Text formatting
Bold, italic, inline code, strikethrough, highlight and links mark up the words of a note. Each one works on the selected text, or on the text you type next when nothing is selected, and each one is kept when you reopen the workspace.
- Bold, italic
- ⌘B and ⌘I
- Inline code, strikethrough, highlight
- ⇧⌘C, ⇧⌘X and ⇧⌘H
- Link
- ⌘L, or Format ▸ Link…
- Markdown copy
**bold**,_italic_,~~strike~~,==highlight==, and backticks for code
Format selected text
Select the words, then press the shortcut. Press it again on the same words to take the format away. If only part of the selection has the format, pressing the shortcut adds it to the whole selection first.
Format text you are about to type
With the caret in a note and nothing selected, press a shortcut to turn the format on for the text you type next. Press it again to turn it off. The caret's place does not change.
The formats
| Format | Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | ⌘B | Heavier text |
| Italic | ⌘I | Slanted text |
| Inline code | ⇧⌘C | Monospaced text for a word, a name or a command |
| Strikethrough | ⇧⌘X | A line through the text |
| Highlight | ⇧⌘H | Marks the text with the default highlight |
Formatting is not offered in a code note.
Type the marks instead
With Convert Markdown as you type on (the default; see Outline basics), a closing mark turns the words between it into the format. Each conversion is one Undo step, and the typed marks disappear.
**words**makes bold._words_or*words*makes italic.- A word between two backticks makes inline code.
- A web address that starts with http:// or https:// becomes a link when you type a space after it.
Nothing converts in a code note, in a draft, or while an input method is composing text.
Links
Select a word, or put the caret in it, and press ⌘L. A link editor opens. Type a web address that starts with http:// or https://, or a mailto: address, and press Return. Choose Link to Note… to link to another note instead. Remove Link takes the link away and keeps the text.
Clicking a web or mail link opens it in the app your Mac uses for it. Clicking a link to a note opens that note in the same pane. Any other kind of address is refused, with a message that says what is accepted.
To link to a note by typing, type [[ followed by part of the note's name, then choose it. See Links, supertags and fields as you type.
Clear the formatting
Type / at the caret and choose Clear formatting from the Insert command list. It removes bold, italic, code and the other text styles, and keeps the words.
What the Markdown copy keeps
The Markdown copy writes each mark in its common form: **bold**, _italic_, ~~strikethrough~~, ==highlight==, backticks for inline code, and a link as [label](address).
Combine it
- Bold names in a meetingBold the names of attendees in a meeting note, and link each one to a person's page.
- Headings with boldGive a note a heading, then bold a word in it. The Markdown copy records the heading in the note's frontmatter and writes the bold.
- Commands from the keyboardType
/at the caret to open the Insert command list, which holds the text styles next to the note styles. - Link to a noteType
[[and a name to link to a note without leaving the keyboard.
Limits
- Formatting is not offered in a code note.
- Only web addresses (http, https), mail addresses (mailto:) and links to notes are kept. Other addresses are dropped.