Markdown Italic

Basic Italic Syntax

Wrap text in a single asterisk * or a single underscore _ to make it italic. Asterisks are the preferred convention because they work reliably in every context, including mid-word emphasis.

*This text is italic*

_Also italic with underscores_

Both produce the same result: the text renders in italic. In HTML terms, Markdown converts *text* to <em>text</em>, which browsers display as italic by default.

Asterisk vs Underscore

Both *text* and _text_ produce italic, but asterisks are preferred. The reason comes down to how Markdown processors handle underscores inside words.

*italic*
_italic_
fan*tastic*ally
foo_bar_baz

In GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) and CommonMark, underscores inside a word are treated as literal characters, not emphasis markers. This prevents filenames like my_config_file from accidentally rendering with italic text. Asterisks do not have this restriction, making them the safer choice.

Bold Italic

Triple asterisks combine bold and italic in a single marker. You can also nest single and double markers to achieve the same effect.

***Bold and italic***
**_Also bold and italic_**
*__Another way__*
This is ***critically*** important

Triple asterisks (***text***) are the cleanest syntax and the most portable across platforms. Triple underscores (___text___) also work but are less common. For more on bold syntax, see the Markdown Bold guide.

Italic in Lists and Blockquotes

Emphasis markers work inside other Markdown elements. Use them to highlight key terms in lists or draw attention to quoted text.

Italic in lists

- Read the *getting started* guide
- Install the *latest* version
- Run the *setup* command

Italic in blockquotes

> *The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.*

Italic inside blockquotes is a common convention for attributing quotes or marking the quoted text as distinct from surrounding commentary.

Italic in Tables

Emphasis works inside pipe table cells. Wrap the text in asterisks just as you would in a paragraph.

| Parameter | Default | Description      |
|-----------|---------|------------------|
| timeout   | *30s*   | Max wait time    |
| retries   | *3*     | Number of retries|
| verbose   | *false* | Enable logging   |

Using italic for default values or secondary information in tables helps readers scan the table and distinguish between labels and their values.

Italic in Code

Italic does not work inside backtick code spans or fenced code blocks. This is one of the most common mistakes beginners make.

*italic works*
`*not italic*`

Inside backticks, all Markdown formatting is disabled. The asterisks appear as literal * characters. This is by design — code spans are meant to show raw text exactly as written. The same applies to fenced code blocks (triple backticks): no emphasis, no bold, no links.

Platform Support

Italic with *text* is part of the original Markdown specification and is universally supported. Here is how each syntax variant works across popular platforms.

*italic*       <-- works everywhere
_italic_       <-- works everywhere (but not mid-word in GFM)
***bold italic*** <-- works everywhere

All three syntax forms work on every major platform. The only caveat is mid-word underscores: foo_bar_baz will not italicize on GitHub, GitLab, or any CommonMark-based processor. Stick with asterisks for reliable results.

Common Mistakes

Missing closing marker

If you open with * but forget to close, the rest of your paragraph renders as literal text with the asterisk visible. Always check that every * has a matching closing *.

*this is italic*       <-- correct
*this is broken        <-- missing closing *, renders as literal text

Using italic inside code blocks

A common beginner mistake is expecting *text* to render as italic inside backticks. It does not — backticks disable all formatting.

This is *italic*          <-- renders as italic
This is `*not italic*`    <-- renders as code with literal asterisks

Underscores in filenames

If you write a filename like my_config_file in regular text, it will not accidentally become italic in GFM or CommonMark processors. But in some older or non-standard processors, it might. To be safe, use backticks for filenames: `my_config_file`.

Spaces inside the markers

Adding a space between the asterisk and the text breaks italic formatting. The marker must touch the text on both sides.

*works*
* broken *

Italic vs Bold — When to Use Which

Italic and bold serve different purposes in writing. Using them correctly improves readability and accessibility.

*subtle emphasis*        <-- italic
**strong emphasis**      <-- bold
***maximum emphasis***   <-- bold italic (use sparingly)

Emphasis hierarchy: Use italic for gentle emphasis and bold for strong emphasis. If everything is bold, nothing stands out. Reserve bold italic (***text***) for truly critical information.

Accessibility: Screen readers announce italic text as "emphasis" and bold as "strong." Both convey meaning to users who cannot see the visual formatting, so use them semantically — italic for terms that deserve a lighter stress, bold for content that must not be missed.

Preview Italic Text with MDViewer

MDViewer is a native macOS app for reading and previewing Markdown files. Double-click any .md file in Finder and see it rendered instantly — bold, italic, bold italic, tables, code blocks, and more. Full GFM rendering with live preview. Lite is free; Pro adds editing, Git history, and PDF export.

Requires macOS 13.0 or later. Intel and Apple Silicon.

FAQ

How do I italicize text in Markdown?

Wrap the text in single asterisks: *your text*. This produces your text. Single asterisks are the standard italic syntax supported by every Markdown processor. Single underscores (_your text_) also work but asterisks are preferred for reliability.

What's the difference between * and _ for italic?

Both produce italic text, but * is preferred. Asterisks work mid-word (fan*tastic*ally renders the middle in italic), while underscores do not in most processors. The CommonMark spec treats underscores as word-boundary delimiters, so foo_bar_baz stays as literal text — it does not italicize bar.

Can I combine bold and italic in Markdown?

Yes. Use triple asterisks: ***text***. You can also nest them — **_text_** or *__text__* both work. Triple asterisks are the cleanest option and the most portable across platforms. See the Markdown Bold guide for more on combining emphasis.

Does italic work inside code blocks?

No. Text inside backtick code spans (`like this`) or fenced code blocks is rendered as literal code — no Markdown formatting is applied. If you write `*text*`, the asterisks appear as literal characters. This is by design: code blocks preserve content exactly as written.

Which Markdown apps support italic?

Italic with *text* is part of the original Markdown specification. It works on every major platform: GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Slack, Discord, Reddit, Stack Overflow, VS Code, Obsidian, Bear, iA Writer, Typora, and MDViewer. If a platform renders any Markdown at all, it renders italic.