What is Zalgo Text?
Z̷̡͓̽a̸̟̎l̵̰̈́g̷̱̈́o̵̡̍ ̸̖̐t̵̰̔e̴̡̓x̵̰̔t̵̰̓ uses Unicode combining characters stacked above and below letters to create a "corrupted" or "glitched" appearance. Named after the Zalgo creepypasta meme, this effect is popular for horror themes, chaos aesthetics, and internet culture.
Intensity Levels
| Level | Characters Added | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Low | 1-2 per letter | Subtle creepy effect |
| Medium | 3-5 per letter | Noticeably glitched |
| High | 6-10 per letter | Maximum chaos |
⚠️ Use Sparingly
Heavy Zalgo text can break layouts, cause performance issues, and is very difficult to read. Some platforms may filter or ban excessive use. Keep it to short phrases!
Where Zalgo Text Works
- Social Media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram (limited)
- Messaging: Discord, WhatsApp, Telegram
- Gaming: Some game chats and profiles
- Forums: Reddit, 4chan, various boards
The Zalgo Meme Origin
Zalgo originated from a 2004 4chan meme featuring corrupted versions of newspaper comics. The chaotic appearance represented a Lovecraftian horror entity. The glitched text became associated with creepypasta, horror ARGs, and internet chaos culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does it break some websites?
Each combining character takes up vertical space. Heavy Zalgo can overflow containers, overlap other elements, and cause rendering issues. Web developers often sanitize input to prevent this.
Is there a character limit?
Zalgo dramatically increases character count. A 10-letter word at max intensity could become 100+ characters. Watch platform limits carefully!
Can screen readers handle it?
Screen readers typically ignore combining characters, reading only the base text. However, the output may still be confusing for assistive technology users.