The Ultimate Guide to Medium Formatting Options and Tools

The Ultimate Guide to Medium Formatting Options and Tools

Step-by-Step Guide to Formatting Your Medium Stories

MediumFormattingWritingEditing

Why Formatting Matters on Medium

Formatting isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s about readability, clarity, and flow. Medium’s minimalist editor gives writers limited but powerful tools to present ideas cleanly and professionally. Whether you’re creating a quick personal reflection or a long-form essay, mastering Medium’s formatting options will make your work more engaging and easier to read.

1. Basic Text Formatting

Bold, Italics & Links

  • Highlight text and click B (bold) or i (italic) in the toolbar.

  • To add a link: highlight text, click the chain link icon, paste the URL, and hit Enter.

  • Keyboard shortcuts:

    • Windows: Ctrl + B, Ctrl + I, Ctrl + K

    • Mac: Cmd equivalents
      (Source: Medium Help Center)

Headers & Subheaders
Highlight text and click the large or small “T” icons to format headers. The first large header becomes the title; the next is the subtitle.

Quotes

  • Click the quote icon once for a block quote, twice for a pull quote.

Lists

  • Bulleted: type * and space.

  • Numbered: type 1. and space.

Superscript & Drop Caps

  • Superscript: supported for numbers (e.g., typing 6^7 becomes 6⁷).

  • Drop caps: select a paragraph and click the drop-cap icon.

Mentions & Emojis

  • Type @username to mention another writer.

  • Type :emoji: to add emojis.

(Sources: Medium Help Center, verified November 2025)

2. Layout & Media Elements

Images

  • Upload via the camera icon or drag-and-drop.

  • You can set alignment (standard, out-set, or full-width).

  • Add captions and alt text for accessibility.

  • Many writers use Shift + F (or the image menu) to mark an image as the featured image.

Embeds

  • Paste a URL (YouTube, Tweet, etc.) on its own line and hit Enter to embed.

  • Medium supports hundreds of services via Embed.ly.

Dividers / Sections

  • Use the plus (+) icon to add horizontal rules or section breaks for readability.

(Sources: Medium Help Center, Cody Towstik’s Formatting Guide on Medium)

3. Advanced Editor Features

Draft Sharing, Revisions, and Unlisted Publishing

  • You can share a draft link for feedback (feature availability may vary).

  • View revision history via the three-dots menu in the editor.

  • Stories can be published as unlisted, making them visible only via direct link.

Canonical Links & Custom URLs

  • Set a canonical link if your story appears elsewhere (important for SEO).

  • You can also customize your Medium story’s slug (URL).

Keyboard Shortcuts
Medium offers a full shortcuts list under the editor menu. Common ones include bold, italics, link, undo, and redo.

(Sources: Medium Help Center, verified via community guides)

4. Best Practices for Formatting

  • Use clear, concise titles (Medium truncates long headlines).

  • Use high-quality featured images (at least ~1400px wide).

  • Keep paragraphs short for mobile readability.

  • Add alt text for accessibility.

  • Limit formatting flair — Medium is designed for simplicity.

  • Preview on mobile before publishing.

  • Use up to five tags for discoverability.

(Sources: Medium Style Guides and community-tested practices)

5. Sharing Your Stories Beyond Medium

Medium’s formatting tools make your stories attractive and readable wherever you share them — whether that’s on social media, email newsletters, or platforms like ManyStories.com that help readers discover content published across the web.

Here’s how to make the most of your work when sharing:

  • Polish your Medium layout before sharing links anywhere else.

  • Ensure your headline, subtitle, and featured image look great in previews.

  • Keep your first paragraph tight and engaging — it’s often what appears in snippets.

  • Add a short bio or footer linking to where readers can find more of your work.

6. Quick Medium Formatting Cheat Sheet

  • Title/Subhead: Highlight text → choose Large/Small T

  • Bold/Italic: Ctrl/Cmd + B / I

  • Add Link: Ctrl/Cmd + K

  • Quote: Click quote icon (once = block, twice = pull)

  • List: * for bullets, 1. for numbers

  • Embed: Paste URL on its own line

  • Image: + icon → camera icon / drag-drop

  • Featured Image: Select image → image menu (Shift + F works for many)

  • Drop Cap: Highlight paragraph → click drop cap icon

  • Canonical Link: Set via story settings

  • Unlisted Publish: Found under story settings

Conclusion

Mastering Medium’s formatting tools helps your stories stand out and stay readable across devices. With these techniques, you can create clean, professional posts that engage readers — and easily share them across the web to grow your audience.

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