avatarCasey Botticello

Summary

This web page provides instructions on how to add bulleted, numbered, and custom lists to a Medium story.

Abstract

The web page explains the two types of auto-formatting lists available on Medium: bulleted lists and numbered lists. To create a bulleted list, users should go to a new line, type a dash or asterisk, and press Space. To create a numbered list, users should go to a new line, type 1. (numeral one, period), and press the space bar. The page also discusses creating custom lists using unique symbols, and provides additional notes about Medium lists, such as limitations with numbered lists and images, and viewing articles in desktop and mobile modes.

Bullet points

  • Medium has two types of auto-formatting lists: bulleted lists and numbered lists.
  • To create a bulleted list, users should go to a new line, type a dash or asterisk, and press Space.
  • To create a numbered list, users should go to a new line, type 1. (numeral one, period), and press the space bar.
  • Numbered lists cannot be continued if users try to insert an image in the middle of them.
  • Users can create numbered lists without using Medium’s formatting (so that they can include images) by excluding the space from after the period.
  • Users can create custom lists by using unique symbols, but should view their article in both desktop mode and on a mobile device to ensure the symbols render correctly in both formats.
  • Bullet points work with bold or italicized text but not with text that has been enlarged to either a title, sub-title, heading, or subheading.

Medium Bullet Points, Numbered Lists, and Custom Lists

How to add bulleted, numbered, and custom lists to a Medium story

Source: Casey Botticello of Blogging Guide

Creating Lists on Medium

Medium has two types of auto-formatting lists: bulleted lists and numbered lists.

Bulleted List— To begin a bulleted list, go to a new line, type in a dash (-) or asterisk (*), and press Space. Next, you start typing your first item. Once you hit Enter on your keyboard, the list will be reformatted for you automatically:

Medium Bullet Points

Numbered List — To begin a numbered list, go to a new line, type in 1. (numeral one, period), and press the space bar on your keyboard. The list will automatically add subsequent numbers when you hit Enter on the keyboard.

Medium Numbered List

Custom Lists — While not a built in function in Medium's toolbar editor, creating your own custom list can be a great way to add originality or style to a list, or a way to organize content in greater detail.

Some examples:

List A:

★ Point 1

★ Point 2

★ Point 3

List B

▹ Point 1

▹ Point 2

▹ Point 3

List C

✓ Point 1

✓ Point 2

✓ Point 3

Additional Notes About Medium Lists:

  • Numbered lists cannot be continued if you try to insert an image in the middle of them. Alternatively, you can create numbered lists without using Medium’s formatting (so that you can include images, for example) by excluding the space from after the period.

Example:

2. Utilize this technique

4. to create

6. Numbered lists out of sequence

Or

1.To create lists

Sample Image Interrupting Numbered List

2. even when

3. interrupted by images.

  • While custom sits can look cool, make sure that you view your article in both desktop mode and on a mobile device as custom symbols may render correctly in one format but not on another.
  • Bullet points work with bold or italicized text but not with text that has been enlarged to either a title, sub-title, heading, or subheading.

Casey Botticello

Thanks for reading this article! Leave a comment below if you have any questions. Be sure to sign up for the Blogging Guide newsletter, to get the latest tips, tricks, and news about writing on Medium and to join our Facebook group, Medium Writing, to share your latest Medium posts and connect with other writers.

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Casey Botticello is a partner at Black Edge Consulting. Black Edge Consulting is a strategic communications firm, specializing in online reputation management, digital marketing, and crisis management. Prior to founding Black Edge Consulting, he worked for BGR Group, a bipartisan lobbying and strategic communications firm.

Casey is the founder of the Cryptocurrency Alliance, a Super PAC dedicated to cryptocurrency and blockchain advocacy. He is a graduate of The University of Pennsylvania, where he received his B.A. in Urban Studies.

You can connect with him on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or by visiting his website, Blogging Guide.

Lists
Bullet Points
Format
Typography
Organization
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