Markdown Viewer
Markdown viewer and live preview editor with GitHub Flavored Markdown support. Write or paste Markdown and see the rendered HTML side-by-side instantly.
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About Markdown Viewer
Preview content free online with Markdown Viewer. Browser-based, no signup, no installation — instant results for frontend and backend developers.
Render Markdown to HTML live in your browser with Markdown Viewer — a free, lightweight tool built for developers, technical writers, and anyone who works with .md files daily. Paste or type Markdown on the left, see the rendered HTML on the right, and copy or save the result without sending anything to a server. The viewer supports GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM), so tables, fenced code blocks, task lists, autolinks, and standard inline formatting all render exactly how they would on GitHub or in modern documentation systems. A built-in toolbar lets you insert bold, italic, headings (H3–H6), links, images, code blocks, blockquotes, and ordered/unordered lists with one click — useful when you want to preview formatting without memorizing syntax. Beyond preview, Markdown Viewer is a practical day-to-day editor. Load a .md file from disk, edit it, save the changes back out, and switch to fullscreen mode when you need a distraction-free writing canvas. Content is auto-saved to your browser's local storage so a refresh or accidental tab close does not lose work. Nothing is uploaded — the tool runs entirely client-side, which keeps private notes, draft posts, and internal documentation off the network. Common workflows include previewing README files before pushing to GitHub, reviewing Markdown produced by AI tools, cleaning up notes exported from Notion or Obsidian, drafting blog posts that target Markdown-aware CMSs, and double-checking how documentation will render after an MDX or static-site build. The split view eliminates the back-and-forth of opening separate preview tools. If you only need to convert Markdown to HTML once and copy the markup, Markdown Viewer also exposes the rendered HTML directly. For repeat conversion workflows with download support, our Markdown to HTML Converter is a focused companion tool.
Key features
- Live side-by-side preview. Markdown on the left, rendered HTML on the right. Every keystroke updates the preview so you catch formatting issues immediately.
- GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) support. Tables, fenced code blocks, task lists, autolinks, strikethrough, and breaks render the same way they do on GitHub and in MDX-based systems.
- Built-in formatting toolbar. Insert bold, italic, headings, links, images, code, blockquotes, and lists with one click. No need to memorize syntax for quick edits.
- Load and save .md files locally. Upload an existing Markdown file, edit it in the viewer, and save the updated version back to disk. Files never leave your browser.
- Autosave and fullscreen mode. Drafts persist in localStorage so a tab close or refresh does not lose work. Fullscreen mode gives you a distraction-free writing canvas.
Common use cases
- Preview a README before pushing to GitHub. Catch broken headings, mis-indented lists, or unrendered code blocks before the world sees them on a public repo.
- Review AI-generated Markdown. LLM outputs often look fine in plain text but break in rendering. The split view spots issues like nested-list bugs and orphan code fences immediately.
- Clean up notes exported from Notion, Obsidian, or Bear. Edit and reformat exported Markdown before importing it into a docs site, blog, or knowledge base — without installing a desktop editor.
- Draft blog posts for Markdown-aware CMSs. Preview exactly how a post will render after the static-site build, then copy the polished HTML or the source Markdown directly to your CMS.
- Document handoff between teams. Share a Markdown file with non-technical reviewers — they paste it into Markdown Viewer to see the rendered version without needing GitHub access.
How to use it
- Paste or type Markdown into the left editor — Or click Load to import an existing .md / .txt file from your computer. The preview updates instantly as you type.
- Use the toolbar for quick formatting — Insert headings, bold, italic, links, images, code blocks, blockquotes, and lists without remembering Markdown syntax.
- Inspect the rendered HTML on the right — The preview uses GitHub Flavored Markdown rules, so the output matches GitHub, MDX-based docs, and most modern Markdown renderers.
- Toggle fullscreen for distraction-free editing — Click the fullscreen icon to expand the editor to the entire viewport. Press Esc to exit.
- Save the .md back to disk when finished — The Save button downloads your Markdown source. Your draft also auto-saves to localStorage in case you close the tab.
Examples
Render a GFM table
Input | Tool | Use | |------|------| | Viewer | Preview | | Editor | Write |
Output A two-column HTML table with header row, rendered exactly as GitHub would show it.
Preview a fenced code block
Input ```js const hi = () => console.log('hello'); ```
Output Monospaced code block with language hint preserved in a `language-js` class for downstream syntax highlighting.
Inspect a task list
Input - [x] Done item - [ ] Pending item
Output Two task-list items with the first checked and the second unchecked.
Troubleshooting
Tables render as plain text
Cause The header row and separator (|---|---|) must be on their own lines and use pipe characters. Spaces inside cells are fine.
Fix Ensure there is an empty line above the table and that every row starts and ends with a pipe character.
Code block shows backticks instead of formatting
Cause Fenced code blocks need triple backticks (```) on their own lines, with no leading or trailing spaces around the fence markers.
Fix Replace single backticks with triple backticks for multi-line code, and confirm the opening/closing fences are on dedicated lines.
Line breaks disappear in the preview
Cause Standard Markdown collapses single newlines into a single space. Use two trailing spaces or a blank line to force a line break.
Fix Add two spaces at the end of the line, or insert a blank line between paragraphs for guaranteed line breaks.
Saved draft did not reload after a refresh
Cause Browser privacy modes or strict cookie/storage settings can block localStorage writes.
Fix Disable private/incognito mode for this tab, or download your draft with the Save button to keep a permanent copy.
FAQ · 05
Is Markdown Viewer free to use?
Yes. The tool is free, has no signup, and runs entirely in your browser. No daily limits, no watermark, no upload.
Does this work offline?
Once the page loads, all Markdown rendering happens in your browser using the bundled marked parser. You can keep editing without an internet connection, though saving a new draft requires the page to be open.
How is this different from Markdown to HTML Converter?
Markdown Viewer is optimised for live editing and preview — toolbar shortcuts, fullscreen, autosave, load/save .md files. The Markdown to HTML Converter is a focused one-shot conversion tool with download buttons for the rendered HTML. Use the viewer when you are writing; use the converter when you just need clean HTML output.
Does it support GitHub Flavored Markdown?
Yes. Tables, fenced code blocks, task lists (`- [x]` / `- [ ]`), strikethrough, autolinks, and GFM line breaks all render correctly using the marked parser configured with `gfm: true` and `breaks: true`.
Where is my draft stored?
Drafts are stored in your browser's localStorage under the key `markdownContent`. Nothing is sent to a server. Clearing your browser data or using a different browser profile will reset the saved draft.
Working in development tools? You may also need JavaScript Minifier, HTML to JSX Converter or HTML Viewer — part of our development tools toolkit.
Blog Posts About This Tool
Learn when to use Markdown Viewer, common workflows, and related best practices from our blog.
Markdown Viewer: Render .md Files Without GitHub or VS Code
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