👹 Zalgo (Glitch) Text Generator
By ToolNimba Text Team · Updated 2026-06-19
Higher values stack more marks per character for a more chaotic, glitchy look.
Type some text to see the glitch effect.
Zalgo text is the chaotic, glitchy style where letters appear to overflow with messy marks stretching above and below them, as if the text were corrupted or haunted. This generator builds that look by stacking combining diacritical marks onto each character, so you can paste the result into a username, comment, caption or message wherever those marks are supported. Type your text, drag the intensity slider to control how heavy the effect is, and copy the cursed result in one tap. Everything runs in your browser, so nothing you type is ever sent anywhere.
What is the Zalgo Text Generator?
Zalgo text gets its glitched appearance from a feature of Unicode called combining characters. A normal letter such as the letter a is one code point, but Unicode also defines hundreds of marks (accents, tildes, dots, slashes, hooks) that have no width of their own and instead attach to the character before them. Languages use one or two of these at a time to write accented letters. Zalgo simply abuses the system by piling dozens of them onto a single base letter, so the marks spill far above and below the line and visually crash into neighbouring text.
The combining marks fall into three rough zones. Marks above (the U+0300 to U+036F block, plus a few others) sit on top of the letter, marks below sit underneath, and a smaller middle group draws strokes and slashes through the letter itself. This tool lets you switch each zone on or off, and the intensity slider chooses how many marks to add per character. Each mark is picked at random using your device crypto random number generator, so every run produces a fresh, unique pattern, that is why a Regenerate button is included.
The underlying letters never actually change. If you strip the combining marks back out, you recover your original message exactly, which is why zalgo text is still (sometimes) readable and why screen readers may announce the plain letters. Support varies by platform: many apps render the overflow faithfully, some clip or flatten it for safety, and a few block long mark runs entirely. The text is plain Unicode either way, so it copies and pastes like any other string.
When to use it
- Creating a spooky, glitchy username or display name for a game, forum or chat app.
- Adding a creepy or chaotic vibe to social media captions, comments or Halloween posts.
- Designing horror, vaporwave or glitch-art graphics where corrupted-looking text fits the mood.
- Stress-testing how your own website, app or input field handles long runs of combining characters.
How to use the Zalgo Text Generator
- Type or paste the text you want to corrupt into the input box.
- Drag the intensity slider to set how many marks stack on each character (Mild to Extreme).
- Tick or untick the Above, Middle and Below zones to control where the marks appear.
- Press Regenerate for a different random pattern, then tap Copy to grab your zalgo text.
Formula & method
Worked examples
You enter the word hi with the intensity set to Mild (about 3 marks per letter) and only the Above zone enabled.
- The tool keeps the base letters h and i unchanged.
- For h it picks 3 random marks from the Above zone, for example acute, tilde and dot above.
- For i it picks 3 more random Above marks.
- Total length grows from 2 characters to about 8 code points (2 letters + 6 marks).
Result: A lightly glitched word where small accents pile only on top of each letter.
You enter go with the intensity set to Extreme (about 45 marks per letter) and all three zones enabled.
- The base letters g and o stay the same.
- For each letter the tool adds roughly 45 marks, chosen at random across the Above, Middle and Below zones.
- The output now holds about 92 code points for a 2-letter word (2 letters + roughly 90 marks).
- The marks overflow far above and below the line and bleed into surrounding text.
Result: A heavily corrupted, hard-to-read glitch word, the classic full zalgo look.
Intensity slider levels and the look they produce
| Slider value | Label | Marks per character | Look |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 8 | Mild | 1 to 8 | Light accents, still easy to read |
| 9 to 20 | Medium | 9 to 20 | Clearly glitched but legible |
| 21 to 35 | Heavy | 21 to 35 | Strong overflow into nearby lines |
| 36 to 50 | Extreme | 36 to 50 | Full cursed chaos, barely readable |
Combining mark zones used by the generator
| Zone | Where it renders | Example Unicode range |
|---|---|---|
| Above | On top of the letter | U+0300 to U+036F |
| Middle | Through the letter (strokes, slashes) | U+0334 to U+0338 |
| Below | Underneath the letter | U+0316 to U+035A |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Expecting it to look identical everywhere. Each app and font renders combining marks differently. Some show the full overflow, some clip the marks to one line, and a few flatten or strip them. Always preview your zalgo text on the actual platform before posting.
- Cranking intensity to maximum for everything. Extreme settings often get truncated, filtered as spam, or rejected by input limits because the string balloons to dozens of code points per letter. A Mild or Medium level usually reads as glitchy while staying usable.
- Assuming the original letters are gone. Zalgo only adds marks on top of normal characters, it never replaces them. The base text is still there underneath, so screen readers and search may still read your plain message.
- Using it where it will be blocked. Many forms, official usernames and moderated platforms reject long combining-mark runs to prevent layout breaking. If your zalgo text is refused, reduce the intensity or expect it to be cleaned automatically.
Glossary
- Zalgo text
- Text deliberately overloaded with combining marks so it looks glitched, corrupted or haunted.
- Combining mark
- A zero-width Unicode character that attaches to the character before it, such as an accent, tilde or stroke.
- Base character
- The normal letter, digit or symbol that the combining marks attach to.
- Code point
- A single Unicode value. One visible zalgo letter is made of one base code point plus many mark code points.
- Diacritic
- A small mark added to a letter, originally to change its sound or meaning, reused here purely for visual effect.
Frequently asked questions
What is zalgo text?
Zalgo text is plain text decorated with many combining Unicode marks so letters appear to spill over with glitchy strokes above and below them. It is popular for creepy usernames, captions and glitch-art because it looks corrupted while still being ordinary Unicode underneath.
How does the zalgo text generator work?
For every non-space character the tool appends a number of random combining marks set by the intensity slider, choosing from the Above, Middle and Below zones you enable. The base letters never change, the marks just stack on top, so the text stays copyable as normal Unicode.
Can I control how intense the glitch effect is?
Yes. Drag the intensity slider from Mild (a few marks per letter) up to Extreme (dozens per letter), and tick or untick the Above, Middle and Below zones to decide where marks appear. Press Regenerate any time for a fresh random pattern.
Why does my zalgo text look different on another site?
Rendering of combining marks depends on the font and platform. Some apps draw the full overflow, others clip it to one line, and a few strip the marks for safety. Always preview on the platform where you plan to post it.
Is the zalgo text safe to copy and paste?
Yes, it is standard Unicode text, so it copies and pastes like any other string and contains no code or scripts. Some strict forms may reject very long mark runs, in which case lower the intensity or expect the text to be cleaned.
Does anything I type get sent to a server?
No. The entire generator runs in your browser using JavaScript and your device built-in random number generator. Your text never leaves your device, and nothing is uploaded, stored or logged.