Markdown Blockquotes: Quotes, Nested Quotes and Callouts
By the MDConverter team · Updated · 2 min read
Quick answer
Start a line with > and a space to make it a blockquote. Put > on every line of a multi-line quote (including the blank line between paragraphs), use >> to nest a quote inside a quote, and add headings, lists or code inside as usual. On GitHub, > [!NOTE] turns a quote into a colored callout; Obsidian uses the same pattern with more types.
Basic blockquote
A > at the start of a line quotes it. Lazy continuation lines without > still belong to the quote, but adding > to every line is clearer.
> The best way to predict the future is to invent it.
>
> — Alan KayThe best way to predict the future is to invent it.
— Alan Kay
Multiple paragraphs and nested quotes
Keep a > on the empty line between paragraphs, otherwise the quote ends. Add another > for each level of nesting — handy for quoting an email reply.
> First paragraph of the quote.
>
> Second paragraph, still quoted.
>
>> A quote inside the quote.First paragraph of the quote.
Second paragraph, still quoted.
A quote inside the quote.
Lists, headings and code inside a quote
Everything after the > is ordinary Markdown.
> ### Release notes
>
> - **Fixed:** login redirect
> - **Added:** dark mode
>
> ```bash
> npm update
> ```Release notes
- Fixed: login redirect
- Added: dark mode
npm update
Callouts (alerts) on GitHub and Obsidian
GitHub supports five alert types written as a blockquote whose first line is [!TYPE]: NOTE, TIP, IMPORTANT, WARNING and CAUTION. They render as colored boxes with an icon. GitHub recommends using no more than one or two per article and not nesting them.
Obsidian uses the same syntax with more types ([!info], [!todo], [!example], [!quote]…), custom titles (> [!tip] My title) and foldable callouts (> [!faq]-).
> [!WARNING]
> Back up the database before running the migration.[!WARNING] Back up the database before running the migration.
Quotes when converting Markdown
Markdown to Word turns quotes into indented paragraphs (nested quotes indent further), Markdown to Jira uses Jira's {quote} block, and Markdown to Slack keeps Slack's > quote syntax. When you only need text, the plain-text converter removes the > markers.
Blockquote support by app
| App | Supported | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub | Yes | Quotes, nesting and [!NOTE]-style alerts. |
| Obsidian | Yes | Quotes plus callouts with many types and folding. |
| Discord | Yes | > for one line, >>> to quote everything after it. |
| Slack | Yes | > at the start of a line. |
| Yes | Standard > quotes, nested with >>. | |
| Yes | > quote formatting since 2024. |
Common mistakes and how to fix them
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Quote stops after the first paragraph | Put > on the blank line between paragraphs too. |
| Text after the quote is pulled into it | Leave a blank line (without >) after the quote — lazy continuation adds following lines to the quote. |
| GitHub alert shows as a plain quote | [!NOTE] must be on the first line, alone, in uppercase on GitHub, and the alert must not be nested. |
Tools for this
Frequently Asked Questions About Blockquotes & callouts
Comprehensive answers to common technical, formatting, security, and compatibility questions.
Related reading
- How to Make a Collapsible Section in Markdown — Hide long content behind a click with <details> and <summary> — with Markdown inside.
- Markdown Text Formatting: Bold, Italic, Strikethrough and More — Bold, italic, strikethrough, underline, highlight, superscript and subscript — with app support.
- Markdown Lists: Bullet Points, Numbered Lists and Nested Lists — Bullets, numbered lists, nesting, starting numbers and the indentation rules that trip people up.