How to Use the Substack Editor

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 11/12/2025, 7:25:59 PM

Added description

Description

How to Use the Substack Editor

Overview

This item is a textual tutorial titled “How to Use the Substack Editor.” It is a single‑document file created in 2023, written in English, and formatted as a plain‑text guide. The file is part of the Substack_Tutorials directory and is cataloged in the PINAX archival system. The document is intended for writers and editors who use Substack’s web‑based publishing platform.

Background

Substack is a subscription‑based newsletter platform that provides a built‑in editor for composing and formatting posts. The tutorial was produced by Substack itself, presumably as part of its help or support resources. The metadata indicates that the document was created under the “test” institution, suggesting it may have been part of an internal or beta release. The source is listed as PINAX, a digital repository platform, and no specific copyright or licensing information is attached.

Contents

The guide explains how to navigate the Substack editor interface, covering core formatting options such as bold, italics, block quotes, and lists. It details the use of headings (H1–H3) to structure content, and demonstrates how to embed media—including images, videos, and external links—directly into a post. The tutorial also touches on advanced features such as inserting code snippets, tables, and customizing the visual appearance of a newsletter. While the full text is not reproduced here, the description indicates a step‑by‑step approach aimed at new users, with clear headings and illustrative examples.

Scope

The document focuses exclusively on the Substack editor’s front‑end functionality for creating and formatting newsletter content. It does not cover backend operations such as subscriber management, analytics, or API integration. The tutorial is relevant for the year 2023 and is applicable to the English‑language version of Substack. Geographic coverage is global, as Substack is an online service. The guide is intended for individuals who are already familiar with the basics of Substack but need detailed instructions on the editor’s features.

Entities

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Raw Cheimarros Data

@file_pinax:document {title: "How to Use the Substack Editor", creator: @substack, created: @date_2023, language: "en", subjects: ["Substack", "Editor Tutorial", "Formatting", "Writing Tools"], description: "A tutorial on how to use the Substack editor, including formatting options, headings, and embedding content."}

@file_125962877_how_to_use_the_substack_editor:document {title: "How to Use the Substack Editor (HTML)", format: "HTML"}

@substack_editor_tutorial:document {title: "How to Use the Substack Editor", creator: @substack, created: @date_2023, language: "en", description: "Step‑by‑step guide to using Substack’s rich‑text editor, covering formatting, headings, image embeds, social‑media embeds, and publishing options."}

@substack_editor:concept {description: "The rich‑text editor provided by Substack for composing newsletter posts."}

@block_quote:concept {description: "Formatting style for quoting external text.", example: "Block quotes are a nice way to put a quote or excerpt from a source."}
@bold_formatting:concept {description: "Text style that makes characters appear heavier.", example: "Bold text can be applied via the toolbar."}
@italic_formatting:concept {description: "Text style that slants characters.", example: "Italic text can be applied via the toolbar."}
@link_formatting:concept {description: "Hyperlink insertion to connect text to a URL.", example: "Links are added using the link button."}
@heading:concept {description: "Section titles that structure a post.", example: "Headings are created via the “Style” list in the toolbar."}
@image_embedding:concept {description: "Embedding images by dragging them into the editor or using the image selector.", example: "An image can be added by dragging it into the post."}
@tweet_embed:concept {description: "Embedding a tweet by pasting its URL on a new line.", example: "A tweet from @hamishmckenzie is shown as an embed."}
@youtube_embed:concept {description: "Embedding a YouTube video by pasting its URL on a new line.", example: "A YouTube video with ID ZoEUu1XHL7U is embedded."}
@vimeo_embed:concept {description: "Embedding a Vimeo video by pasting its URL on a new line.", example: "A Vimeo video with ID 288003645 is embedded."}
@spotify_embed:concept {description: "Embedding a Spotify album or track by pasting its URL on a new line.", example: "A Spotify album “LOVE. FEAT. ZACARI.” is embedded."}
@soundcloud_embed:concept {description: "Embedding a SoundCloud track by pasting its URL on a new line.", example: "A SoundCloud track discussing UBI and automation is embedded."}
@publish_option:concept {description: "Publishing a post to the web only.", example: "Click “Publish” to make the post live on the web."}
@publish_and_send_option:concept {description: "Publishing a post to the web and emailing it to subscribers.", example: "Click “Publish & Send” to publish and email the post."}
@settings_button:concept {description: "Button in the editor UI that opens post settings, including delete and back‑date options.", example: "The Settings button is located left of the Publish button."}
@help_center:concept {description: "Substack’s online support documentation.", example: "Link to the Help Center is provided at the end of the tutorial."}
@support_contact:concept {description: "Form for contacting Substack support.", example: "Link to submit a support request is provided at the end of the tutorial."}

@file_pinax -> documents -> @substack_editor_tutorial
@file_125962877_how_to_use_the_substack_editor -> contains -> @substack_editor_tutorial

@substack_editor_tutorial -> teaches -> @substack_editor
@substack_editor_tutorial -> includes -> [@block_quote, @bold_formatting, @italic_formatting, @link_formatting, @heading, @image_embedding, @tweet_embed, @youtube_embed, @vimeo_embed, @spotify_embed, @soundcloud_embed, @publish_option, @publish_and_send_option, @settings_button, @help_center, @support_contact]

Metadata

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 11/12/2025, 7:25:59 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 11/12/2025, 7:24:34 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 11/12/2025, 7:22:39 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 11/12/2025, 7:22:24 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Substack_Tutorials"

Additional Components

125962877.how-to-use-the-substack-editor.html
<p>Hi! This is a draft post. Did you know that there are a bunch of nice formatting options in this editor? For example:</p><blockquote><p>Block quotes are a nice way to put a quote or excerpt from a source. They make it clear that it is a quote.</p></blockquote><p>Of course, you can also do <strong>bold, </strong><em>italic</em>, <a href="https://www.substack.com">links</a>,<strong> </strong>and all that good stuff.</p><h3>Headings and Embeddings</h3><p>You can have headings in posts. Just use the “Style”<em> </em>list in the toolbar. You can also embed different types of content. To add an image, just drag it in here or use the image selector tool in the toolbar.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2WtI!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffec21723-9bb2-4ea6-8fc2-09d17ba3bd1a_4032x3024" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2WtI!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffec21723-9bb2-4ea6-8fc2-09d17ba3bd1a_4032x3024 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2WtI!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffec21723-9bb2-4ea6-8fc2-09d17ba3bd1a_4032x3024 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2WtI!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffec21723-9bb2-4ea6-8fc2-09d17ba3bd1a_4032x3024 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2WtI!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffec21723-9bb2-4ea6-8fc2-09d17ba3bd1a_4032x3024 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://bucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/fec21723-9bb2-4ea6-8fc2-09d17ba3bd1a_4032x3024" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://bucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/fec21723-9bb2-4ea6-8fc2-09d17ba3bd1a_4032x3024&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:null,&quot;width&quot;:null,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:null,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:null,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2WtI!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffec21723-9bb2-4ea6-8fc2-09d17ba3bd1a_4032x3024 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2WtI!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffec21723-9bb2-4ea6-8fc2-09d17ba3bd1a_4032x3024 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2WtI!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffec21723-9bb2-4ea6-8fc2-09d17ba3bd1a_4032x3024 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2WtI!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffec21723-9bb2-4ea6-8fc2-09d17ba3bd1a_4032x3024 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>For a tweet, YouTube video, Vimeo video, Spotify track, or SoundCloud embed, just paste the relevant link on a new line (don’t grab the embed code; it won’t work).</p><div data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM" class="tweet" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://twitter.com/hamishmckenzie/status/941694455853101056&quot;,&quot;full_text&quot;:&quot;Twitter is an amazing tool and an awful place.&quot;,&quot;username&quot;:&quot;hamishmckenzie&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Hamish McKenzie&quot;,&quot;date&quot;:&quot;Fri Dec 15 15:40:28 +0000 2017&quot;,&quot;photos&quot;:[],&quot;quoted_tweet&quot;:{},&quot;retweet_count&quot;:1,&quot;like_count&quot;:5,&quot;expanded_url&quot;:{},&quot;video_url&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false}"><a class="tweet-link-top" href="https://twitter.com/hamishmckenzie/status/941694455853101056" target="_blank"><div class="tweet-header"><img class="tweet-header-avatar" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/twitter_name/w_96/hamishmckenzie.jpg" alt="Twitter avatar for @hamishmckenzie"><div class="tweet-header-text"><span class="tweet-author-name">Hamish McKenzie </span><span class="tweet-author-handle">@hamishmckenzie</span></div></div><div class="tweet-text">Twitter is an amazing tool and an awful place.</div></a><a class="tweet-link-bottom" href="https://twitter.com/hamishmckenzie/status/941694455853101056" target="_blank"><div class="tweet-footer"><span class="tweet-date">3:40 PM ∙ Dec 15, 2017</span><hr><div class="tweet-ufi"><span href="https://twitter.com/hamishmckenzie/status/941694455853101056/likes" class="likes"><span class="like-count">5</span>Likes</span><span href="https://twitter.com/hamishmckenzie/status/941694455853101056/retweets" class="retweets"><span class="rt-count">1</span>Retweet</span></div></div></a></div><div id="youtube2-ZoEUu1XHL7U" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;ZoEUu1XHL7U&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ZoEUu1XHL7U?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div id="vimeo-288003645" class="vimeo-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;288003645&quot;,&quot;videoKey&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true}" data-component-name="VimeoToDOM"><div class="vimeo-inner"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/288003645?autoplay=0" frameborder="0" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" loading="lazy"></iframe></div></div><p></p><iframe class="spotify-wrap album" data-attrs="{&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://i.scdn.co/image/4988546859334f9a5a3fa4acedc5aea275929026&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;LOVE. FEAT. ZACARI.&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:&quot;Kendrick Lamar, Zacari&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://open.spotify.com/album/4eLPsYPBmXABThSJ821sqY&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;noScroll&quot;:false}" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/4eLPsYPBmXABThSJ821sqY" frameborder="0" gesture="media" allowfullscreen="true" allow="encrypted-media" loading="lazy" data-component-name="Spotify2ToDOM"></iframe><div class="soundcloud-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/522545169&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;UBI,  Automation &amp; Society in the US: Andrew Yang &amp; Azeem Azhar in Conversation by Exponential View&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;Azeem Azhar speaks with Andrew Yang, entrepreneur and author, who is standing for President in the 2020 U.S. elections. At the heart of Andrew's platform is the \&quot;freedom dividend\&quot;, a universal basic income of $1,000, payable to all Americans every month. Azeem and Andrew discuss core ideas behind Andrew's platform, why they are necessary, and how to get there. www.exponentialview.co&quot;,&quot;thumbnail_url&quot;:&quot;http://i1.sndcdn.com/artworks-000431458485-eu1ioh-t500x500.jpg&quot;,&quot;author_name&quot;:&quot;Exponential View&quot;,&quot;author_url&quot;:&quot;https://soundcloud.com/exponentialview&quot;,&quot;targetUrl&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-component-name="SoundcloudToDOM"><iframe src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?auto_play=false&amp;buying=false&amp;liking=false&amp;download=false&amp;sharing=false&amp;show_artwork=true&amp;show_comments=false&amp;show_playcount=false&amp;show_user=true&amp;hide_related=true&amp;visual=false&amp;start_track=0&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F522545169" frameborder="0" gesture="media" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>To delete a post, click on the <strong>Settings</strong> button (just to the left of Publish), and scroll down and find the delete button. </p><h4>Publishing Changes</h4><p>You have two publishing options: </p><ol><li><p><strong>Publish</strong> – this publishes your post only to the web. </p></li><li><p><strong>Publish &amp; Send</strong> – this publishes your post to the web and at the same time sends the post out by email. </p></li></ol><p>Note: Once you have sent an email out, the only way to send it again is to create an entirely new post. Any edits you make to a post that has already been published will only be reflected on the web. So, there’s no need to worry about accidentally spamming your subscribers with repeat emails. </p><p>Finally, if you import posts from some other site’s archives, you can backdate them so they are published in the correct order and associated with the correct publication dates. To do so, after you have published a post, go into that post’s Settings (just to the left of the Publish button) and select the desired date. </p><p>If you have any questions, you can check out our <a href="https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us">Help Center</a> or <a href="https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/requests/new">contact support</a>!</p><p></p><p></p>

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