Markdown is a simple markup language you can use to easily add formatting, links, and images to plain text. You can use it in the following places:
- Ticket comments (from the agent interface)
- Macros
- Agent signatures
- Dynamic content
- Content blocks in help center articles
Markdown commands are automatically supported by your ticket editor. You can enter Markdown comments to format your content, or you can use the format toolbar to add rich content. See Table 1 below for supported Markdown commands.
Topics covered in this article:
Adding Markdown to text
The following table shows examples of how you can use Markdown to add common formatting. You don't need to preview your formatting. Your content is formatted automatically as you enter Markdown commands.
You can also watch this short video.
Formatting | Entered text | Published text | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Bold | This is how you **bold** text. | ![]() |
Supported |
Italics | This is how you *italicize* text. | ![]() |
Supported |
Bulleted lists | * Bullet one (don't forget a space after the asterisk)
* Bullet two You must type a line break before and after the list. |
![]() |
Supported. You can also start with a hyphen (-) followed by a space to create a bulleted list. |
Numbered lists | 1. Step one
2. Step two Do not use a hashtag (#) when creating numbered lists in Markdown, as the symbol is used for other formatting. You must type a line break before and after the list. |
![]() |
Supported |
Nested lists | * This is the first level of this list.
You can add things like images, quote blocks, or links to a nested list in addition to just text. You must type a line break before and after the list. |
![]() |
Supported, except for content blocks. For the second level of indent, press Tab after the bulleted list or numbered list. |
Headings | # Heading level one (with a space after the #)
## Heading level two ### Heading level three |
![]() |
Supported. Up to four heading levels. Up to six heading levels in content blocks. |
Block quotes |
> Block quotes have to start and end with a blank line > And each line of the quote starts with a right angle bracket and a space
|
![]() |
Supported |
Inline code | Here is some `inline code.` | ![]() |
Supported |
Code blocks | ```
This is a code block. ``` Creating a blank line and then indenting the next line or lines with four spaces creates a code block too. You must type a line break before and after the code block. |
![]() |
Supported. To exit a code block placed at the end of a comment, press the Return key three times in a row. |
Images | 
Tip: To embed an image that's not hosted, first attach the image to the ticket. Then open the attachment, right-click the image, select Copy image URL, and use this link to embed your image. Doesn't work if private attachments are enabled.
|
![]() |
Supported, except for content blocks. Adding an image URL automatically turns it into an image link. When the ticket comment is submitted, the image appears in the conversation log.* |
Links | [Link display text](http://www.sampleurl.com) | ![]() |
Supported in agent signatures* |
Images that are also links | [](linkurl) | ![]() |
Supported in agent signatures* |
Links to tickets | We addressed this in ticket #61. | ![]() |
Not supported, yet |
Horizontal rule line |
--- You must enter a line break before and after the hyphens. If you have three or more dashes under a line of text, with no blank space between them, instead of creating a horizontal rule below the text, the text above will change into a header. |
![]() |
Supported |
Line break |
Line 1 Line 2 You must type two line breaks before each . |
Line 1
Line 2 |
Not supported, except for content blocks. In content blocks, type Shift+Enter to add a line break. |
Underscore | This is how you \_underscore\_ text. | This is how you underscore text. | Supported only in content blocks. |
* When you enter URLs for links and images, make sure you include the full URL, including the http:// or https:// prefix. |
Pasting Markdown text from another source
Here are some things to consider when you copy Markdown text from another source and paste it into the ticket composer:
- If you copy text with Markdown commands from a plain text editor, the content is automatically formatted as soon as you paste it. If you don't want the content to be automatically formatted, use Cmd+Shift+V (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+V (Windows) to paste.
- If you paste text with Markdown commands from a rich text editor, the Markdown commands remain "as is". The content is not automatically formatted.
- If you copy text with Markdown commands from any type of editor into a code block in the ticket composer, the content is not automatically formatted. It remains "as is."
- If you paste Markdown text with code blocks or nested lists, the format is not automatically carried over into the ticket composer.
74 comments
Matthias Miltenberger
Not being able to copy-paste correct Markdown snippets is a major issue. We have defined many custom snippets that are not working correctly anymore due to this bug.
No one needs this live preview functionality when writing proper Markdown-formatted text - it just makes everything so much harder to edit. In the past, there was a dedicated preview window that rendered the Markdown while you could type the actual text in raw format. This is the only way to use Markdown properly and is an established scheme on many websites hosting technical text (e.g. GitHub, Stackoverflow).
PLEASE enable a simple raw text editor that does not try to be smart by messing with your text/code during editing.
5
Nick Vincent-Maloney
Agreed Matthias Miltenberger! Another bonehead move on ZD's part. We already struggle with this silly feature in Jira. MD is such a powerful tool and both these companies are ruining in a failed attempt to make it more user-friendly.
1
Rob Mensching
Matthias Miltenberger and Nick Vincent-Maloney are both correct. We have very technical support staff that need to respond with very precise formatting. Every single one of them despises the new edit box in ZenDesk. I routinely get requests to move to a new support system because the act of responding to tickets is so frustrating.
Can we have an option to get a plain text box for use with Markdown? We'd even live without Markdown preview if all the automatic formating options were disabled.
0
Cesar Perez
Can you pass this via the Ticket API? If so, that would be the syntax for bold? I tried **TEST** and it did not work. Do I need to escape the **? Thanks.
0
Amie Brennan
hey Cesar Perez
Could you try with 3x * on either side?
***Test***
Best,
Amie
0
Cesar Perez
Hi Amie Brennan - Tried it with the *** before and after, but it did not work. I sent it on the JSON as 'comment': {'body': body}, where the body is a variable holding the string. Thanks!
0
Hrishikesh Kokate
Hey @...,
Sorry to quote you on this, but as per your comment here, API should be able to use HTML formatting. I'm trying to create tickets like:
I'm trying to use an agent's email address + API token to authenticate. Is it possible to use any kind of formatting in this setup?
Just like Cesar Perez mentions, Markdown doesn't seem to be working either. Is there any way to pass text formatting when creating/updating tickets via API?
0
Chris Fassano
Hrishikesh Kokate - you'll need to use "html_body:" instead of "body:".
https://developer.zendesk.com/api-reference/ticketing/tickets/ticket_comments/#bodies
0
Hrishikesh Kokate
Oh, I'm so sorry. I totally missed that. html_body works great! Thank you so much!
0
Otto Berger
In Zendesk it is possible to add background color to text in a way of highlighting parts. how can be this done with markdown instead of using the formatting-menu?
<span style="color:red">cardinals</span>
doesnt work
0
Brett Bowser
It looks like you can only edit the text color and not the text background at this time. More information in this article: Announcing support for color text in the Zendesk Agent Workspace
Let us know if you have any other questions!
0
Otto Berger
Thanks a lot, Brett.
I am slowly getting familiar with Zendesk and got already a new question:
How can I paste in my markdown-formatted text? Currently, this doesn't work:
When I paste text, for example `**bold** text`, it does exactly that: paste in the text with the markdown-formatting (the **) and does not apply bold formatting to the text. Is there a solution to this?
0
Amisha Sharma
Hello All,
Thanks for your feedback on the current markdown support in Agent Workspace.
The below use cases are on our radar:
1. Provide an option to disable the real-time conversion of markdown syntax.
2. Convert the markdown syntax when pasted into the composer.
We're currently working on the second use case and will be sure to update you when released. It should be available on Agent Workspace in a couple of days. Thanks!
1
Aoife O'Neill
We use dynamic content in our macros to support customers who speak other languages, but when we send dynamic content that contains markdown through live chat or messenger, the markdown is not supported. Agents have to manually remove the markdown before using the macro. Can you suggest a way that we can keep our macros formatted without sending raw markdown to customers on live chat?
1
Amisha Sharma
Hello All,
We worked on an enhancement for markdown support and would love your feedback here: https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/4799753297818-Need-feedback-on-the-release-of-a-Markdown-enhancement-in-Agent-Workspace
Thank you!
0
Yu Sakaguchi
Are there anyway to have users open the link in new tab?
something like this perhaps?
0
Dainne Kiara Lucena-Laxamana
Hi Yu Sakaguchi
At the moment it is not supported. The only Markdown syntax that we support at the moment is the ones listed in this article & in this documentation. Zendesk's Markdown function is more for formatting purposes. The {:target="_blank"} is more of an action.
0
Permanently deleted user
I can't do this in messaging section
0
Gabriel Manlapig
As of the moment, Rich Text or Markdown Formatting is still available on Agent Workspace, but not on Messaging channel. However, if you switch to Email or Internal note channel, then you can definitely use Rich Text and Markdown Formatting there. In addition, side conversations support RTF as well.
I encourage you to create a new post in the General Product Feedback topic in our community to engage with other users who have similar needs and discuss possible workarounds. Conversations with a high level of engagement ultimately get flagged for product managers to review when they go through roadmap planning. I hope this answer your question!
0
Torsten Serfling
We have often the case, that we copy content from documentation, configuration files or log files in the comment editor in Support. This content often contains text like abc_xyz_iii, which becomes to abcxyziii by the automatically formatting. If this is not noticed by the agent, wrong information are provided to the customer.
If I copying text from a plain text editor (e.g. with Ctrl+V) I expect, that only the text is copied "as is" to the editor and not additional formatting is done. If the content should be formatted, this should be possible by pressing an additional key, not vice versa. Especially if we use the "Rich content" formatting instead of the "Markdown" formatting for comments. I don't know any tool which handles it in the way, which it is done in Zendesk.
It is also confusing, that any othet editor works differently. We don't notice the behavior in the editor for side conversations. Also in the end user editor in Guide or writing an article or community post, the copied content is not formatted.
0
Andrew Stivelman
Hello I'm testing out either typing Markdown directly into the RTE in Guide, as well as copying/pasting markdown from another source (have tried from MacDown as well as macOS Notepad). Unfortunately none of them seem to be rendering properly in the ZD help center.
I've read and followed the instructions on this page but am still not having any success. Is there something that is required in terms of editor settings, etc. that I have neglected to do?
Thanks.
0
Pete Forman
Is there an escape character to prevent further interpretation?
I suspect that some other magic is being applied rather than markdown.
In my particular example I pasted some code into a code block using control-shift-V. It rendered fine in my agent web page. When I submitted my reply a word delimited by doubled braces was removed. That was {{project}} which I will spell out as OPEN_BRACE OPEN_BRACE project CLOSE_BRACE CLOSE_BRACE in case it gets mangled here too.
0
Vanessa Malkovich
Within the CSAT automation email that goes out post-ticket solve, how would add 2 separate hyperlinks to our LMS? From reading, it's unclear as to whether HTML is supported in the CSAT automation email.
0
nick anderson
Matthias Miltenberger, Nick Vincent-Maloney, Rob Mensching I feel your
pain, *deeply*.
For technical people these changes seem to make everything worse. I
opened a support case in relation to the behavior of pasting markdown
that includes code blocks. The response (after nearly a month) was to
amend the documentation to indicate that "If you paste Markdown text
with code blocks or nested lists, the format is not automatically
carried over into the ticket composer."
<https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408846544922#topic_ldp_nd5_25b>
It's not just formatting not automatically carried over, in my testing
it mangles it injecting paragraph tags. As far as I can tell the *only*
way to insert a code block is to *manually* type the backticks. This
multiplies the number of actions required to post a response by 5 times
the number of code blocks in the response!
- Select text to paste before any code block ( I would have had to
select all so this one is a freebie)
- Manually insert code block
- Switch to other editor, select content within code block and copy
- Move back inside the newly inserted code block and paste
- Move back to the other editor, select content following the code block
until the next code block and copy
- Paste after the inserted code block
This is a huge impact and introduces significant room for human error
for a simple copy and paste operation. It's /common/ that our responses
have at least two code blocks in a single response, so that's 10 extra
actions! It's not uncommon to have as many as 6 depending on the depth
of the question.
I guess the comment API
(<https://developer.zendesk.com/api-reference/ticketing/tickets/ticket_comments/#bodies%C2%A0>)
has support for HTML body plausibly I could leverage org-babel to
facilitate exporting content to html and posting via the API which might
be a better workflow for me personally, but it leaves anyone using
markdown in other systems to painstakingly go through their documents
carefully copy and pasting sections at a time.
I really fail to understand for whom this magical paste hijacking
improved things for. Mom and Pop pizza shop could just use the rich text
editor. Technical folk wanting markdown could use that and press a
button to preview (or introduce a live preview pane). Who is that middle
person that wanted to use /some/ markdown and avoid a button?
1
Rob Mensching
nick anderson, if I could upvote your comment more, I would. It is unclear how the current design is the best of all available.
0
Stefan Roevros
Hey!
When will it be supported to use link as follow:
I want to use links in comments created by zapier but it currently doesn't allow me.
0
Amisha Sharma
Hello Stefan Roevros - We have released a fix for this. Rendering links and images should work now. Please let me know if otherwise. Thanks!
0
Dave Fear
I simply want to paste an internal note with the following text:
provisioning_tools/upgrade_scripts/testusers.csv
from my clipboard, from Microsoft Notepad [or github path copy], but, if using ctrl-v or ctrl-shift-v it changes to
provisioningtools/upgradescripts/testusers.csv
This is extremely frustrating. I cannot paste it as a quote, code span, code block or anything else - it will not paste how it is in my clipboard...

2
Amie Brennan
Hey Dave Fear
Weird. I just ran a test and it worked fine for me in my test account. Here's a screenshot of the submitted text you provided.
I just copied and pasted from my mac keyboard to copy it from your comment here into my ticket and submitted it.
Am I missing anything here?
0
Dave Fear
Amie Brennan ; thanks for the test, but yes you're missing the "from my clipboard, from Microsoft Notepad" bit.

The issue lies when it comes from text being plantext. It's OK when in RTF (i.e. what happens when you copy from this page)
0