How to Type YouTube Comments in Italics, Bold, and Strikethrough

Have you ever scrolled through YouTube comments and noticed some that really stand out from the rest? Those eye-catching comments with bold words, slanted text, or -crossed out phrases- aren‘t created with special privileges or hidden features. They‘re typed by savvy users who know the simple formatting tricks YouTube quietly supports.

In this guide, you‘ll learn exactly how to make your comments pop using these text formatting options, with special attention to the often-overlooked strikethrough technique that can add humor, corrections, and clarity to your YouTube interactions.

The Hidden Power of YouTube Comment Formatting

YouTube comment sections are among the most active engagement spaces on the internet. According to Google‘s own statistics, over 500 million comments are posted on YouTube daily, creating a massive competition for visibility. Just take a moment to let that sink in – half a billion comments every single day.

In this sea of text, formatting becomes a critical tool for visibility and clarity. Recent data analysis from social media research firms indicates:

Formatted comments receive nearly twice the engagement of plain text comments, demonstrating the significant impact simple formatting can have on your online interactions.

The Evolution of YouTube Comment Formatting

YouTube hasn‘t always supported text formatting in comments. Let‘s review the timeline:

• 2005: YouTube launches with basic comment functionality
• 2013: Major comment system overhaul integrates with Google+
• 2016: Silent implementation of basic Markdown support
• 2018: Expanded character limit to 10,000 characters
• 2021: Enhanced backend support for text formatting
• 2023: Improved mobile rendering of formatted text

This evolution reflects YouTube‘s recognition of the importance of expressive comment functionality, despite never formally documenting these features in their help center.

Why YouTube Comment Formatting Matters

Plain text comments get lost in the sea of thousands that appear under popular videos. Videos with over 1 million views average 8,000+ comments. Using text formatting is a simple yet effective way to:

• Make important points stand out
• Emphasize key words or phrases
• Create visual hierarchy in longer comments
• Add personality and tone to your messages
• Correct mistakes without deleting and reposting

Impact on Engagement: The Data

Social media analytics firm Socialinsider conducted a study of 1.2 million YouTube comments and found:

• Comments with formatting received 47% more replies
• Bold formatting increased "like" rates by 36%
• Strikethrough usage was associated with 62% higher humor response
• Italicized comments were 28% more likely to receive creator responses

These numbers showcase the tangible benefits of mastering these simple formatting techniques.

YouTube‘s Hidden Markdown Support

What many users don‘t realize is that YouTube silently supports a limited version of Markdown, a lightweight text formatting syntax. YouTube doesn‘t advertise these features explicitly, which is why they feel like "secret codes" to many users.

Technical Background: How It Works

YouTube‘s comment system uses a simplified implementation of Markdown, translating specific character combinations into HTML formatting when rendered. Here‘s what happens behind the scenes:

This implementation differs from standard Markdown in key ways:

• Uses single asterisks for bold (instead of double)
• Uses hyphens for strikethrough (instead of tildes)
• Doesn‘t support headers, lists, or code blocks

The platform supports these three primary formatting options:

1. Bold – For emphasis and highlighting
2. Italics – For subtle emphasis or quotations
3. -Strikethrough- – For corrections or humor

Let‘s dive deep into how to use each one effectively.

How to Make Your YouTube Comments Bold

Bold text is perfect for making key phrases stand out or adding strong emphasis to your points. According to eye-tracking studies, bold text is typically the first element that catches a reader‘s attention when scanning comments.

Bold Syntax

To create bold text, surround your words with asterisks:

*This text will appear bold*

When posted, the asterisks disappear and your text shows up with thick, heavy formatting that immediately draws the eye.

Bold Formatting Examples

Basic bold comment:

*This entire sentence is bold*

Partial bold emphasis:

I think this part is *really important* to consider.

Question with bold emphasis:

Has anyone noticed that *the video quality changed* at 3:45?

When to Use Bold Formatting

Bold formatting works best when:

• Highlighting the main point of your comment
• Making announcements or important updates
• Asking questions you really want answered
• Creating section headers in longer comments
• Emphasizing a counterpoint to the video content

Remember that overusing bold text (like typing a whole paragraph in bold) actually reduces its effectiveness and can come across as "shouting" digitally.

Bold Formatting Data Points

A content analysis of 50,000 highly-engaged YouTube comments revealed:

• Comments with 10-15% bold text had the highest response rates
• Bold text used at the beginning of comments increased read-through rates by 32%
• Questions formatted in bold received 44% more answers than unformatted questions
• Channel creators responded 27% more frequently to comments with strategic bold formatting

How to Create Italic Text in YouTube Comments

Italic text provides a more subtle emphasis than bold, perfect for quotations, titles, or adding a thoughtful tone. Neurological research suggests that italic text triggers a different cognitive processing pattern than regular text, making it effective for creating emphasis without disruption.

Italic Syntax

Creating italic text requires underscores around your content:

_This text will appear in italics_

When published, the underscores vanish, leaving your text in a slanted, elegant format that stands out without being too forceful.

Italic Formatting Examples

Full italic sentence:

_I can‘t believe nobody‘s talking about this part!_

Movie or book title:

This reminds me of a scene from _The Matrix_ where Neo first discovers the truth.

Quoting from the video:

When the creator said _"this changed everything about how I approach my work"_, I felt that deeply.

Strategic Uses for Italic Formatting

Italics work particularly well for:

• Quoting directly from the video
• Referencing titles of works (books, movies, songs)
• Adding thoughtful or reflective commentary
• Creating contrast with regular text
• Implying tone like sarcasm or emphasis

Italics offer a more nuanced emphasis than bold text, making them perfect for adding color and personality to your comments.

Italic Usage Statistics

Analysis of YouTube comment sections on educational channels shows:

• Comments using italics for direct quotes received 36% more engagement
• Italicized comments were perceived as 28% more thoughtful in user surveys
• Content creators were 41% more likely to pin comments that used italics for highlighting key insights
• Comments using italics for book/media references received 52% more follow-up questions

How to Use Strikethrough in YouTube Comments (The Complete Guide)

Strikethrough is arguably the most versatile and underutilized formatting option on YouTube. It creates text with a horizontal line through it, opening up creative possibilities that go beyond simple emphasis.

Strikethrough Syntax

To create strikethrough text, place hyphens (minus signs) on both sides of your text:

-This text will appear with a line through it-

When published, your text appears with a horizontal line running through it, visually "crossing out" the content while still keeping it readable.

Technical Implementation Specifics

YouTube‘s strikethrough implementation is unique compared to other platforms:

YouTube‘s choice of hyphens instead of the more standard tildes creates a platform-specific syntax that isn‘t documented in their help resources.

Strikethrough Formatting Examples

Basic strikethrough:

-I absolutely hated this video- I found this video very informative!

Correction format:

The solution appears at -2:30- 3:45 in the video.

Humor application:

-Nobody will read this comment anyway- Edit: Wow, thanks for all the likes!

Self-censorship:

This was -terrible- interesting but could use some improvements.

The Psychology Behind Strikethrough

Strikethrough text creates what psychologists call "transparency of thought" – it shows both your initial reaction and revised thinking simultaneously. This creates a more authentic, human connection with readers by revealing your thought process.

Research from the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication indicates that strikethrough use increases perceived authenticity by up to 40% compared to edited text without indication of changes.

Advanced Strikethrough Strategies

Beyond simple corrections, strikethrough can be used for:

1. Before/After Statements

-I was skeptical- I‘m completely convinced now after watching the full video.

2. Expectation vs. Reality

What I expected: -A basic tutorial-
What I got: A comprehensive masterclass!

3. Self-Deprecating Humor

-I probably shouldn‘t admit this publicly- I‘ve watched this video 27 times already!

4. Subtle Commentary

The product costs only $599 -which is totally reasonable- plus shipping.

5. Creating Dramatic Effect

I waited -hours- DAYS to watch this and it was worth it!

Strikethrough Impact Analysis

Content analysis of viral YouTube comments shows strikethrough usage correlates strongly with engagement:

These metrics reveal that strikethrough is significantly more engaging than other formatting options in specific contexts.

Common Strikethrough Mistakes to Avoid

Despite its simplicity, many users encounter problems with strikethrough formatting:

1. Using single hyphens – A common error is using just one hyphen on each side. YouTube requires hyphens directly touching the first and last characters.

2. Improper spacing – Adding spaces between the hyphens and your text breaks the formatting:

   - This won‘t work - (incorrect)
   -This will work- (correct)

3. Line breaks – Strikethrough doesn‘t work across multiple paragraphs; each paragraph needs its own formatting.

4. Combining with URLs – Strikethrough can interfere with clickable links, so avoid applying it to URLs.

5. Visibility issues – On some mobile devices, strikethrough can be faint. Consider the readability for all users.

Platform-Specific Strikethrough Behavior

The appearance of strikethrough text varies across devices:

These platform differences are due to variations in CSS rendering and how different clients interpret the HTML strikethrough element.

Creating Combined Formatting Effects

YouTube allows you to combine formatting techniques for enhanced emphasis and creativity.

Combining Bold and Italic

For strong emphasis with style, combine asterisks and underscores:

*_This text will be both bold and italic_*

The order matters – asterisks must go outside the underscores for proper rendering.

Nested Formatting Syntax

YouTube processes formatting tags from the outside in. This table shows the correct nesting order:

Combining with Strikethrough

You can also apply strikethrough alongside other formatting:

-*This will be bold with strikethrough*-

-_This will be italic with strikethrough_-

For the ultimate emphasis:

-*_This text uses all three formatting options_*-

Examples of Multi-Format Comments

Contrast and emphasis:

I *loved* the first half but _really struggled_ with -the middle section- the conclusion.

Dramatic effect:

-_Just another video_- *THE BEST TUTORIAL I‘VE EVER SEEN!*

Correction with emphasis:

Watch at -2:15- *4:30* for the key information!

Format Compatibility Considerations

Not all combinations work perfectly across all devices. The more complex your formatting, the more likely it might display differently for some users. For critical comments, consider testing simpler formatting for maximum compatibility.

YouTube Comment Formatting for Content Creators

For video creators, strategically formatted comments can serve as powerful community management tools.

Pinned Comment Formatting

Content creators often use formatted text in pinned comments for:

Creator Response Statistics

A Harvard Business School study on digital engagement found that creators who used formatting in their responses saw:

• 34% higher subscriber conversion from commenters
• 28% more return comments from the same users
• 45% higher community satisfaction scores

Special Character Formatting and Emoji Integration

Beyond basic formatting, you can further enhance your comments with special characters and emoji.

Special Characters for Visual Distinction

Using Unicode characters can create visual dividers or decorative elements:

★━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━★

【 Your important comment here 】

Emoji as Visual Markers

Strategic emoji placement can draw attention to formatted text:

⚠️ *Important correction* ⚠️

💡 _Helpful tip from 3:42 in the video_ 💡

Emoji Impact Data

Analysis of 100,000 YouTube comments containing emoji revealed:

| Emoji Placement | Engagement Increase | Preferred Context |