How double asterisks work
The marker is simple, but it needs both an opening and a closing pair.
- `**important**` renders as bold text.
- `*important*` renders as italic text.
- `***important***` often renders as bold and italic.
Bold syntax
Markdown **
In Markdown, double asterisks mark strong emphasis. Put the text directly between the two pairs: `**bold text**`.
Quick answer
`**text**` renders as bold text. The opening `**` starts the bold section, and the closing `**` ends it.
Reference
markdown **
Avoid spacing mistakes
Extra spaces inside the markers can change the output or make the source harder to read.
- Prefer `**bold**` over `** bold **`.
- Keep punctuation consistent with your sentence.
- Use preview when writing for a platform with custom Markdown rules.
Examples
Copy-ready examples
Bold text
This sentence has **bold text** inside it.Only the words between the markers become bold.
Bold and italic
**Bold** and *italic* can live in the same paragraph.Use two asterisks for bold and one for italic.
FAQ
Common questions
What does ** mean in Markdown?
`**` is the common marker for bold text. Wrap the words with double asterisks, like `**important**`.
Can I use __ instead of **?
Many renderers support double underscores for bold text, but double asterisks are easier to read and more common in examples.
Why is my bold text not rendering?
Check that you have both opening and closing markers and that the text is directly between them.