Editing & Formatting

Text Formatting

Pages support rich text formatting to make your content clear and visually appealing.

Inline Formatting

Bold

Make text bold to emphasize important points.

Methods:

• Keyboard: Select text, press Ctrl/Cmd + B
• Markdown: Type **text**
• Toolbar: Select text, click Bold button

Example:

This is **important** information.

Renders as: This is important information.

Italic

Use italic for emphasis or titles.

Methods:

• Keyboard: Select text, press Ctrl/Cmd + I
• Markdown: Type *text* or _text_
• Toolbar: Select text, click Italic button

Example:

Read *The Great Gatsby* for next week.

Renders as: Read The Great Gatsby for next week.

Underline

Underline text for additional emphasis.

Methods:

• Keyboard: Select text, press Ctrl/Cmd + U
• Markdown: Type __text__
• Toolbar: Select text, click Underline button

Example:

This is __critical__ to understand.

Renders as: This is critical to understand.

Strikethrough

Show deleted or outdated text.

Methods:

• Markdown: Type ~~text~~
• Toolbar: Select text, click Strikethrough button

Example:

~~Old price: $99~~ New price: $79

Renders as: Old price: $99 New price: $79

Inline Code

Use inline code for technical terms, commands, or code snippets.

Methods:

• Markdown: Type `text`
• Toolbar: Select text, click Code button

Example:

Run the `npm install` command.

Renders as: Run the npm install command.

Links

Create clickable links to external sites or internal pages.

Methods:

• Keyboard: Select text, press Ctrl/Cmd + K
• Markdown: Type [text](url)
• Toolbar: Select text, click Link button

Example:

Visit [our website](https://example.com) for more info.

Renders as: Visit our website for more info.

Linking to Pages:

1. Select text
2. Press Ctrl/Cmd + K
3. Search for a page
4. Select to create link

Combining Formats

You can combine multiple formats:

This is ***bold and italic*** text.
This is **bold with `code`** inside.
This is a [**bold link**](https://example.com).

Markdown Shortcuts

Type these shortcuts at the start of a line, followed by a space:

Headings

Shortcut	Result
# + space	Heading 1
## + space	Heading 2
### + space	Heading 3

Lists

Shortcut	Result
- + space	Bulleted list
* + space	Bulleted list
1. + space	Numbered list
[] + space	Todo/checkbox

Other Blocks

Shortcut	Result
> + space	Quote block
``` + space	Code block
--- + Enter	Divider

Slash Commands

Type / in any empty block to open the slash menu.

Using Slash Commands

1. Type / in an empty block
2. A menu appears with block types
3. Type to search (e.g., /heading)
4. Click or press Enter to select

Common Slash Commands

Command	Creates
/text	Paragraph
/h1	Heading 1
/h2	Heading 2
/h3	Heading 3
/bullet	Bulleted list
/number	Numbered list
/todo	Todo/checkbox
/quote	Quote block
/code	Code block
/callout	Callout block
/divider	Divider
/image	Image block

Slash Menu Categories

The slash menu organizes blocks by category:

• Basic: Text, headings, lists
• Media: Images, files
• Advanced: Code, callouts, dividers

Keyboard Shortcuts

Navigation

Shortcut	Action
Arrow keys	Move cursor
Ctrl/Cmd + Home	Jump to start of page
Ctrl/Cmd + End	Jump to end of page
Page Up/Down	Scroll page

Editing

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl/Cmd + Z	Undo
Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + Z	Redo
Ctrl/Cmd + C	Copy
Ctrl/Cmd + X	Cut
Ctrl/Cmd + V	Paste
Ctrl/Cmd + A	Select all

Block Operations

Shortcut	Action
Enter	Create new block below
Backspace (empty block)	Delete block
Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + ↑	Move block up
Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + ↓	Move block down
Ctrl/Cmd + D	Duplicate block

Formatting

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl/Cmd + B	Bold
Ctrl/Cmd + I	Italic
Ctrl/Cmd + U	Underline
Ctrl/Cmd + K	Create link
Ctrl/Cmd + E	Inline code

Auto-Save

How Auto-Save Works

• Changes save automatically every 2 seconds
• No manual save button needed
• "Saving..." indicator appears during save
• "✓ Saved" confirms successful save

Save Indicators

Top of page:

• Saving... - Changes are being saved
• ✓ Saved - All changes saved
• Error - Save failed (check connection)

What Gets Saved

• Title changes
• Block content
• Block order
• Block types
• Formatting
• Images and files
• Page settings

If Save Fails

Symptoms:

• "Saving..." never completes
• Error message appears
• Changes disappear on refresh

Solutions:

1. Check internet connection
2. Wait a moment and try again
3. Copy your content (Ctrl/Cmd + A, Ctrl/Cmd + C)
4. Refresh the page
5. Paste content back if needed

Read vs. Edit Mode

Some page implementations have separate read and edit modes.

Read Mode

Features:

• Clean, distraction-free view
• No editing controls visible
• Optimized for reading
• Faster performance

When to use:

• Reviewing content
• Presenting to others
• Reading documentation

Edit Mode

Features:

• All editing controls visible
• Block handles and menus
• Toolbar available
• Can add/edit/delete blocks

When to use:

• Creating content
• Making changes
• Reorganizing blocks

Toggling Modes

Method 1: Button

• Click "Edit" or "Read" button in toolbar

Method 2: Keyboard

• Press Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + E (if available)

Copy and Paste

Copying Content

Within Ascend:

1. Select text or blocks
2. Press Ctrl/Cmd + C
3. Navigate to destination
4. Press Ctrl/Cmd + V

From External Sources:

• Paste from Word, Google Docs, etc.
• Formatting is preserved when possible
• Images may need to be re-uploaded

Pasting Options

Plain Text:

• Press Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + V
• Removes all formatting
• Useful for cleaning up copied text

Rich Text:

• Press Ctrl/Cmd + V
• Preserves formatting
• May need adjustment

Best Practices

Formatting Guidelines

✅ Do:

• Use headings to create hierarchy
• Bold for emphasis, not decoration
• Consistent formatting throughout
• Links for references
• Code formatting for technical terms

❌ Don't:

• Overuse bold and italic
• Use ALL CAPS for emphasis
• Mix heading levels randomly
• Create walls of unformatted text
• Use multiple formatting styles for same purpose

Writing Style

Clear Structure:

# Main Topic (H1)
Introduction paragraph

## Section 1 (H2)
Content about section 1

### Subsection 1.1 (H3)
Detailed information

## Section 2 (H2)
Content about section 2

Use Lists:

• Break up long paragraphs
• Make information scannable
• Use numbered lists for steps
• Use bullets for options

Emphasize Wisely:

• Bold for important terms
• Italic for titles or emphasis
• Code for technical terms
• Links for references

Troubleshooting

Formatting not applying?

Check:

• You're in edit mode
• Text is selected
• Using correct shortcut

Solution:

• Try using toolbar buttons
• Refresh the page
• Try markdown syntax

Shortcut not working?

Possible causes:

• Browser extension conflict
• OS shortcut override
• Wrong key combination

Solution:

• Try alternative method (toolbar, markdown)
• Check browser extensions
• Use slash commands instead

Paste not preserving formatting?

Solution:

• Use Ctrl/Cmd + V for rich text
• Paste into Word first, then copy to Ascend
• Manually reformat if needed

Auto-save not working?

Check:

• Internet connection
• Browser console for errors
• Save indicator status

Solution:

• Copy your content
• Refresh the page
• Contact support if persists

Related

• Blocks - All block types
• Creating Pages - Page creation
• Collaboration - Working with others