Markdown Quote Generator
Paste any text and get a correctly prefixed blockquote, including multi-line and multi-paragraph quotes. Everything runs locally in your browser.
How do you quote text in Markdown?
Start the line with a greater-than sign and a space: `> your quote`. Every consecutive line you prefix that way joins the same blockquote, which renders as an indented <blockquote> element. Add a second `>` to nest a quote inside a quote, and use a lone `>` on a line to separate paragraphs.
> This is a quote in Markdown.
> It continues on the next line.
>
> And this is a second paragraph of the same quote.Renders as one indented blockquote containing two paragraphs, normally drawn with a vertical bar down the left edge.
Try the Markdown Quote Generator
Quote Text
Output
Markdown blockquote syntax explained
A blockquote is a container, not an inline style. That single fact explains almost every blockquote question: what ends a quote, how nesting works, and why other Markdown keeps working inside it.
Basic blockquote
One greater-than sign at the start of a line quotes everything after it. The space after the > is optional, but every style guide and formatter adds it.
> Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.Renders as an indented block of text wrapped in a <blockquote> element, usually with a vertical rule on the left.
Multi-line quotes and lazy continuation
Prefix every line to keep the quote explicit. CommonMark also allows lazy continuation, where an unprefixed line directly below is absorbed into the quote — convenient, but it breaks the moment someone inserts a blank line.
> Prefix every line explicitly.
> This is the clearest and safest form.
> Lazy continuation also works:
this unprefixed line still joins the quote above.Two separate blockquotes. In the second one the unprefixed line is swallowed into the quote, which is exactly the ambiguity you avoid by prefixing every line.
Multiple paragraphs in one quote
A genuinely blank line ends a blockquote. To keep several paragraphs inside the same quote, put a lone > on the separating line so the container never closes.
> First paragraph of the quote.
>
> Second paragraph of the same quote.One <blockquote> containing two <p> elements. Delete the lone > and you get two unrelated blockquotes stacked on top of each other.
Nested blockquotes
Add one > per level. This is how quoted email threads and forum replies are represented — and the blank separator lines need the deeper prefix too, or the nesting collapses.
> Original comment.
>
>> Reply nested one level deeper.
>>
>>> And a third level.
>
> Back to the outer level.Three progressively indented blockquotes followed by a return to the outermost level; each level adds another <blockquote> wrapper in the HTML.
Other Markdown inside a quote
Because a blockquote is a container, headings, lists, emphasis, tables and fenced code blocks all keep working inside it, as long as each line carries the > prefix.
> ### Release note
>
> - Fixes the export crash
> - **Breaking:** renames the `--out` flag
>
> ```bash
> npm i mdutil@latest
> ```A single blockquote containing a heading, a bullet list with bold text, and a fenced code block, all inside one quoted region.
Quoting a source with attribution
Markdown has no dedicated citation syntax. The convention is an em dash plus the author as the last paragraph inside the quote, so the source travels with the words.
> The best way to predict the future is to invent it.
>
> — *Alan Kay*The quotation and its attribution stay in the same blockquote, keeping the visual connection between the text and its source.
Where Markdown blockquotes work
The > character is understood everywhere, but nesting depth, multi-line shortcuts and callout extensions differ enough to matter before you publish.
| Platform | Support | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub / GitLab | Full | Nesting and embedded Markdown both work. GitHub adds alerts such as > [!NOTE] and > [!WARNING]. |
| Discord | Full | > quotes one line; >>> quotes everything to the end of the message. Nesting is not supported. |
| Slack | Partial | > works in the composer, but every level is flattened to a single indent. |
| Obsidian | Full | Full nesting, plus callouts written as > [!info] Title on the first line. |
| Notion | Partial | Typing > then a space creates a quote block; nested quotes are not available. |
| Full | > works in the Markdown editor and nests; the rich-text editor exposes a quote button instead. |
How to create a blockquote in Markdown
Paste the text you want to quote
Type or paste your text into the box above. Every line you enter becomes one line of the blockquote.
Use line breaks for structure
Press Enter to start a new line. The generator prefixes each line with > so the whole passage stays inside a single quote instead of splitting apart.
Copy the Markdown
Use the copy button to grab the generated blockquote and paste it straight into a README, issue, pull request or note.
Check the preview
Switch to the preview tab to confirm the quote renders as one block, then add extra > characters by hand wherever you need a nested reply.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a blockquote and regular quotation marks in Markdown?
A blockquote is Markdown syntax: the > character creates a real <blockquote> element that renderers indent and style. Quotation marks are ordinary text characters with no structural meaning. Use a blockquote when the quoted passage should be visually and semantically separated from your own prose, and quotation marks for short inline quotes inside a sentence.
How do I create a multi-line blockquote in Markdown?
Put > at the start of every line of the passage. Most parsers also accept lazy continuation, where only the first line is prefixed and the following lines are absorbed into the quote, but that stops working as soon as a blank line appears. Prefixing every line is the portable option.
How do I nest a quote inside a quote in Markdown?
Add one extra > for each level, so >> is the second level and >>> the third. The separator lines between paragraphs need the same depth: a line containing only > will drop you back to level one, which is the usual reason nested quotes collapse unexpectedly.
How do I put several paragraphs inside one blockquote?
Separate them with a line that contains a single > and nothing else. A completely blank line closes the blockquote, so two paragraphs split by an empty line become two separate quotes rather than one quote with two paragraphs.
How do blockquotes look on GitHub?
GitHub renders blockquotes with a grey vertical bar on the left and muted text, in READMEs, issues, pull requests, comments and wikis. GitHub also supports alert callouts: a blockquote whose first line is [!NOTE], [!TIP], [!IMPORTANT], [!WARNING] or [!CAUTION] is rendered as a coloured admonition box.
Does Discord support Markdown blockquotes?
Yes. A single > followed by a space quotes just that line, while >>> at the start of a message quotes everything after it until the end of the message. Discord does not render nested blockquotes, so >> shows up as a single-level quote containing a literal > character.
How do I add attribution to a Markdown quote?
There is no dedicated citation syntax. The common convention is to end the blockquote with a paragraph containing an em dash and the author, for example a line reading > — Alan Kay. Keep the attribution inside the quote so it stays visually attached to the passage it credits.
Can I use lists, code blocks or bold text inside a blockquote?
Yes. A blockquote is a block-level container, so headings, lists, tables, fenced code blocks and inline emphasis all work inside it. The only requirement is that every line of the nested content carries the > prefix, including the blank lines between list items and code fences.
Why does my Markdown blockquote not end where I expect?
Almost always lazy continuation. If the paragraph directly below your quote is not separated by a blank line, the parser treats it as a continuation of the quote and pulls it inside. Insert an empty line after the last quoted line, or prefix the following text explicitly, to break the block.
Can I change how blockquotes are styled in Markdown?
Not from Markdown itself. Appearance comes from the CSS of whatever renders the output, so on GitHub, Discord or Notion you get their built-in styling. On your own site you can target the blockquote element in CSS, and some platforms offer callout extensions that give you colour-coded variants.