Writing & StyleStyle guide

Encoding or Replacing Smart Quotes in Learn Markdown

Encoding or Replacing Smart Quotes in Learn Markdown records a distinct Microsoft Learn authoring convention and keeps it scoped to that documentation environment rather than presenting it as a universal writing rule.

Quick answer

When copied text introduces smart apostrophes or quotation marks into Microsoft Learn Markdown, encode those characters or replace them with basic apostrophes or quotation marks so they publish correctly.

Key details

Core Issueencoding or replacing smart quotes in learn markdown
RegisterMicrosoft Learn technical documentation

Important caveats

Scope Boundary

This is a Microsoft Learn source-encoding rule. It does not mean curly quotation marks are universally wrong in typography; the concern is avoiding corrupted output in this publishing workflow.

Further guidance

Content

When copied text introduces smart apostrophes or quotation marks into Microsoft Learn Markdown, encode those characters or replace them with basic apostrophes or quotation marks so they publish correctly.

Purpose

Keep Microsoft Learn source readable, accessible, reusable, and predictable while following current contributor-platform conventions.

Sources and evidence

Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.

  1. Markdown reference for Microsoft Learn — Contributor guide (opens in a new tab)Microsoft · Current Microsoft Learn contributor reference for Markdown authoring, including headings/navigation, conceptual images and icons, includes, lists/checklists, nonlocalized strings, alerts, comments, tables, and other Learn extensions.

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