diff --git a/docs/djlint/configuration.rst b/docs/djlint/configuration.rst
index 4c2fca2..fd7e94f 100644
--- a/docs/djlint/configuration.rst
+++ b/docs/djlint/configuration.rst
@@ -104,3 +104,26 @@ Usage:
 .. code:: ini
 
    profile="django"
+
+require_pragma
+--------------
+
+Only format files that starts with a comment with only the word 'format'. The comment can be a HTML comment or a comment in the template language defined by the profile setting. If no profile is specified, a comment in any of the template languages is accepted.
+
+Usage:
+
+.. code:: ini
+
+   require_pragma = true
+
+.. code:: html
+
+   <!-- format -->
+   or
+   {# format #}
+   or
+   {% comment %} format {% endcomment %}
+   or
+   {{ /* format */ }}
+   or
+   {{!-- format --}}
diff --git a/src/djlint/__init__.py b/src/djlint/__init__.py
index 46580c2..c7948d0 100644
--- a/src/djlint/__init__.py
+++ b/src/djlint/__init__.py
@@ -200,6 +200,11 @@ def build_quantity_tense(size: int) -> str:
     type=str,
     help="Enable defaults by template language. ops: django, jinja, nunjucks, handlebars, golang",
 )
+@click.option(
+    "--require-pragma",
+    is_flag=True,
+    help="Only formats files that starts with a comment with only the word 'format'",
+)
 def main(
     src: List[str],
     extension: str,
@@ -209,6 +214,7 @@ def main(
     check: bool,
     quiet: bool,
     profile: str,
+    require_pragma: str,
 ) -> None:
     """djLint · lint and reformat HTML templates."""
     config = Config(
@@ -218,6 +224,7 @@ def main(
         indent=indent,
         quiet=quiet,
         profile=profile,
+        require_pragma=require_pragma,
     )
 
     temp_file = None
diff --git a/src/djlint/reformat.py b/src/djlint/reformat.py
index 0c1adef..3970edf 100644
--- a/src/djlint/reformat.py
+++ b/src/djlint/reformat.py
@@ -5,17 +5,56 @@ Much code is borrowed from https://github.com/rareyman/HTMLBeautify, many thanks
 
 import difflib
 from pathlib import Path
+import regex as re
 
 from .formatter.compress_html import compress_html
 from .formatter.expand_html import expand_html
 from .formatter.indent_html import indent_html
 from .settings import Config
 
+html_patterns = [re.compile(r"<!--\s*format\s*-->")]
+django_jinja_patterns = [
+    re.compile(r"\{#\s*format\s*#\}"),
+    re.compile(r"\{%\s*comment\s*%\}\s*format\s*\{%\s*endcomment\s*%\}"),
+]
+nunjucks_patterns = [re.compile(r"\{#\s*format\s*#\}")]
+handlebars_patterns = [re.compile(r"\{\{!--\s*format\s*--\}\}")]
+golang_patterns = [
+    re.compile(r"\{\{\s*/\*\s*format\s*\*/\s*\}\}"),
+    re.compile(r"\{\{-\s*/\*\s*format\s*/\*\s*-\}\}"),
+]
+
+
+def has_pragma(config: Config, html_str: str):
+    first_line = html_str.partition("\n")[0]
+
+    pragma_patterns = {
+        "django": django_jinja_patterns + html_patterns,
+        "jinja": django_jinja_patterns + html_patterns,
+        "nunjucks": nunjucks_patterns + html_patterns,
+        "handlebars": handlebars_patterns + html_patterns,
+        "golang": golang_patterns + html_patterns,
+        "all": django_jinja_patterns
+        + nunjucks_patterns
+        + handlebars_patterns
+        + golang_patterns
+        + html_patterns,
+    }
+
+    for pattern in pragma_patterns[config.profile]:
+        if re.match(pattern, first_line):
+            return True
+    return False
+
 
 def reformat_file(config: Config, check: bool, this_file: Path) -> dict:
     """Reformat html file."""
     rawcode = this_file.read_text(encoding="utf8")
 
+    if config.require_pragma and not has_pragma(config, rawcode):
+        # The file should not be reformatted
+        return {this_file: []}
+
     expanded = expand_html(rawcode, config)
     compressed = compress_html(expanded, config)
     indented = indent_html(compressed, config)
diff --git a/src/djlint/settings.py b/src/djlint/settings.py
index 9a0955a..c496d8c 100644
--- a/src/djlint/settings.py
+++ b/src/djlint/settings.py
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ class Config:
         indent: Optional[int] = None,
         quiet: Optional[bool] = False,
         profile: Optional[str] = None,
+        require_pragma: Optional[bool] = False,
     ):
 
         djlint_settings = load_pyproject_settings(Path(src))
@@ -124,6 +125,10 @@ class Config:
         # custom configuration options
         self.extension: str = str(extension or djlint_settings.get("extension", "html"))
         self.quiet: str = str(quiet or djlint_settings.get("quiet", ""))
+        self.require_pragma: bool = (
+            require_pragma
+            or str(djlint_settings.get("require_pragma", "false")).lower() == "true"
+        )
         self.custom_blocks: str = str(
             build_custom_blocks(djlint_settings.get("custom_blocks")) or ""
         )
diff --git a/tests/config_pragmas/html_five.html b/tests/config_pragmas/html_five.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c27f06f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/config_pragmas/html_five.html
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+<!-- format -->
+{% extends "nothing.html" %}{% load stuff %}{% load stuff 2 %}{% include "html_two.html" %}<div></div>
diff --git a/tests/config_pragmas/html_four.html b/tests/config_pragmas/html_four.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b376898
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/config_pragmas/html_four.html
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{{ /* format */ }}
+<h1>Test</h1><p>{{ .Variable }}</p>
+{{ range .Items }} <p>{{ . }}
+
+</p>{{ end }}
diff --git a/tests/config_pragmas/html_one.html b/tests/config_pragmas/html_one.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0cf231e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/config_pragmas/html_one.html
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{% extends "nothing.html" %}{% load stuff %}{% load stuff 2 %}{% include "html_two.html" %}<div></div>
diff --git a/tests/config_pragmas/html_six.html b/tests/config_pragmas/html_six.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8a76b61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/config_pragmas/html_six.html
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+{% comment %} format {% endcomment %}
+{% extends "nothing.html" %}{% load stuff %}{% load stuff 2 %}{% include "html_two.html" %}<div></div>
diff --git a/tests/config_pragmas/html_three.html b/tests/config_pragmas/html_three.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34736ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/config_pragmas/html_three.html
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{{!-- format --}}
+<p>
+    
+{{firstname}} </p><p>{{lastname}}</p>
diff --git a/tests/config_pragmas/html_two.html b/tests/config_pragmas/html_two.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f9834b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/config_pragmas/html_two.html
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+{# format #}
+{% extends "nothing.html" %}{% load stuff %}{% load stuff 2 %}{% include "html_two.html" %}<div></div>
diff --git a/tests/config_pragmas/pyproject.toml b/tests/config_pragmas/pyproject.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8cc97e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/config_pragmas/pyproject.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[tool]
+[tool.djlint]
+require_pragma=true
diff --git a/tests/test_config.py b/tests/test_config.py
index 430355f..bdb39a4 100644
--- a/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/test_config.py
@@ -183,3 +183,105 @@ def test_profile(runner: CliRunner) -> None:
 +{{ test }}"""
         in result.output
     )
+
+
+def test_require_pragma(runner: CliRunner) -> None:
+    result = runner.invoke(
+        djlint, ["tests/config_pragmas/html_one.html", "--check", "--profile", "django"]
+    )
+
+    assert """0 files would be updated.""" in result.output
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+    result = runner.invoke(
+        djlint, ["tests/config_pragmas/html_two.html", "--check", "--profile", "django"]
+    )
+    assert (
+        """ {# format #}
+-{% extends "nothing.html" %}{% load stuff %}{% load stuff 2 %}{% include "html_two.html" %}<div></div>
++{% extends "nothing.html" %}
++{% load stuff %}
++{% load stuff 2 %}
++{% include "html_two.html" %}
++<div></div>"""
+        in result.output
+    )
+    assert """1 file would be updated.""" in result.output
+    assert result.exit_code == 1
+
+    result = runner.invoke(
+        djlint,
+        ["tests/config_pragmas/html_three.html", "--check", "--profile", "handlebars"],
+    )
+
+    assert (
+        """ {{!-- format --}}
+ <p>
+-    
+-{{firstname}} </p><p>{{lastname}}</p>
++    {{firstname}}
++</p>
++<p>
++    {{lastname}}
++</p>"""
+        in result.output
+    )
+    assert """1 file would be updated.""" in result.output
+    assert result.exit_code == 1
+
+    result = runner.invoke(
+        djlint,
+        ["tests/config_pragmas/html_four.html", "--check", "--profile", "golang"],
+    )
+
+    assert (
+        """ {{ /* format */ }}
+-<h1>Test</h1><p>{{ .Variable }}</p>
+-{{ range .Items }} <p>{{ . }}
+-
+-</p>{{ end }}
++<h1>Test</h1>
++<p>
++    {{ .Variable }}
++</p>
++{{ range .Items }}
++<p>
++    {{ . }}
++</p>
++{{ end }}
+
+1 file would be updated."""
+        in result.output
+    )
+    assert """1 file would be updated.""" in result.output
+    assert result.exit_code == 1
+
+    result = runner.invoke(djlint, ["tests/config_pragmas/html_five.html", "--check"])
+    assert (
+        """ <!-- format -->
+-{% extends "nothing.html" %}{% load stuff %}{% load stuff 2 %}{% include "html_two.html" %}<div></div>
++{% extends "nothing.html" %}
++{% load stuff %}
++{% load stuff 2 %}
++{% include "html_two.html" %}
++<div></div>"""
+        in result.output
+    )
+    assert """1 file would be updated.""" in result.output
+    assert result.exit_code == 1
+
+    result = runner.invoke(
+        djlint, ["tests/config_pragmas/html_six.html", "--check", "--profile", "django"]
+    )
+    assert (
+        """ {% comment %} format {% endcomment %}
+-{% extends "nothing.html" %}{% load stuff %}{% load stuff 2 %}{% include "html_two.html" %}<div></div>
++{% extends "nothing.html" %}
++{% load stuff %}
++{% load stuff 2 %}
++{% include "html_two.html" %}
++<div></div>"""
+        in result.output
+    )
+    assert """1 file would be updated.""" in result.output
+    assert result.exit_code == 1