaces directly inside the markers. In the Rich Text editor select the text and press the spoiler button instead. Spoilers also hide the text in the comment preview but not in push notifications.
How do I do superscript on Reddit?
Put a caret before a word: ^like ^this superscripts each word. ^(a whole phrase) works on www.reddit.com but is often misparsed on old Reddit, so Reddit itself recommends superscripting word by word and joining them with   if spacing matters. Reddit has no subscript.
How do I make a table on Reddit?
A header row, a marker row of dashes, then data rows, all separated by pipes. Colons in the marker row set alignment. Reddit recommends keeping the leading and trailing pipes because the old and new parsers both have quirks without them. Tables need the Markdown editor (or the table button in Rich Text, which has no alignment).
Why does my line break not show on Reddit?
Single newlines are joined into one paragraph. End the line with two spaces for a hard break (works everywhere) or a backslash (www.reddit.com only), or leave a blank line for a new paragraph. Multiple blank lines collapse; a paragraph containing only adds real vertical space.
What is the difference between the Rich Text editor and the Markdown editor?
The Rich Text editor is a WYSIWYG toolbar: you click Bold, Link, Table, Spoiler. The Markdown editor is a plain textarea where you type the syntax on this page. Rich Text → Markdown keeps your formatting as syntax; the reverse can drop syntax Rich Text has no button for. Bots and the API always post markdown.
What markdown works differently on old Reddit?
Old Reddit uses an older parser: no fenced code blocks (indent four spaces), no backslash line breaks (use two spaces), no 1) ordered lists, no parenthesised link titles, no nested emphasis, and ^(phrase) superscript is unreliable. Writing for the overlap — indented code, two-space breaks, 1. lists, quoted titles — renders correctly on both.
Related tools and sheets
Build a table with the table generator, preview a long post in the markdown viewer, count it with the word counter, or compare Reddit with Discord, Slack and GitHub on the flavor comparison. The general markdown cheat sheet covers everything Reddit shares with other platforms.