Fancy text and accessibility

Fancy text looks fun, but for some people it doesn't look like anything at all. This short guide explains why and how to use it kindly.

What a screen reader hears

Screen readers read text aloud for people who are blind or have low vision. They're built to read words, and styled letters aren't words to them: each one is a separate symbol. Depending on the reader and the app, a styled name might be:

• read letter by letter by its Unicode name ("mathematical bold capital H, mathematical bold small e…"),
• read as the plain letters, which is the best case, or
• skipped entirely, so the listener hears nothing.

Glitch and zalgo text are the worst case: the reader may announce every combining mark, turning one word into a long string of noise.

Search, hashtags and mentions

Styled characters are different characters, so they don't match plain-text searches. A styled display name may not come up when someone searches for you, a styled hashtag won't link to the tag, and a styled @name may be hard to mention.

Simple rules

• Keep your real name plain, or put a plain version next to the styled one.
• Style a word or a line, not the whole thing. A styled headline with plain details underneath is readable for everyone.
• Never style hashtags, @mentions, links, phone numbers, prices, dates or instructions.
• Use the app's own formatting when it has some, such as Discord markdown (**bold**) or the bold button in a document. Real formatting is read correctly.
• Skip zalgo in shared spaces. It can also cover other people's messages.
• Check on another device to make sure it doesn't show as boxes.

Our own site

Every style button on this site has a plain label (for example "Copy Bold style"), and the styled preview is hidden from screen readers so they don't read it as gibberish. The site works with a keyboard, in light and dark mode, and is tested with axe. If something doesn't work for you, please tell us.