diff --git a/resources/config b/resources/config
index 6d9b7bfd..b9e751ce 100644
--- a/resources/config
+++ b/resources/config
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
     //     }
     // },
     "sway/mode": {
-        "format": "{}"
+        "format": "<span style=\"italic\">{}</span>"
     },
     "tray": {
         // "icon-size": 21,
diff --git a/src/modules/battery.cpp b/src/modules/battery.cpp
index 3e2626b6..a9b98b5e 100644
--- a/src/modules/battery.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/battery.cpp
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ auto waybar::modules::Battery::update() -> void
   } else {
     event_box_.show();
     label_.set_name("battery");
-    label_.set_text(fmt::format(format, fmt::arg("capacity", capacity),
+    label_.set_markup(fmt::format(format, fmt::arg("capacity", capacity),
       fmt::arg("icon", getIcon(capacity))));
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/modules/clock.cpp b/src/modules/clock.cpp
index af9dadb3..5cc7459c 100644
--- a/src/modules/clock.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/clock.cpp
@@ -17,5 +17,5 @@ waybar::modules::Clock::Clock(const Json::Value& config)
 auto waybar::modules::Clock::update() -> void
 {
   auto localtime = fmt::localtime(std::time(nullptr));
-  label_.set_text(fmt::format(format_, localtime));
+  label_.set_markup(fmt::format(format_, localtime));
 }
diff --git a/src/modules/cpu.cpp b/src/modules/cpu.cpp
index 01a432bb..586bece4 100644
--- a/src/modules/cpu.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/cpu.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ auto waybar::modules::Cpu::update() -> void
     auto cpu_load = getCpuLoad();
     auto [cpu_usage, tooltip] = getCpuUsage();
     label_.set_tooltip_text(tooltip);
-    label_.set_text(fmt::format(format_,
+    label_.set_markup(fmt::format(format_,
       fmt::arg("load", cpu_load), fmt::arg("usage", cpu_usage)));
   } catch (const std::exception& e) {
     std::cerr << e.what() << std::endl;
diff --git a/src/modules/custom.cpp b/src/modules/custom.cpp
index 822d4b0a..a00459b7 100644
--- a/src/modules/custom.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/custom.cpp
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ auto waybar::modules::Custom::update() -> void
     }
 
     auto str = fmt::format(format_, text_);
-    label_.set_text(str);
+    label_.set_markup(str);
     if (text_ == tooltip_) {
       label_.set_tooltip_text(str);
     } else {
diff --git a/src/modules/memory.cpp b/src/modules/memory.cpp
index 38307edf..3464cd7c 100644
--- a/src/modules/memory.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/memory.cpp
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ auto waybar::modules::Memory::update() -> void
   parseMeminfo();
   if (memtotal_ > 0 && memfree_ >= 0) {
     int used_ram_percentage = 100 * (memtotal_ - memfree_) / memtotal_;
-    label_.set_text(fmt::format(format_, used_ram_percentage));
+    label_.set_markup(fmt::format(format_, used_ram_percentage));
     auto used_ram_gigabytes = (memtotal_ - memfree_) / std::pow(1024, 2);
     label_.set_tooltip_text(fmt::format("{:.{}f}Gb used", used_ram_gigabytes, 1));
     label_.set_name("memory");
diff --git a/src/modules/network.cpp b/src/modules/network.cpp
index a4fefa17..08901ae0 100644
--- a/src/modules/network.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/network.cpp
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ auto waybar::modules::Network::update() -> void
     }
     label_.get_style_context()->remove_class("disconnected");
   }
-  label_.set_text(fmt::format(format,
+  label_.set_markup(fmt::format(format,
     fmt::arg("essid", essid_),
     fmt::arg("signaldBm", signal_strength_dbm_),
     fmt::arg("signalStrength", signal_strength_),
diff --git a/src/modules/sway/mode.cpp b/src/modules/sway/mode.cpp
index a32f31b8..3bb99241 100644
--- a/src/modules/sway/mode.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/sway/mode.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ auto waybar::modules::sway::Mode::update() -> void
     label_.hide();
   } else {
     label_.set_name("mode");
-    label_.set_text(fmt::format(format_, mode_));
+    label_.set_markup(fmt::format(format_, mode_));
     label_.set_tooltip_text(mode_);
     label_.show();
   }
diff --git a/src/modules/sway/window.cpp b/src/modules/sway/window.cpp
index b908c9e2..fb6132a2 100644
--- a/src/modules/sway/window.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/sway/window.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ void waybar::modules::sway::Window::worker()
 
 auto waybar::modules::sway::Window::update() -> void
 {
-  label_.set_text(fmt::format(format_, window_));
+  label_.set_markup(fmt::format(format_, window_));
   label_.set_tooltip_text(window_);
 }