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Cipher Cove

Zalgo Text Generator

Type anything to turn it into glitchy Zalgo text, pick the intensity, and copy it. Switch the direction to strip the marks from Zalgo text you found somewhere.

Normal textZalgo text
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Intensity
Marks

How to use the Zalgo text generator

  1. Type or paste text in the Normal text box. The Zalgo version appears as you type.
  2. Choose an Intensity: Mild adds a few marks, Medium is the classic glitch look, and Max piles marks high above and below the line.
  3. Pick where the marks go: Above, Through (strike-through overlays) or Below the letters.
  4. Press Copy to paste it anywhere, or Shuffle for a different random mix.

To clean up Zalgo text, press the arrows between the two labels and paste it into the box.

Where Zalgo text comes from

Zalgo started on the Something Awful forums in 2004, when users edited innocent comic strips so the characters were corrupted by an unseen being called Zalgo, with bleeding eyes and the line "He comes". As the meme spread, people found they could make text look possessed the same way by stacking Unicode combining marks, and the glitchy text took the Zalgo name.

How combining marks make text glitch

Unicode separates letters from the marks that can sit on them. The acute accent in é can be stored as an e followed by a combining acute accent, a character that has no width of its own and is drawn on top of the letter before it. Nothing stops a text from adding a second, a third or a fiftieth mark, and text engines draw every one, stacking each a little higher or lower.

This generator picks from about a hundred marks in the Combining Diacritical Marks block, U+0300 to U+036F:

  • Above: accents, tildes, rings and small letters drawn over the letter.
  • Through: overlay strokes and slashes, U+0334 to U+0338, drawn across the letter.
  • Below: dots, rings, bridges and lines drawn under the letter.

Because the marks spill into the space around the text, Zalgo text can cover the line above or below it. Many apps clip it at the edge of a message or a name.

Tips for using glitch text

  • Usernames and bios: Mild works best. Many sites limit the number of characters, and every mark counts as one.
  • Spooky posts and Halloween: Medium gives the classic look without hiding the words.
  • Memes: Max is unreadable on purpose, so keep the message short.
  • Important text: do not glitch it. Search engines, screen readers and some apps struggle with it.

For other ways to make text look strange, try the Wingdings translator or the Standard Galactic Alphabet translator.

Frequently asked questions

What is Zalgo text?

Zalgo text is ordinary text with dozens of combining marks stacked on each letter, so it looks like it is melting or glitching off the line. The name comes from an internet creepypasta meme from 2004, in which comic strips were edited so the characters were corrupted by a being called Zalgo.

How does Zalgo text work?

Unicode has combining marks, such as accents, that attach to the letter before them. Normally a letter gets one or two. A Zalgo generator piles up many of them above, through and below each letter, and apps draw them all, which makes the marks spill over the lines around them.

Can I use Zalgo text on Discord, TikTok or Instagram?

Usually, yes, because it is made of standard Unicode characters. Some apps trim long stacks of marks, cap the length of names or bios, or hide the overflow, so the Max setting may look tamer once posted. Mild and Medium survive more often. Try it in a test post first.

How do I remove Zalgo text?

Press the arrows between the two labels to switch to the remover, then paste the Zalgo text. Any letter carrying two or more combining marks loses all of them. A letter with a single mark keeps it, because that is usually a normal accent, so words like café stay intact.

Why does the result change when I press Shuffle?

The marks are picked at random. Each letter keeps its marks while you type, so the text does not flicker, and Shuffle picks a new random set for the whole text.

Is Zalgo text bad for screen readers?

It can be. Screen readers may read every mark or skip the text, so people who use them may not be able to read your message. Keep Zalgo text for fun posts, not names or information people need.

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