# Line breaks in Markdown

> How to add a line break in Markdown with two spaces, a backslash, an HTML br tag, or a blank line—and why pressing Enter once may not work.

## Quick answer

To force a line break **without starting a new paragraph**, end the line with **two spaces** or a **backslash** (`\`) and then press Enter. You can also use `<br>` on platforms that allow HTML. To start a new paragraph, leave one completely blank line.

| Result you want | Write this | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Line break | Two spaces at the end of the line | Portable CommonMark documents |
| Line break | `\` at the end of the line | When the break should be visible in the source |
| Line break | `<br>` | HTML-friendly Markdown and some table cells |
| New paragraph | One blank line | Normal prose and AI context |

## Method 1: add two spaces at the end

Type two ordinary spaces after the last character, then press Enter:

```markdown
Line one··
Line two
```

The `··` marks above only show where the two invisible spaces belong. Do not type the dots.

This creates a **hard line break** while keeping both lines in the same paragraph. It works well for addresses, short verse, signatures, and other text where line position carries meaning.

The disadvantage is visibility. Formatters and editors that remove trailing whitespace can silently delete the break.

## Method 2: end the line with a backslash

A backslash immediately before the line ending is the visible CommonMark alternative:

```markdown
Line one\
Line two
```

It produces the same kind of hard break as two trailing spaces. Because the marker is visible, it is easier to review in source control and less likely to disappear during cleanup.

Use this when your target supports [CommonMark hard line breaks](https://spec.commonmark.org/0.31.2/#hard-line-breaks). If you publish through an older or custom Markdown parser, preview the result there first.

## Method 3: use an HTML br tag

When raw HTML is allowed, `<br>` creates an explicit break:

```markdown
Line one<br>
Line two
```

This is easy to see and is useful in places where trailing spaces are awkward, including table cells on some platforms. It is less portable because security-conscious sites may escape or remove raw HTML.

Do not stack several `<br>` tags to create visual spacing. Use paragraphs, lists, or headings to express structure and let the site's styles control the spacing.

## Method 4: leave a blank line

A blank line creates a new paragraph, not merely a line break:

```markdown
First paragraph.

Second paragraph.
```

For articles, notes, reports, and material given to an AI, this is usually the right choice. A paragraph says that one idea ended and another began; a hard break only controls how text is displayed.

## Why pressing Enter once often does nothing

A single line ending inside a paragraph is a **soft line break**. Markdown parsers normally keep the adjacent lines in one paragraph, and a web browser displays that line ending like a space.

```markdown
This is one line in the source.
This is the next line in the source.
```

The rendered result is usually:

```text
This is one line in the source. This is the next line in the source.
```

That behavior lets authors wrap long source lines without changing the rendered paragraph. The [CommonMark specification](https://spec.commonmark.org/0.31.2/#soft-line-breaks) also permits a renderer to treat soft breaks differently, so the exact result can depend on the platform.

## GitHub, VS Code, and other Markdown renderers

- **GitHub `.md` files:** two trailing spaces, a trailing backslash, and `<br>` all create a line break. A single Enter is normally collapsed within the paragraph. GitHub issues, pull requests, and discussions can treat single line endings differently from files.
- **VS Code preview:** the built-in preview supports the common hard-break forms, but an extension or site-specific renderer may use different rules.
- **CommonMark:** two or more spaces and a backslash are the defined hard-break forms. A blank line separates paragraphs.
- **Wikis, chats, and CMS editors:** some enable “breaks on Enter,” while others block HTML or remove trailing spaces.

Always test the final document in the renderer where readers will see it. A correct preview in one editor does not guarantee identical output everywhere.

## Which kind of break should you choose?

Use a **new paragraph** when the next line begins a new thought. Use a **hard line break** only when the lines belong together but must remain visually separate.

Good uses for a hard break include:

- A postal address
- A two-line title or byline
- Poetry or lyrics you have permission to reproduce
- A compact label followed by a value

Use headings, lists, or paragraphs instead when each line is a separate item or section. For example, this source is ambiguous:

```markdown
Owner: Maya
Status: Approved
Due: Friday
```

A list makes the relationships clearer and does not depend on line-break behavior:

```markdown
- Owner: Maya
- Status: Approved
- Due: Friday
```

## Common line-break problems

### The two spaces disappear

Your editor or formatter is probably trimming trailing whitespace. Use a trailing backslash, or configure that tool to preserve intentional Markdown breaks.

### The backslash appears in the rendered text

The parser may not support backslash hard breaks, or the backslash may not be the final character on the line. Try two spaces or `<br>`, then check the target platform.

### The br tag appears as text

The platform is escaping or blocking HTML. Use the CommonMark forms instead.

### There is too much vertical space

A blank line created a new paragraph. Use two spaces, a backslash, or `<br>` if you need a compact break inside the same paragraph.

### A break inside a table does not work

Basic Markdown tables do not have a fully portable multi-line-cell syntax. `<br>` works in table cells on many HTML-based renderers, but not all. If portability matters, split the content into multiple rows or rewrite it outside the table. See [tables in Markdown](/tables/) for safer table structure.

### Text copied from a PDF has a break after every line

Those are usually visual line wraps, not meaningful paragraph boundaries. Join the wrapped lines, preserve real paragraph breaks, and check for words split by page-end hyphens. The [PDF-to-Markdown guide](/pdf-to-markdown/) has a full cleanup checklist.

## Line breaks in Markdown for AI

For AI input, prefer semantic structure over visual layout:

- Use blank lines between ideas.
- Use headings for sections and lists for separate items.
- Use fenced [code blocks](/code-blocks/) when line endings and indentation must be preserved exactly.
- Avoid hard-wrapping ordinary prose at a fixed column width.
- Remove accidental line breaks introduced by PDF extraction or copy and paste.

Hard breaks are still appropriate for addresses, verse, or other content where the original lineation matters. The goal is not to remove every break; it is to make each break mean something.

:::tip
For AI context, a real paragraph is normally more useful than two invisible trailing spaces. Structure the meaning first, then use hard breaks only where the line layout is part of that meaning.
:::

## Next steps

- [The Markdown cheat sheet](/cheat-sheet/) — see the essential syntax on one page.
- [Block quotes in Markdown](/quote/) — separate quoted source material from your own text.
- [Code blocks in Markdown](/code-blocks/) — preserve literal line endings and indentation.
- [Markdown for AI](/markdown-for-ai/) — structure complete documents for reliable analysis.