Markdown Viewer & Preview
Preview and render Markdown content in real-time. View formatted output, export to HTML, and test your Markdown syntax with live updates.
Markdown Input
Preview
Your markdown preview will appear here
About Markdown Viewer & Preview
A Markdown Viewer is an essential tool for writers and developers who work with Markdown files. This powerful viewer provides real-time preview of Markdown content, supporting GitHub Flavored Markdown with features like tables, task lists and fenced code blocks (with optional line numbers). Export your content as HTML or Markdown files, and enjoy a distraction-free writing experience with instant visual feedback.
Why use a Markdown Viewer & Preview?
Using a Markdown Viewer enhances your writing workflow by providing immediate visual feedback as you type, helping you catch formatting errors before publishing, and ensuring your content looks exactly as intended. It's perfect for creating documentation, blog posts, README files, and any content that uses Markdown formatting, saving time by eliminating the need to constantly switch between editing and preview modes.
Who is it for?
This tool is ideal for technical writers creating documentation, developers writing README files and code documentation, bloggers using Markdown-based platforms, students taking notes in Markdown format, content creators working with static site generators, and anyone who wants to preview and validate their Markdown content before publishing or sharing.
How to use the tool
Type or paste your Markdown content in the editor or upload a .md file
Watch the live preview update automatically as you type
Tick 'Show line numbers in code blocks' if you want numbered code (applies to fenced blocks that name a language)
Untick 'Live preview' if you prefer to click 'Update Preview' yourself
Copy or download the HTML, or download the Markdown file for sharing
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I preview Markdown rendering?
Paste your Markdown into the input area (or upload a .md file) and see the rendered preview update as you type; the raw Markdown is on the left and the preview on the right on wide screens. Supports CommonMark + GFM extensions: tables, task lists, fenced code blocks, strikethrough. A single line break becomes a line break in the output. Raw HTML in your Markdown is sanitized before it is shown, so scripts and event handlers are removed. Useful for: drafting README files, blog posts, documentation; previewing before committing to a repository. Runs entirely in your browser — your Markdown never leaves the device.
What's the difference between Markdown Viewer and Markdown-to-HTML?
Both convert Markdown to HTML. [Markdown to HTML](/tools/markdown-to-html/) is conversion-focused — outputs the HTML source for copying into another context (and converts HTML back to Markdown). Markdown Viewer is preview-focused — renders the HTML for visual review, and can also copy or download the sanitized HTML. Use Markdown Viewer to draft and preview; use Markdown to HTML when you want the raw HTML output.
Is my Markdown sent to a server?
No — rendering runs entirely in your browser (the marked library, with DOMPurify to sanitize the output). Your Markdown never reaches a server, never gets logged. Verify in DevTools' Network tab: the only requests are for the tool's own code — plus any images your Markdown links to, which your browser loads directly from those URLs. Safe for sensitive drafts (technical specs, internal documentation, confidential notes).
What Markdown features are supported?
CommonMark + GFM extensions. Headings, bold/italic, lists, links, images, blockquotes, fenced code blocks, tables, task lists, strikethrough. Single line breaks become line breaks. Not supported: emoji shortcodes (`:smile:`), math notation (LaTeX), diagrams (Mermaid), footnotes, and front matter. Raw HTML is allowed but sanitized. Standard documentation Markdown works universally.
Does this render syntax-highlighted code blocks?
No — fenced code blocks (` ```python `) are rendered as monospaced preformatted blocks with the language recorded as a class, but the code is not colour-highlighted. You can tick 'Show line numbers in code blocks' to number the lines of blocks that name a language. To get the rendered HTML, use 'Copy HTML' or 'Download .html'.
How do I preview GitHub README locally before committing?
Paste the README content into this Markdown Viewer and see the rendered result — a close approximation of GitHub's rendering, since both follow GitHub Flavored Markdown. Differences to expect: this tool turns single line breaks into line breaks, doesn't render emoji shortcodes (`:emoji:`), and sanitizes raw HTML with its own rules. For exact GitHub fidelity, check the README on GitHub itself after committing to a branch. For most use cases, this tool's preview is close enough.
Can I export the rendered output as a PDF or image?
Not directly in this tool. For PDF: use your browser's Print → Save as PDF feature on the preview, or download the HTML and print that file. For images: take a screenshot of the rendered view. The 'Download .html' button saves the rendered document as a standalone HTML file, and [Markdown to HTML](/tools/markdown-to-html/) gives you the HTML source to embed in a document or page.
What's the best Markdown editor for serious writing?
Depends on use case. For technical documentation in repos, a code editor with a Markdown preview and Git integration is the usual choice. For long-form writing, many people prefer a distraction-free writing app. For linked notes or collaboration, a dedicated notes or wiki tool fits better. This online viewer is for quick previews and ad-hoc Markdown work — not a full editor replacement.
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