With over 150 million active monthly users, Discord has exploded into one of the world‘s most popular chat platforms. Whether coordinating multiplayer games or just hanging out with friends, bold, vibrant conversations happen every second across millions of Discord servers.
But with so much activity flowing past in busy text channels, how do you make your messages stand out or convey precise meaning? Italicized text.
As a Discord aficionado who has moderated communities with over 30,000 members, I can‘t stress enough how much good formatting improves chats. So I‘ve put together this comprehensive guide just for you, covering everything there is to know about italicizing discourse across desktop and mobile.
Here‘s what we‘ll illuminate:
- Why italics are crucial for clear Discord conversations
- Exactly when to use slanty text for maximum impact
- Step-by-step instructions for all italicizing methods
- Insider tips and tricks for seamless formatting
- Quick fixes for common italic issues
So whether you‘re a Discord expert or just getting started, let‘s dive in!
Why Italics Matter on Discord
Italicized text may seem like a minor detail, but it makes a major difference for good Discord discussions by:
1. Making Game Names Clear
Properly formatting game titles like World of Warcraft and God of War Ragnarök prevents confusion and shows care for details.
2. Adding Vocal Inflection for Emphasis
Slanting key words mimics speech by highlighting what‘s important in text, a crucial tool in writing. What a save!
3. Conveying Tone and Nuance
When skillfully applied, italics indicate sarcasm, contrast, irony and more. "This team is so organized and effective!"
Discord‘s Continued Growth
And awesome formatting is becoming more vital by the day. Consider Discord‘s absolutely explosive expansion:
- 150 million monthly active users as of March 2022, up from just 45 million in 2020
- 5.5 million new server creations daily
- 9.7 billion total messages sent by users per week
With so much booming activity across gaming, communities and private groups, making an impact with your messages is key. So let‘s uncover all the insider tricks for getting those words in shape!
When Should You Use Italics on Discord?
First, knowing the right situations to unleash slanted text ensures you use italics effectively. Through years of moderating and participating in vibrant Discord discussion spanning tech to games, here are the top three cases I recommend:
1. Game Titles
Always properly format game names like Elden Ring, Pokémon Scarlet, and CS:GO. This shows care for details and prevents confusion between similarly named games.
For example, if you wrote:
"Anyone want to squad up tonight in Warzone?"
Is that Call of Duty: Warzone or Apex Legends? Saving readers that split-second of uncertainty keeps conversations moving seamlessly.
2. Key Word Emphasis
Next, selectively slanting certain words in sentences mimics vocal inflection, allowing text to convey extra meaning. For example:
"Dude, you always play terribly after eating Hot Pockets!"
Here, italic emphasis on "always" adds weight to highlight an ongoing issue.
3. Sarcasm and Contrast
With smart use, italicized text indicates sarcasm, irony, contrasting phrases and more. For example:
"Oh yeah, Fallout 76 is just the best game in the series."
Bam! With one properly slanted word, you‘ve inverted that entire statement.
When NOT To Use Italics
With great text formatting power comes great responsibility. Avoid overusing italics which dilutes the impact and makes messages annoying to read.
Now that you know exactly when to unleash the slanty letters, let‘s master the methods!
Method #1: Keyboard Shortcuts
For quickly italicizing words mid-sentence on desktop, handy keyboard shortcuts are the fastest method.
Here are the simple steps:
Step 1) While typing a message, hold down either:
- CTRL (on Windows)
- ⌘ Command (on Mac)
Step 2) With the modifier key held, press I key
Step 3) Type your text to italicize
Step 4) Press the I key again to disable italics and continue typing normally
See how easy that was? With just two extra key taps, you can quickly emphasize any words. Much faster than mousing to buttons or typing markup.
But keyboard shortcuts do have limitations:
- Only works within existing text, can‘t italicize a whole message
- Limited support on mobile and web versions
So while excellent for quick word emphasis, we need some additional methods to level up our italic game…
Method #2: Asterisks Markdown
When you want to slant entire statements, paragraphs, or don‘t have access to shortcuts, Discord‘s Markdown syntax has you covered.
Markdown is a universal text formatting language that works across all of Discord, both mobile and desktop. Using it gives you ultimate cross-platform compatibility.
Here‘s all there is to it:
Step 1) Type asterisk symbol *
Step 2) Type your text to italicize
Step 3) Type closing asterisk symbol *
That formats everything between the two asterisks in italics:
See this text get italicized!
For even more visual kick, go bold italics with three asterisks on each side!
The steps stay the same no matter how much text needs slanting. Simply place your words between those handy asterisks!
On keyboards, the asterisk * symbol is conveniently typed by:
- Windows: Hold Shift, Press 8 key
- Mac: Hold Shift + Option, Press 8 key
If you‘re on mobile, locate it through your symbol or numeric keyboard view.
Let‘s recap the process:
- Type *
- Add Text
- Close with *
Now you‘ve got unlimited cross-platform power to slant entire paragraphs with ease.
But for those who prefer clicks over typing, desktop users also have a handy mouse-based method…
Method #3: Click Formatting Menu
Discord‘s desktop app features a slick built-in formatting menu for quick text styling.
Step 1) Fully type out your entire message first.
Step 2) Use your mouse to highlight the text you want italicized.
Step 3) Click the new Italics icon that pops up.
It‘s that simple! The highlighted text immediately shifts to a slanted font.
While limited to desktop, manually highlighting text avoids memorizing markdown symbols. And the dynamic menu shows only relevant formatting options for what you‘ve selected.
However, this method doesn‘t work in:
❌ Mobile apps
❌ Web browser versions
So hardwire those asterisks if you want cross-platform slanty text power!
For 100% platform coverage, mobile users have one last option…
Method #4: Underscores on Mobile
On mobile devices, keyboard limitations mean asterisks * get replaced with underscores _ for syntax.
Step 1) Type underscore _ symbol
Step 2) Type your text as normal
Step 3) Finish with closing underscore _.
Structurally that mirrors the steps for asterisk markdown. You simply substitute symbols based on available keys:
- Type _
- Add Text
- Close with _
The main caution is that mobile apps don‘t preview formatting. So carefully typing everything perfectly the first time is crucial.
Now that you‘re equipped to slant text across endless Discord chats, let‘s cover some key details…
Tips, Tricks and Troubleshooting
Through years of helping run gigantic Discord servers, I‘ve accumulated some pro-level insights for mastering italics the easy way:
🔎 Preview Styling on Desktop
Unlike mobile apps, web and desktop Discord shows live italicized text as you type asterisks or highlight words. Use the visual feedback to confirm formatting worked before sending messages.
⌨️ Add Multi-Format Combinations
Amp up visual intensity by combining italics with bold and underline. Just place Markdown symbols in the order you want around text. Have fun with different styles!
🕹 Double Check Game Names
I can‘t stress enough how properly formatting game titles improves Discord chats by removing uncertainty. So enable italics or bold on game names every time! Consistent communication norms also encourage friends to follow suit.
❗️️Beware Hidden Characters
If italic text randomly stops working, invisible spaces or punctuation might be breaking the asterisk symbols‘ connection with words. Carefully check and delete any hidden characters.
💬 Read Aloud Your Own Text
Reading your own writing out loud often catches poor formatting choices that hurt a statement‘s intended meaning or tone.
Let‘s also tackle some frequent questions:
FAQ: Italicized Discord Text
Can I combine italics plus other styles?
Absolutely! Layer on bold with three asterisks and underline using two for extra pizzazz. Mix and match for custom looks.
Why don‘t my asterisks work sometimes?
If properly typed asterisks aren‘t activating italics, invisible spaces or problematic permissions could be interfering. Delete and retype symbols or try different methods.
Can emoji or links get italicized too?
Yup! Italicize an entire phrase containing links, emoji, or other elements by simply placing asterisks normally on both sides. The formatter handles the rest.
Is there an italicize button on mobile?
Unfortunately no, the mobile apps currently lack an explicit italicize option. But underscores provide equivalent functionality.
Can I change the actual font across Discord?
Nope! Custom fonts aren‘t possible since Discord controls app display universally. But you have full access to stylistic choices like italics and bold.
And there you have it – everything you ever need to know about wielding italics for superior text chat across Discord on any device!
Now Go Try All the Methods!
Equipped with this deep knowledge, I can‘t wait to see you take your server conversations to the next level with strategic italics for game names, vocal inflection and conveying tone.
So get out there, highlight those words, smother text in asterisks and underscores until everything reads crystal clear. Your friends will thank you for it, trust me!
Let me know if any other Discord text formatting tips would be helpful. And as always, game on!
