diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 286d4708eed0..f1cbd414c11a 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
       "dependencies": {
         "@dotlottie/react-player": "^1.6.3",
         "@expensify/react-native-background-task": "file:./modules/background-task",
-        "@expensify/react-native-live-markdown": "0.1.210",
+        "@expensify/react-native-live-markdown": "0.1.221",
         "@expo/metro-runtime": "^4.0.0",
         "@firebase/app": "^0.10.10",
         "@firebase/performance": "^0.6.8",
@@ -3641,10 +3641,9 @@
       "link": true
     },
     "node_modules/@expensify/react-native-live-markdown": {
-      "version": "0.1.210",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@expensify/react-native-live-markdown/-/react-native-live-markdown-0.1.210.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-CW9DY2yN/QJrqkD6+74s+kWQ9bhWQwd2jT+x5RCgyy5N2SdcoE8G8DGQQvmo6q94KcRkHIr/HsTVOyzACQ/nrw==",
-      "hasInstallScript": true,
+      "version": "0.1.221",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@expensify/react-native-live-markdown/-/react-native-live-markdown-0.1.221.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-2CeBE1LsNvslaqYmPlf1hsl5gqG3eMsn+7jUSAZ4YmQqz1iLKJn+ryQVE4Rl0eLeeikWDlKvqX9isQHgKofLgw==",
       "license": "MIT",
       "workspaces": [
         "./example",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1f42cc0f04bd..78203272043f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@dotlottie/react-player": "^1.6.3",
-    "@expensify/react-native-live-markdown": "0.1.210",
+    "@expensify/react-native-live-markdown": "0.1.221",
     "@expensify/react-native-background-task": "file:./modules/background-task",
     "@expo/metro-runtime": "^4.0.0",
     "@firebase/app": "^0.10.10",
diff --git a/src/components/RNMarkdownTextInput.tsx b/src/components/RNMarkdownTextInput.tsx
index e8ed0256bf0a..cd4cd86c349e 100644
--- a/src/components/RNMarkdownTextInput.tsx
+++ b/src/components/RNMarkdownTextInput.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,17 @@ type AnimatedMarkdownTextInputRef = typeof AnimatedMarkdownTextInput & MarkdownT
 
 type RNMarkdownTextInputProps = Omit<MarkdownTextInputProps, 'parser'>;
 
+function handleFormatSelection(selectedText: string, formatCommand: string) {
+    switch (formatCommand) {
+        case 'formatBold':
+            return `*${selectedText}*`;
+        case 'formatItalic':
+            return `_${selectedText}_`;
+        default:
+            return selectedText;
+    }
+}
+
 function RNMarkdownTextInputWithRef({maxLength, ...props}: RNMarkdownTextInputProps, ref: ForwardedRef<AnimatedMarkdownTextInputRef>) {
     const theme = useTheme();
 
@@ -28,6 +39,7 @@ function RNMarkdownTextInputWithRef({maxLength, ...props}: RNMarkdownTextInputPr
                 }
                 ref(refHandle as AnimatedMarkdownTextInputRef);
             }}
+            formatSelection={handleFormatSelection}
             // eslint-disable-next-line
             {...props}
             /**