Formatting Issues

How to Fix Gibberish Text When Applying Italics in Word for iOS

Olivia Miller Sep 25, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user experiences an issue where text turns into random, compressed characters when trying to apply italic formatting in the Word app.

How to Fix Gibberish Text When Applying Italics in Word for iOS

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: iOS
Scenario: Applying italic formatting to selected text using the Command+I keyboard shortcut or the on-screen italics button.
Observed behavior: Instead of properly formatting the text in italics, the selected text changes into random-looking or compressed gibberish characters.

Before you start

Before proceeding with app reinstallation, ensure that all your recent document edits are fully synced to OneDrive or saved locally on your iOS device to prevent any accidental data loss.

Solution 1Recommended

Uninstall and Reinstall Word for iOS

Reinstalling the Word application is the most effective way to clear corrupted font caches and fix rendering bugs causing the gibberish text issue.

Formatting glitches on iOS, especially those involving compressed or randomized text upon styling changes, are typically caused by corrupted local application files or font rendering errors.

A clean reinstallation forces the device to fetch a fresh set of app files and resets the text rendering engine.

Delete the Word app

Locate the Microsoft Word icon on your iOS home screen. Touch and hold the icon, tap 'Remove App' from the context menu, and then confirm by selecting 'Delete App'.

Restart your iOS device

Power off your iPhone or iPad completely, wait approximately 30 seconds, and turn the device back on. This ensures any temporary system caches tied to the app are cleared.

Download and reinstall Word

Open the App Store, use the search tab to find Microsoft Word, and tap the cloud download icon to install the latest version of the application.

Verify the fix

Launch Word, sign back into your account, open a document, select a portion of text, and apply italics using Command+I or the formatting toolbar to confirm the gibberish text issue is resolved.

Gathering Diagnostic Details: If reinstalling does not solve the problem, take a screenshot of the gibberish text and note your specific Office version and account type. This information will be necessary if you need to escalate the bug to Microsoft Support.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Bug-Free Word Processing on iOS

If Microsoft Word continues to struggle with formatting bugs like the gibberish italics error on your iOS device, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a free, highly compatible, and stable environment for all your document editing needs without rendering glitches.

1. Download the App: Search for WPS Office in the Apple App Store and download it to your iOS device.
2. Open Your Documents: Launch WPS Office and open your existing Word (.docx) files directly; no conversion is required.
3. Apply Formatting Safely: Select your text and use the formatting toolbar or shortcuts to apply italics smoothly and accurately.

Stable text formatting engine preventing gibberish and compression glitches.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx), and PowerPoint (.pptx) formats.Free, lightweight, and optimized for smooth performance on all iOS devices.Familiar and intuitive user interface ensures a seamless migration from Microsoft Office.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my text turn into gibberish when I apply italics in Word for iOS?

This issue is typically caused by a corrupted font cache or a rendering bug specific to the iOS version of the Word app. When the app attempts to render the italicized font variant, it fails and displays compressed or random characters instead.

Does the gibberish text error permanently damage my document data?

No, this is strictly a display and rendering glitch on your local device. The underlying text data remains intact and will normally display correctly if you open the document on a different device, a web browser, or an alternative word processor like WPS Office.

What should I do if reinstalling the Word app doesn't fix the formatting issue?

If a complete reinstall does not work, check if the same issue occurs in other Office applications like Excel or PowerPoint. You should then report the behavior to Microsoft Support, providing them with your iOS version, Office app version, account type, and screenshots of the gibberish text.

Is the Command+I shortcut behaving differently on iPad keyboards?

Command+I is the standard Apple shortcut for italicizing text. However, if the Word app has an active bug handling external hardware keyboard inputs, using the shortcut might trigger the rendering glitch. Testing the on-screen italics button can help isolate if it is a keyboard-specific trigger.

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