What is glitch / Zalgo text?
Glitch text (also called 'Zalgo' text) stacks Unicode combining marks — accents, tildes, diacritics — on top of and below regular letters until the text looks corrupted. Because each mark is a separate combining character, the output remains real text you can copy, paste, and search.
We offer three corruption levels: light (subtle chaos), medium (obvious glitch), and heavy (full Zalgo). Copy the level that matches the vibe you're going for.
How to use glitch text on Discord, TikTok & horror content
Discord: glitch usernames and status messages are the classic Zalgo use case. Some servers ban heavy Zalgo because it breaks message spacing — use light or medium levels in most channels.
TikTok: creepy glitch text goes viral in horror, mystery, and creepypasta niches. Use in on-video captions and comments.
Instagram: use in Stories or aesthetic feed captions with a horror/dark theme. Medium glitch reads well; heavy glitch can push the caption below viewport.
Avoid in: LinkedIn, professional emails, and anywhere the reader might use a screen reader — heavy combining marks are unreadable to assistive tech.
Where glitch text works
| Platform | Support | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Discord | ✅ | Full support — but heavy Zalgo may be muted by moderators. |
| TikTok | ✅ | Great for creepy horror / mystery content. |
| ✅ | Works in Stories + captions. Medium level renders best. | |
| Twitter / X | ✅ | X sometimes normalises heavy Zalgo — test first. |
| WhatsApp / Messenger | ⚠️ | Heavy Zalgo may break message bubbles. |
| ❌ | Do not use — flagged as spam / unprofessional. |
Pro tips
- Combining marks stack indefinitely — the more marks per letter, the more 'cursed' it looks.
- Screen readers announce every combining mark. Never use glitch text in accessibility-critical places.
- Some paste targets (email clients, PDFs) strip combining marks. Test before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between glitch text and Zalgo text?▾
They're the same thing. 'Zalgo' comes from a 2004 meme character. 'Glitch text' is the generic term. Both use Unicode combining marks stacked on regular letters.
Is Zalgo text against Discord's rules?▾
Not universally — Discord itself allows it. Individual servers often ban heavy Zalgo because it breaks chat formatting and can trigger crashes on old clients.
Why does the glitch text mess up the line spacing?▾
Combining marks extend above and below the letter baseline. Chat apps have a fixed line height, so heavy Zalgo overflows into neighbouring lines. Use the light variant to avoid this.
Can I remove the glitch to get plain text back?▾
Yes — most text editors have a 'normalise Unicode' function. In JavaScript: `text.normalize('NFC').replace(/[\u0300-\u036f]/g, '')`.
Does glitch text work in Instagram bio?▾
Yes, medium and light glitch render fine. Heavy glitch may get truncated or make the bio look broken.