Text formatting in Skype

When it comes to video and voice calling, Skype might be the first name that pops in your mind. Skype is undoubtedly a wonderful app for making calls but it can also be used for texting. In fact, many people love to use Skype as an instant messenger. Skype text messages doesn’t have a special formatting by default, so they look quite plain. If you like to convey your messages better by adding some text formatting, Skype has some hidden features for doing so. There are some Skype text commands that most of you probably don’t know. This Skype hack allows you to add different text formatting to your text while chatting on Skype. Here is how you can use them.

Skype text formatting tips

In Skype you may not have the versatile text formatting options of a word processor, but you can use a level of text formatting with some commands. These commands are not accessible anywhere on Skype. You need to directly type the command on your Skype if you would like use any specific command. These are some of the most useful commands for formatting text on Skype.

Skype text italics

If you would like to use italics in your Skype texts, you need to surround your text with underscores. This is how you can do that:

Type this: I want to _emphasize_ the point

To see this: I want to emphasize the point

Skype text bold

If you would like to use bold you need to surround your text with asterisks. This is how you can do that:

Type this: Please *do not* open that box

To see this: Please do not open that box

Strikethrough in Skype

This text formatting command in Skype allows you to use strikethrough for your texts. To do so, surround you text with tildes. Here is how you can do this:

Type this: The answer to that question is ~10~ 11

To see this: The answer to that question is 10 11

Monospace text formatting in Skype

For texts that should be formatted with monospace font, wrap a selection of text with {code}, or start your message with two exclamation marks followed by a space to send the entire message in monospace font.

Typing this: To show hidden files in OS X, use this command in Terminal: {code}defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES{code}
To see this:

To show hidden files in OS X, use this command in Terminal: defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES

Typing this: !! I am afraid I can’t do that, Dave.
To see this:

I am afraid I can’t do that, Dave.

How to override Skype text formatting

All these commands are really useful if you want to add emphasis to your texts. But there are times when you want to use asterisks, underscores, or tildes without the text formats. Here is how you can override text formats in Skype.

Begin any text that you want to have without formatting with two at signs (@@) followed by a space.

Type this: @@ You *can’t* touch _this_ message, ~Skype!~

To see this: You *can’t* touch _this_ message, ~Skype!~