diff --git a/docs/user_guide/posts.md b/docs/user_guide/posts.md
index 1e3b827b5..a5c33cf25 100644
--- a/docs/user_guide/posts.md
+++ b/docs/user_guide/posts.md
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ When set to `false`, likes/faves of your post will not be accepted by your GoToS
 
 ## Input Types
 
-GoToSocial currently accepts two different types of input for posts. These are:
+GoToSocial currently accepts two different types of input for posts (and user bio). These are:
 
 * `plain`
 * `markdown`
diff --git a/docs/user_guide/user_panel.md b/docs/user_guide/user_panel.md
index 41200d275..fc5c54835 100644
--- a/docs/user_guide/user_panel.md
+++ b/docs/user_guide/user_panel.md
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ Your bio is a longer text that introduces your account and your self. Your bio i
 - Describe your boundaries and preferences when it comes to other people interacting with you
 - Link hashtags that you often use when you post
 
+The bio accepts either `plain` or `markdown` formatting. This is set by the default post format setting described in [Post Settings](#post-settings).
+
 After updating your display name and bio, click on the `Save profile info` button at the bottom of the Profile Info section to save your changes.
 
 ### Manually Approve Followers / Lock Your Account
diff --git a/internal/processing/account/update.go b/internal/processing/account/update.go
index bc4570c76..ed9fa6d4d 100644
--- a/internal/processing/account/update.go
+++ b/internal/processing/account/update.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func (p *processor) Update(ctx context.Context, account *gtsmodel.Account, form
 		account.NoteRaw = *form.Note
 
 		// Process note to generate a valid HTML representation
-		note, err := p.processNote(ctx, *form.Note, account.ID)
+		note, err := p.processNote(ctx, *form.Note, account)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, gtserror.NewErrorBadRequest(err)
 		}
@@ -241,13 +241,13 @@ func (p *processor) UpdateHeader(ctx context.Context, header *multipart.FileHead
 	return processingMedia.LoadAttachment(ctx)
 }
 
-func (p *processor) processNote(ctx context.Context, note string, accountID string) (string, error) {
+func (p *processor) processNote(ctx context.Context, note string, account *gtsmodel.Account) (string, error) {
 	if note == "" {
 		return "", nil
 	}
 
 	tagStrings := util.DeriveHashtagsFromText(note)
-	tags, err := p.db.TagStringsToTags(ctx, tagStrings, accountID)
+	tags, err := p.db.TagStringsToTags(ctx, tagStrings, account.ID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ func (p *processor) processNote(ctx context.Context, note string, accountID stri
 	mentionStrings := util.DeriveMentionNamesFromText(note)
 	mentions := []*gtsmodel.Mention{}
 	for _, mentionString := range mentionStrings {
-		mention, err := p.parseMention(ctx, mentionString, accountID, "")
+		mention, err := p.parseMention(ctx, mentionString, account.ID, "")
 		if err != nil {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -266,5 +266,9 @@ func (p *processor) processNote(ctx context.Context, note string, accountID stri
 	// emojiStrings := util.DeriveEmojisFromText(note)
 	// emojis, err := p.db.EmojiStringsToEmojis(ctx, emojiStrings)
 
+	if account.StatusFormat == "markdown" {
+		return p.formatter.FromMarkdown(ctx, note, mentions, tags, nil), nil
+	}
+
 	return p.formatter.FromPlain(ctx, note, mentions, tags), nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/processing/account/update_test.go b/internal/processing/account/update_test.go
index 0483154c6..3f6c338e8 100644
--- a/internal/processing/account/update_test.go
+++ b/internal/processing/account/update_test.go
@@ -112,6 +112,44 @@ func (suite *AccountUpdateTestSuite) TestAccountUpdateWithMention() {
 	suite.Equal(noteExpected, dbAccount.Note)
 }
 
+func (suite *AccountUpdateTestSuite) TestAccountUpdateWithMarkdownNote() {
+	testAccount := suite.testAccounts["local_account_1"]
+
+	note := "*hello* ~~here~~ i am!"
+	expectedNote := `<p><em>hello</em> <del>here</del> i am!</p>`
+
+	form := &apimodel.UpdateCredentialsRequest{
+		Note: &note,
+	}
+
+	// set default post language of account 1 to markdown
+	testAccount.StatusFormat = "markdown"
+
+	// should get no error from the update function, and an api model account returned
+	apiAccount, errWithCode := suite.accountProcessor.Update(context.Background(), testAccount, form)
+	// reset test account to avoid breaking other tests
+	testAccount.StatusFormat = "plain"
+	suite.NoError(errWithCode)
+	suite.NotNil(apiAccount)
+
+	// fields on the profile should be updated
+	suite.Equal(expectedNote, apiAccount.Note)
+
+	// we should have an update in the client api channel
+	msg := <-suite.fromClientAPIChan
+	suite.Equal(ap.ActivityUpdate, msg.APActivityType)
+	suite.Equal(ap.ObjectProfile, msg.APObjectType)
+	suite.NotNil(msg.OriginAccount)
+	suite.Equal(testAccount.ID, msg.OriginAccount.ID)
+	suite.Nil(msg.TargetAccount)
+
+	// fields should be updated in the database as well
+	dbAccount, err := suite.db.GetAccountByID(context.Background(), testAccount.ID)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.Equal(expectedNote, dbAccount.Note)
+
+}
+
 func TestAccountUpdateTestSuite(t *testing.T) {
 	suite.Run(t, new(AccountUpdateTestSuite))
 }
diff --git a/web/source/settings/user/profile.js b/web/source/settings/user/profile.js
index 21e86ce66..dfd1eee95 100644
--- a/web/source/settings/user/profile.js
+++ b/web/source/settings/user/profile.js
@@ -69,14 +69,14 @@ module.exports = function UserProfile() {
 				<div className="files">
 					<div>
 						<h3>Header</h3>
-						<File 
+						<File
 							id="header"
 							fileType="image/*"
 						/>
 					</div>
 					<div>
 						<h3>Avatar</h3>
-						<File 
+						<File
 							id="avatar"
 							fileType="image/*"
 						/>
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ module.exports = function UserProfile() {
 				id="enable_rss"
 				name="Enable RSS feed of Public posts"
 			/>
-			{ !allowCustomCSS ? null :  
+			{ !allowCustomCSS ? null :
 				<TextArea
 					id="custom_css"
 					name="Custom CSS"
diff --git a/web/source/settings/user/settings.js b/web/source/settings/user/settings.js
index ccb3e911d..3efd82ceb 100644
--- a/web/source/settings/user/settings.js
+++ b/web/source/settings/user/settings.js
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ module.exports = function UserSettings() {
 				}>
 					<a href="https://docs.gotosocial.org/en/latest/user_guide/posts/#privacy-settings" target="_blank" className="moreinfolink" rel="noreferrer">Learn more about post privacy settings (opens in a new tab)</a>
 				</Select>
-				<Select id="source.status_format" name="Default post format" options={
+				<Select id="source.status_format" name="Default post (and bio) format" options={
 					<>
 						<option value="plain">Plain (default)</option>
 						<option value="markdown">Markdown</option>
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ function PasswordChange() {
 			setError("New password and confirm new password did not match!");
 			return;
 		}
-		
+
 		setStatus("PATCHing");
 		setError("");
 		return Promise.try(() => {