MarkdownABC

Bold spacing

Markdown ** **

`** **` usually appears when someone has typed the bold markers but has not placed the real text between them yet.

Try bold spacingOpen cheat sheet

Quick answer

`** **` is not a useful finished pattern because it contains only a space. Replace the space with real text: `**important note**`.

Reference

markdown ** **

What `** **` usually means

It is often a placeholder for bold text, not something you should publish as-is.

  • `** **` may render as an empty emphasized space.
  • `**bold**` is the reliable pattern.
  • `** bold **` can leave unwanted spaces in the rendered result.

How to clean it up

Put the words directly between the markers and remove accidental padding.

  • Change `** **` to `**final decision**`.
  • Change `** bold **` to `**bold**`.
  • Preview the output before copying the text elsewhere.

Examples

Copy-ready examples

Placeholder
** **

This is a marker pair with only a blank space inside.

Finished bold text
**Important note**

This is the version you normally want in a document.

FAQ

Common questions

Does `** **` create bold text?

It can mark a blank space as emphasized, but that is rarely useful. Put actual text between the markers.

Should Markdown bold have spaces inside?

Usually no. `**bold**` is cleaner and more predictable than `** bold **`.

Can `** **` be used as a template?

Yes, while drafting. Before publishing, replace the blank space with the words you want to emphasize.