Controlled glitch text

Zalgo Text Generator

Add controlled Unicode combining marks to create creepy, corrupted, or glitch text. Choose the intensity and direction before copying the result.

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Glitch intensity
Mark direction

Zalgo text preview

Medium intensity · Above & below

S̖̗̀́ó̘̙̂m̜̝̂̃ẽ̞̠̄ṭ̤̄̇ḣ̖̗̈ï̘̙̊n̜̝̊̋g̞̠̋̌ s̖̗̀́t̘̙́̂r̜̝̂̃ã̞̠̄ṇ̤̄̇ġ̖̗̈ë̘̙̊

Combining marks can render differently across apps. Start with low intensity when readability matters.

Clear definition

What Is Zalgo Text?

Zalgo text combines ordinary letters with Unicode marks normally used for accents and pronunciation. Stacking several marks above or below each character creates the distorted, overflowing appearance commonly called glitch or cursed text.

This generator limits the amount of stacking to three readable levels. It also removes existing combining marks before generating a new result, preventing repeated edits from growing into an unbounded wall of marks.

How to Create Glitch Text Safely

  1. 1

    Enter a short phrase

    Use a name, reaction, heading, or short message rather than a long paragraph.

  2. 2

    Control the effect

    Choose low, medium, or high intensity and place marks above, below, or in both directions.

  3. 3

    Copy and test

    Paste the result into the target app and reduce the intensity if marks are clipped or unreadable.

Where Zalgo Text Is Commonly Used

Glitch text is an expressive effect. It works best in playful or themed contexts where perfect readability is not essential.

  • Horror, glitch, and retro-tech themed posts
  • Short reactions in chats and communities
  • Creepy display names for seasonal profiles
  • Game events, fictional warnings, and titles
  • Visual experiments in supported text fields
  • Memes and intentionally corrupted phrases
Practical guide

How combining marks create Zalgo text

Unicode combining marks were designed to attach accents, pronunciation signs, and other modifiers to a base character. They normally appear in small, meaningful combinations. Zalgo text creates a visual glitch by attaching several marks to each ordinary letter, often mixing marks that extend above and below the normal line. The base phrase is still present, but the stacked modifiers make it look corrupted or unstable. Nothing is being drawn as an image, so the result can still be copied as text when the destination accepts those Unicode code points.

Different fonts and layout engines position combining marks in different ways. One browser may stack them neatly while another lets them collide with neighboring lines. Fixed-height inputs can clip the top or bottom, and some apps normalize or remove unusual sequences. This generator starts from cleaned base text and caps the available intensity, which makes the output more predictable than adding marks without a limit. Even so, the target platform controls the final rendering, so a successful preview cannot guarantee identical spacing everywhere.

Choose the right intensity and direction

Low intensity adds a visible glitch while leaving most letters easy to recognize. It is usually the safest choice for a display name, short reaction, or themed heading. Medium intensity produces a stronger corrupted effect and may begin to touch nearby lines. High intensity is intentionally chaotic and is better reserved for a very short word or meme where readability is secondary. Start low, paste the result into its destination, and increase the setting only when the interface has enough vertical space and the phrase remains understandable.

Direction changes how the effect interacts with the layout. Marks above the letters can suit a single line with open space at the top, while marks below may avoid a header directly above the text. Using both directions creates the classic overflowing look but requires the most room. If an app clips the result, first select one direction and then reduce intensity. Shortening the phrase can also help. The goal is controlled distortion: enough variation to communicate the glitch theme without turning the surrounding interface into an unreadable block.

Use glitch text responsibly

Zalgo text is best treated as a visual joke or themed effect, not as a replacement alphabet. Dense marks can be difficult for people with low vision, dyslexia, or cognitive accessibility needs, and screen readers may announce a long sequence of modifier names. The marks can overlap buttons, messages, and neighboring content in interfaces that do not constrain overflow. Keep the effect out of navigation, instructions, warnings, links, contact details, and any information a person must understand quickly or reproduce accurately.

Community rules still apply to the underlying message. Do not use visual distortion to evade moderation, impersonate another user, conceal harassment, or make harmful content harder to detect. Some platforms may remove the marks or limit an account that repeatedly posts disruptive strings. Preserve a plain-text copy before generating the effect, and use the reset or original input when you want to change intensity. A short, clearly playful phrase usually delivers the intended horror or glitch aesthetic without creating unnecessary accessibility, moderation, or layout problems.

Keep the effect short and considerate

Heavy combining marks can overlap nearby interface elements, be difficult for screen readers, or be removed by a platform. Avoid using Zalgo text for passwords, email addresses, important instructions, or information people must search and understand.

Common questions

Zalgo Text Generator FAQ