> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/obsidianmd/obsidian-help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Basic formatting syntax
> Learn how to apply basic formatting to your notes in Obsidian using Markdown — headings, bold, italic, lists, links, images, and more.
Obsidian notes are written in Markdown — a lightweight syntax that lets you format text using plain characters. This page covers the core formatting elements you'll use most.
For more advanced syntax including tables, math, and diagrams, see [Advanced formatting](/editing/advanced-formatting).
## Paragraphs and line breaks
Separate paragraphs with a blank line:
```md theme={null}
This is a paragraph.
This is another paragraph.
```
To insert a line break *within* a paragraph (without starting a new one), either add **two spaces** at the end of the line before pressing `Enter`, or press `Shift+Enter`.
Obsidian includes a **Strict line breaks** setting (`Settings → Editor → Strict Line Breaks`) that makes line break behavior match the standard Markdown specification. When enabled, a single `Enter` with no trailing spaces merges the two lines; two or more trailing spaces produce a `
`; and a double `Enter` creates a new paragraph.
## Headings
Add up to six `#` symbols before your heading text. The number of symbols sets the heading level.
```md theme={null}
# Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading 3
#### Heading 4
##### Heading 5
###### Heading 6
```
## Bold, italic, and highlights
| Style | Syntax | Example | Output |
| ---------------------- | ------------------ | ----------------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| Bold | `** **` or `__ __` | `**Bold text**` | **Bold text** |
| Italic | `* *` or `_ _` | `*Italic text*` | *Italic text* |
| Strikethrough | `~~ ~~` | `~~Striked out text~~` | ~~Striked out text~~ |
| Highlight | `== ==` | `==Highlighted text==` | ==Highlighted text== |
| Bold and nested italic | `** **` and `_ _` | `**Bold and _nested italic_ text**` | **Bold and *nested italic* text** |
| Bold and italic | `*** ***` | `***Bold and italic text***` | ***Bold and italic text*** |
To display a special character without triggering its formatting, place a backslash (`\`) before it:
```md theme={null}
\*\*This line will not be bold\*\*
```
## Inline code and code blocks
### Inline code
Wrap text in single backticks to format it as inline code:
```md theme={null}
Text inside `backticks` on a line will be formatted like code.
```
To include a backtick inside inline code, surround it with double backticks: ` ``code with a backtick ` inside\`\` \`.
### Code blocks
Enclose code with three or more backticks (or tildes) to create a code block:
````md theme={null}
```
cd ~/Desktop
```
````
Add a language identifier after the opening backticks to enable syntax highlighting:
````md theme={null}
```js
function fancyAlert(arg) {
if(arg) {
$.facebox({div:'#foo'})
}
}
```
````
Obsidian uses [Prism](https://prismjs.com/#supported-languages) for syntax highlighting.
Source mode and Live Preview do not support PrismJS, and may render syntax highlighting differently than Reading view.
#### Nesting code blocks
To include a code block inside another code block, use more backticks (or tildes) for the outer block:
`````md theme={null}
````md
Here's how to create a code block:
```js
console.log("Hello world")
```
````
`````
The outer block must always use **more** fence characters than any inner block, or use a different fence character type.
## Blockquotes
Add a `>` before text to create a blockquote:
```md theme={null}
> Human beings face ever more complex and urgent problems, and their effectiveness in dealing with these problems is a matter that is critical to the stability and continued progress of society.
\- Doug Engelbart, 1961
```
You can turn a blockquote into a [callout](/editing/callouts) by adding `[!info]` as the first line inside the quote.
## Lists
### Unordered lists
Start each item with `-`, `*`, or `+`:
```md theme={null}
- First list item
- Second list item
- Third list item
```
### Ordered lists
Start each item with a number followed by `.` or `)`:
```md theme={null}
1. First list item
2. Second list item
3. Third list item
```
### Task lists
Start each item with `- [ ]` for an incomplete task, or `- [x]` for a completed one:
```md theme={null}
- [x] This is a completed task.
- [ ] This is an incomplete task.
```
You can toggle tasks in Reading view by selecting the checkbox. You can use any character inside the brackets to mark a task as complete — for example, `- [?]` or `- [-]`.
### Nesting lists
Indent list items to nest them. You can mix ordered, unordered, and task lists:
```md theme={null}
1. First list item
1. Ordered nested list item
2. Second list item
- Unordered nested list item
```
Nested task list:
```md theme={null}
- [ ] Task item 1
- [ ] Subtask 1
- [ ] Task item 2
- [ ] Subtask 1
```
Use `Tab` or `Shift+Tab` to indent or unindent selected list items.
## Horizontal rules
Use three or more stars `***`, hyphens `---`, or underscores `___` on their own line:
```md theme={null}
***
---
___
```
## Links
### Internal links
Obsidian supports two formats for linking between notes:
```md theme={null}
[[Three laws of motion]]
[Three laws of motion](Three%20laws%20of%20motion.md)
```
### External links
Wrap the link text in brackets and the URL in parentheses:
```md theme={null}
[Obsidian Help](https://help.obsidian.md)
```
If your URL contains spaces, replace them with `%20` or wrap the URL in angle brackets:
```md theme={null}
[My Note](obsidian://open?vault=MainVault&file=My%20Note.md)
[My Note]()
```
## Images
Add a `!` before a link to embed an image:
```md theme={null}
```
Control image dimensions by appending `|widthxheight` (or just `|width`) to the link destination:
```md theme={null}
```
## Footnotes
Add footnotes using the `[^label]` syntax:
```md theme={null}
This is a simple footnote[^1].
[^1]: This is the referenced text.
[^2]: Add 2 spaces at the start of each new line.
This lets you write footnotes that span multiple lines.
[^note]: Named footnotes still appear as numbers, but can make it easier to identify and link references.
```
You can also write inline footnotes — the caret goes outside the brackets:
```md theme={null}
You can also use inline footnotes. ^[This is an inline footnote.]
```
Inline footnotes only work in Reading view, not in Live Preview.
## Comments
Wrap text with `%%` to add a comment. Comments are only visible in Editing view and are never rendered:
```md theme={null}
This is an %%inline%% comment.
%%
This is a block comment.
Block comments can span multiple lines.
%%
```
## Escaping Markdown syntax
Place a backslash (`\`) before a special character to display it literally without triggering formatting:
| Character | Escaped |
| --------------------- | -------- |
| Asterisk | `\*` |
| Underscore | `\_` |
| Hashtag | `\#` |
| Backtick | `` \` `` |
| Pipe (used in tables) | `\|` |
| Tilde | `\~` |
```md theme={null}
\*This text will not be italicized\*.
```
For numbered lists, place the backslash before the period (not the number) to prevent automatic list formatting:
```md theme={null}
1\. This won't be a list item.
```