Markdown Viewer & MD File Reader
Open and preview .md, .markdown, and README files directly in your browser. Drag in a file or paste Markdown to inspect the rendered document, headings, links, images, and source, with optional editing when you need it.
Last updated: August 10, 2026
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Buy me a coffeeWhat is Markdown Viewer?
An .md file is a plain-text document written with Markdown syntax. Markdown Viewer opens that file in a readable rendered layout while preserving access to the raw source. It supports common Markdown and GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM), including headings, links, images, tables, task lists, blockquotes, and fenced code blocks.
Use Document Info to review the filename, extension, assumed UTF-8 decoding, file size, document counts, outline, links, images, README checks, and sanitized HTML. File reading and inspection happen locally in your browser with no account required.
Markdown Viewer & File Inspector Features
Open or Drop MD Files
Open .md, .markdown, README, and .txt files or drag one into the file-first viewer.
Rendered Preview by Default
Imported files open in a readable sanitized preview instead of an editing workspace.
Raw Source View
Switch between rendered output and read-only Markdown source without changing the document.
Document Outline
Navigate H1–H6 headings and copy the detected structure as a Markdown table of contents.
Link Inspector
Review internal, external, anchor, empty, and suspicious link destinations by source line.
Image Inspector
Review image URLs and find Markdown images that are missing useful alt text.
File & Document Details
See filename, extension, file size, decoding assumption, reading time, lines, images, and code-block counts.
README Checks
Inspect common README elements such as a project title, description, installation, usage, examples, license, and links.
Optional Editing
Choose Edit this Markdown only when a quick source change is necessary; writing controls stay hidden otherwise.
Markdown Elements the Viewer Recognizes
Headings (H1–H6)
# H1 ## H2 ### H3 through ###### H6 — one # per heading level. H1 is the page title; H2–H4 are section headings.
Bold, Italic, Strikethrough
**bold** or __bold__ • *italic* or _italic_ • ***bold italic*** • ~~strikethrough~~ (GFM)
Links
[link text](https://url.com) for inline links. <https://url.com> autolinks bare URLs (GFM). [text][ref] with [ref]: url for reference-style links.
Images
 — same syntax as a link with a leading ! before the bracket. Alt text is shown if the image fails to load and is required for accessibility.
Inline Code and Code Blocks
Wrap inline code in `backticks`. Fenced code blocks use triple backticks ``` with an optional language name (```js, ```python) for syntax highlighting hints.
Unordered Lists
Start each item with - or * or +. Indent by 2–4 spaces to create a nested sub-list. Mixing markers is valid but - is the convention.
Ordered Lists
Start each item with 1. 2. 3. — or just 1. repeated. Markdown auto-increments numbers in the rendered output regardless of the source values.
Task Lists (GFM)
- [x] Done item and - [ ] Pending item. Task lists render as checkboxes in GitHub, Notion, and any GFM renderer including this tool.
Tables (GFM)
| Col A | Col B | on the first row, then | --- | --- | as the separator, then data rows. Align columns with :--- (left), :---: (center), ---: (right).
Blockquotes
> prefix per line to create a blockquote. >> for a nested quote. Blockquotes can contain other Markdown including lists and headings.
Horizontal Rule
--- or *** or ___ on its own line (3 or more characters) renders a horizontal divider. Separate it from surrounding paragraphs with a blank line.
How to Open an MD File Online
Choose Open MD File, or drag a .md, .markdown, README, or .txt file into the drop area.
Read the rendered Preview that opens automatically after the file is loaded.
Switch to Source or Split when you need to compare raw Markdown with the rendered result.
Open Document Info to inspect structure, links, images, README checks, and HTML.
Copy or download the file, export HTML, or use Print to save the rendered preview as PDF.
Common Use Cases
- Opening downloaded .md and .markdown files without a desktop Markdown application.
- Previewing README.md files before committing them to GitHub or another repository host.
- Checking rendered tables, task lists, headings, code fences, badges, and blockquotes.
- Reviewing link destinations and missing image alt text before publishing documentation.
- Reading changelogs, release notes, project documentation, and technical notes.
- Copying sanitized rendered HTML or plain text from an existing Markdown document.
- Printing a Markdown document or saving the rendered result as a PDF.
- Making an occasional quick source correction after inspecting a file.
Example Input and Output
A Markdown document with a checklist and table renders to clean preview HTML.
# Release Notes
- [x] Update docs
- [ ] Publish release
| Area | Status |
| --- | --- |
| API | Ready |<h1>Release Notes</h1><ul><li><input type="checkbox" checked disabled> Update docs</li><li><input type="checkbox" disabled> Publish release</li></ul><table><thead><tr><th>Area</th><th>Status</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>API</td><td>Ready</td></tr></tbody></table>Markdown Viewer vs Markdown Editor
Use Markdown Viewer when you already have an .md or README file and need to open, read, or inspect it. Preview is the default, Source is read-only, and editing is optional. Use Markdown Editor when your primary task is creating a new README, documentation page, changelog, note, or blog draft with live writing tools.
How This Tool Works
FileReader decodes the selected file as browser text using the UTF-8 assumption shown in Document Info. The shared Markdown-to-HTML renderer parses the source, DOMPurify sanitizes rendered HTML, and pure inspection functions derive headings, links, images, code-block counts, and reading statistics without sending the document to a server. Copy, download, and print actions use local browser APIs.
Technical Stack
Privacy
Markdown rendering, file inspection, and export happen in your browser. Optional edited drafts use browser storage on your device and are not uploaded to WebToolsPlanet.
Security
Rendered Markdown HTML is sanitized before preview insertion. Document Info also flags empty links, suspicious URL schemes, and missing image alt text for review.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I open an MD file?
Choose Open MD File or drag a .md, .markdown, or .txt file into the viewer. The file opens in rendered Preview mode, and you can switch to Source or Document Info when needed.
Can Chrome open a Markdown file?
Chrome can display Markdown as plain text, but it does not render standard Markdown formatting by default. This browser-based viewer renders the file as headings, lists, links, tables, images, and code blocks.
Can I view README.md without GitHub?
Yes. Open README.md directly to preview common GitHub Flavored Markdown features such as tables, task lists, fenced code blocks, badges, links, and images.
Is my MD file uploaded to your server?
No. File reading, Markdown rendering, inspection, and export happen locally in your browser. The file contents are not uploaded to WebToolsPlanet.
What is the difference between .md and .markdown?
Both extensions normally contain Markdown text. .md is shorter and more common, while .markdown is a descriptive alternative supported by this viewer.
Can I inspect Markdown links before publishing?
Yes. Document Info separates internal, external, anchor, empty, and suspicious links so you can review destinations before publishing.
Does the viewer support GitHub Flavored Markdown?
Yes. The rendered preview supports GFM tables, task lists, strikethrough, fenced code blocks, and auto-links in addition to common Markdown syntax.
Can I print a Markdown file as PDF?
Yes. Open the rendered Preview, select Print, and choose Save as PDF in your browser print dialog.
Can I edit an MD file after opening it?
Yes. Source remains read-only by default; choose Edit this Markdown to expose editing and formatting controls. For writing a new document, use the dedicated Markdown Editor.
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