# Monospace in Confluence: How to Format Inline Code (Shortcuts & Markdown)

October 1, 2026 ·

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5 min read

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Quick Answer

Select the text and press **Ctrl+Shift+M** (Windows) or **Opt+Shift+M** (Mac) to apply inline code, or type `` `backticks` `` around text as you write — the Confluence Cloud editor autoformats them. Pasted Markdown keeps its backticks as literal characters, so paste into [Enhanced Markdown for Confluence](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1237026/enhanced-markdown-for-confluence/) instead, which renders inline code, code blocks, and diagrams from your Markdown source.

Inline code — monospace text on a subtle background — is how you mark up variable names, file paths, key names, and short commands inside a sentence: set `MAX_RETRIES = 3`, edit `~/.zshrc`, or run `kubectl get pods`. Confluence Cloud has three ways to produce it, and each fits a different moment: formatting as you go, typing Markdown, or bringing Markdown in from your repo.

What you'll learn

1. The keyboard shortcut — Ctrl+Shift+M, and the Mac split between Opt+Shift+M and Cmd+Shift+M
2. Backtick autoformatting while you type
3. The Markdown method for pasted content (Enhanced Markdown)
4. Inline code vs code block — which one to use where

## Method 1: the keyboard shortcut (standard editor)[​](#method-1-the-keyboard-shortcut-standard-editor "Direct link to Method 1: the keyboard shortcut (standard editor)")

1. Select the text you want in monospace.
2. Press **Ctrl+Shift+M** (Windows/Linux) or **Opt+Shift+M** (Mac).

The selection turns into inline code immediately — press the shortcut again to toggle it off. The same style is in the toolbar: select text, open the text formatting menu, and pick **Code**.

One Mac quirk worth knowing: Atlassian lists **two** code shortcuts. **Opt+Shift+M** applies *inline code* to a selection (text formatting), while **Cmd+Shift+M** creates a *code block* (block formatting). If you wanted a highlighted snippet and got a whole code section instead — or the reverse — that's the split you hit. On Windows both are Ctrl+Shift+M.

To see the full shortcut list on your site, press **Ctrl+/** (**Cmd+/** on Mac) while editing.

## Method 2: backtick autoformatting while you type[​](#method-2-backtick-autoformatting-while-you-type "Direct link to Method 2: backtick autoformatting while you type")

The Confluence Cloud editor parses a set of Markdown shortcuts as you type, and inline code is one of them: type a backtick, the text, and a closing backtick, and it converts to inline code on the closing tick — the same mechanic as `**bold**`, `*italic*`, and `~~strikethrough~~`.

```
Type this:  `MAX_RETRIES`

Get this:   MAX_RETRIES in inline code style
```

This is the fastest method if your hands are already on the keyboard — no selection, no menu.

The catch: autoformatting only runs **while typing**. It is not a paste converter.

## Method 3: pasted Markdown (Enhanced Markdown)[​](#method-3-pasted-markdown-enhanced-markdown "Direct link to Method 3: pasted Markdown (Enhanced Markdown)")

If your content starts life as Markdown — a README, a runbook, an architecture doc with inline code, fenced code blocks, and diagrams — pasting it into the standard editor lands every backtick as a literal character. Retyping them works for one sentence, not for a 200-line document.

[Enhanced Markdown for Confluence](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1237026/enhanced-markdown-for-confluence/) takes the paste directly: inline code, fenced code blocks with syntax highlighting, tables, math, and Mermaid diagrams all render from the pasted source, and the Markdown stays re-editable on the page — fix a variable name by editing the line, not by re-importing. The full syntax coverage is in the [user guide](/docs/Enhanced-Markdown-for-Confluence/usage.md).

## Inline code vs code block — which one where[​](#inline-code-vs-code-block--which-one-where "Direct link to Inline code vs code block — which one where")

|                     | Inline code                               | Code block                                                                       |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Shortcut            | Ctrl+Shift+M / Opt+Shift+M                | Cmd+Shift+M (Mac) / Ctrl+Shift+M (Win)                                           |
| Markdown            | `` `one tick` ``                          | ` ``` ` fences                                                                   |
| Use for             | variables, paths, keys, one-line commands | multiline snippets, config files, scripts                                        |
| Syntax highlighting | no                                        | yes (190+ languages in [Markdown apps](/blog/markdown-code-block-confluence.md)) |
| Line breaks         | no — collapses with the sentence          | preserved                                                                        |

Rule of thumb: if it fits inside a sentence, inline code. If it needs its own lines, a code block.

## Styling limits (and what apps add)[​](#styling-limits-and-what-apps-add "Direct link to Styling limits (and what apps add)")

Native inline code has exactly one style: monospace font, light background, no options. There is no theme, no per-space color, no size control — and no way to add a second emphasis level next to bold and italic.

If pages need styled code at the block level — themes, custom colors, highlighted lines — [Modern Code Blocks](/docs/Modern-Code-Blocks-for-Confluence/user-docs.md) handles that; inline code stays native either way. For teams living in Markdown, [Enhanced Markdown](/apps/enhanced-markdown-for-confluence.md) covers the paste path described above. And if what you actually want is a colored label rather than code — a chip that says *In review* or *Deprecated* — Confluence's native status element (type `/status`) is the closer tool.

## Related guides[​](#related-guides "Direct link to Related guides")

* [How to make text bold in Confluence](/blog/bold-text-confluence.md) — the sibling text-formatting shortcut and `**bold**` syntax
* [Markdown code blocks in Confluence](/blog/markdown-code-block-confluence.md) — fenced blocks, highlighting, and themes
* [How to write Markdown in Confluence](/blog/faq-confluence-markdown-editor.md) — the full syntax the editor supports
* [Paste Mermaid diagrams into Confluence](/blog/paste-mermaid-diagrams-into-confluence.md) — the repo-Markdown paste workflow, end to end

## Related guides

* [How to Create Mermaid Diagrams in Jira](/blog/how-to-create-mermaid-diagrams-jira.md)
* [Export Jira Issues to Excel or CSV](/blog/export-jira-issues-to-excel.md)
* [Bulk Download Jira Attachments](/blog/bulk-download-jira-attachments.md)
* [How to Migrate Confluence Content](/blog/how-to-migrate-confluence-content.md)
* [How to Add a Block Quote in Confluence](/blog/block-quote-confluence.md)

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**Tags:**

* [confluence](/blog/tags/confluence.md)
* [formatting](/blog/tags/formatting.md)
* [markdown](/blog/tags/markdown.md)
* [monospace](/blog/tags/monospace.md)
* [inline-code](/blog/tags/inline-code.md)
* [enhanced-markdown](/blog/tags/enhanced-markdown.md)
* [keyboard-shortcuts](/blog/tags/keyboard-shortcuts.md)