Free Markdown Preview & Online Markdown Editor
Write or paste Markdown and see the rendered preview update instantly. Copy Markdown, rendered HTML, or plain text, import .md files, download Markdown or HTML, and keep drafts in local browser auto-save.
Last updated: June 30, 2026
Markdown workflow shortcuts
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Buy me a coffeeWhat is Markdown Viewer?
Markdown Viewer is a browser-based Markdown preview workspace with full GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) support. It renders Markdown into sanitized HTML so you can check headings, lists, links, images, tables, task lists, blockquotes, and code blocks before publishing.
The tool is designed for README files, documentation, changelogs, release notes, blog drafts, and technical notes. Your Markdown is processed locally in the browser with no account required, and local auto-save means a refresh never loses your draft.
Markdown Editor Features
Live Side-by-Side Preview
See rendered Markdown next to the editor as you type with automatic debounced updates.
GitHub Flavored Markdown
Full GFM support: tables, task lists, strikethrough, fenced code blocks, and auto-links.
Copy & Export Options
Copy Markdown, rendered HTML, or plain text. Download .md or standalone .html files.
Browser Auto-Save
Edits are saved to your browser automatically. Refreshing the page never loses your draft.
Sync Scroll
Scroll the editor and the preview follows. Toggle on or off with one click in the toolbar.
Code Block Copy Buttons
Each code block in the preview gets a copy button injected automatically for quick copying.
Fullscreen Writing Mode
Enter a distraction-free fullscreen workspace. Press Escape or the toolbar button to exit.
Import .md Files
Open any .md or .txt file directly in the browser — no upload required.
Private & Client-Side
All processing happens in your browser. Your Markdown is never uploaded to the server.
Markdown Syntax Cheat Sheet & Quick Reference
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 Use the Markdown Preview Tool
Type, paste, or import a .md file into the Markdown editor.
Use Split, Editor, Preview, or HTML mode to inspect your document.
Use the toolbar for common Markdown syntax: headings, lists, links, code, and tables.
Copy Markdown, rendered HTML, or plain text using the Copy buttons.
Download a .md or standalone .html file, or use Print to save the preview as PDF.
Common Use Cases
- Previewing GitHub README files before committing them.
- Writing project documentation with live Markdown preview.
- Checking Markdown tables, task lists, and code blocks.
- Copying rendered HTML for CMS, email, or documentation workflows.
- Drafting changelogs, release notes, and technical blog posts.
- Importing .md files for quick inspection or cleanup.
- Writing blog posts for Markdown-native platforms like Dev.to or Hashnode.
- Preparing Markdown content for Jekyll, Hugo, Astro, or other static site generators.
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 Preview vs Markdown Editor vs Markdown Viewer
A Markdown preview tool shows how your Markdown will look after it is rendered. A Markdown editor helps you write and update Markdown content. A Markdown viewer is mainly used to open and read Markdown files. This tool combines all three: you can write Markdown, preview it live, sync-scroll through the output, copy the rendered HTML, and download your Markdown or HTML file from one page. If you need all three in one place with no account, no cloud sync dependency, and local auto-save, this tool covers the complete workflow.
How This Tool Works
The tool parses Markdown with the shared Markdown-to-HTML renderer, sanitizes the output with DOMPurify, and displays it in a live preview panel. Code block copy buttons are injected after render. Copy and download actions use browser APIs: Clipboard, Blob, object URLs, FileReader, localStorage, and CSS print styles.
Technical Stack
Privacy
Markdown rendering and file handling happen in your browser. Local auto-save uses browser storage on your device and does not upload draft content to WebToolsPlanet.
Security
Rendered Markdown HTML is sanitized before preview insertion to remove unsafe tags, event handlers, and dangerous links.