Free · Browser-based · GFM
Markdown Live Previewer
Write Markdown on the left and watch it render on the right, instantly. Built for READMEs, documentation and notes — with word count, GitHub-style rendering and one-click export.
- Live preview
- GitHub flavored
- Nothing uploaded
- Export MD & HTML
- Autosaves draft
Preview Markdown in Seconds
Type in the editor, paste Markdown, or drag a .md file onto the workspace.
The right pane re-renders as you type with GitHub-flavored Markdown support.
Use Write, Split or Read mode. Toggle sync scroll to move panes together.
Copy Markdown or HTML, download .md/.html files, or print the preview as PDF.
What is this tool?
This Markdown live previewer is a split-screen writing environment. You type Markdown in the left pane and the right pane re-renders as you type, so you can see the finished document before you publish it. It reads GitHub-flavored Markdown — tables, task lists, fenced code, strikethrough, autolinks and alert blocks — which makes it a quick way to check a README before pushing.
Everything runs in your browser. Your text is never uploaded, and the only copy that is kept is the draft saved in your own browser storage, which you can wipe with the Clear button.
Markdown syntax cheat sheet
Every construct in this table is supported by the previewer above. Paste any of it into the editor to see it render.
| You write | You get | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| # Heading 1 | A top-level heading | One to six # marks set the level. Each heading gets an anchor id. |
| **bold** | Bold text | __bold__ works too. |
| _italic_ | Italic text | *italic* is equivalent. |
| ***both*** | Bold and italic | Three marks combine the two. |
| ~~struck~~ | Struck-through text | GitHub-flavored extension. |
| `code` | Inline code | Backticks keep the contents literal — Markdown inside is not parsed. |
| ```js … ``` | A fenced code block | The word after the fence labels the language. |
| > quote | A blockquote | Nest them by repeating >. |
| - item | A bullet list | * and + also start bullets. Indent two spaces to nest. |
| 1. item | A numbered list | Starting at another number is preserved. |
| - [x] done | A task list | Checked items feed the progress meter. |
| [text](url) | A link | Add a title with [t](url "Title"). |
|  | An image | Images load lazily in the preview. |
| | a | b | | A table | The row under the header sets alignment with :---, :---: or ---:. |
| --- | A horizontal rule | Three or more dashes, asterisks or underscores. |
| > [!NOTE] | A GitHub alert | Also TIP, IMPORTANT, WARNING and CAUTION. |
| two spaces + Enter | A line break | A trailing backslash does the same. |
What is Markdown?
Markdown is a plain-text formatting syntax created by John Gruber in 2004. The idea is that the source
should stay readable: **bold** looks emphatic even before it is rendered, and
# Heading reads as a heading in a terminal, a diff or an email.
Because it is just text, Markdown works well with version control — a documentation change shows up as a clean line-by-line diff, which is not true of binary word-processor formats. That is why it became the default for READMEs, changelogs, static site content, issue trackers and note-taking apps.
Flavors of Markdown
The original spec left gaps, so implementations diverged. CommonMark is the strict specification that pinned down the ambiguous cases. GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) builds on CommonMark and adds tables, task lists, strikethrough and autolinks. This previewer follows GFM conventions, which is what most people mean by "Markdown" today.
Why preview before you publish?
Markdown is forgiving to write and easy to get subtly wrong. A live preview catches the classics:
- A list that never starts because the
-has no space after it. - A table that stays plain text because the
| --- |separator row is missing. - A code fence that swallows the rest of the document because it was never closed.
- Headings that skip a level, which hurts both readability and accessibility.
- A link whose closing parenthesis is missing, leaving raw syntax on the page.
Seeing the rendered result next to the source means you find these in a second, instead of after you have pushed the commit.
Is raw HTML rendered?
No — and that is deliberate. Raw HTML in the source is escaped and displayed as literal text, so opening a Markdown file from an untrusted source cannot run scripts in your browser. Link and image destinations are checked against an allow-list of URL schemes for the same reason.
What people use it for
Any moment you need to see the rendered shape of a document before it goes anywhere.
How to use the previewer
- Type or paste Markdown into the left pane — the preview follows as you type.
- Drag a
.mdfile anywhere onto the workspace, or press Import .md. - Use Write, Split and Read to change how much of the screen each pane gets.
- Turn off Sync scroll if you would rather move the panes independently.
- Export with Download .md, Download .html or Print / PDF.
Keyboard shortcuts
- Ctrl/⌘ + B — bold
- Ctrl/⌘ + I — italic
- Ctrl/⌘ + K — link
- Ctrl/⌘ + E — inline code
- Tab — indent inside the editor
Previewer or converter?
ToolAdda has two Markdown tools, and they answer different questions.
- This page is for writing and reading. You draft a document, watch the word count, and export or print the finished thing.
- Markdown to HTML is for getting the code out. Use it when you need the HTML source to drop into a template, a CMS field or an email.
Both run entirely in the browser and both use the same safety rules, so pick whichever matches what you are trying to do.
Does it save my work?
Yes. The document is written to your browser's local storage as you type and restored the next time you open the page in the same browser. It is device-local: it does not sync, and clearing site data removes it. Press Clear to wipe it deliberately.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Markdown live previewer?
A split-screen editor that shows the Markdown source on one side and the rendered document on the other, updating as you type, so you can see exactly how your text will look before you publish it.
Is this Markdown previewer free?
Yes. It is free, needs no account and has no usage limits.
Does my Markdown get uploaded anywhere?
No. Parsing and rendering happen in your browser. Your text is never sent to a server, and the only copy kept is the draft in your own browser storage.
Can I preview a GitHub README?
Yes. The renderer supports GitHub-flavored Markdown — tables, task lists, strikethrough, autolinks and alert blocks such as [!NOTE] and [!WARNING] — so a README renders close to how GitHub displays it.
What Markdown syntax is supported?
Headings, paragraphs, bold, italic, strikethrough, highlight, inline code, fenced code blocks with a language label, blockquotes, nested lists, task lists, tables with column alignment, horizontal rules, links, reference links, images, autolinks and hard line breaks.
Can I open a .md file?
Yes. Press Import to choose a file, or drag a .md file onto the workspace. The file is read locally by your browser and never uploaded.
Can I download the rendered HTML?
Yes. Download .html produces a standalone file with the styling embedded, so it opens correctly on its own. You can also copy the HTML to the clipboard.
Can I save the preview as a PDF?
Yes. Press Print / PDF and choose Save as PDF in your browser's print dialog. The print layout shows only the rendered document — no editor, no navigation.
Is my work saved if I close the tab?
The document is saved to local storage as you type and restored next time you open the page in the same browser. Clearing site data removes it.
What is the difference between this and the Markdown to HTML converter?
This page is a writing and reading environment — draft, preview, navigate, export. The Markdown to HTML converter is aimed at getting the HTML source out so you can paste it into a template or CMS.
Are keyboard shortcuts supported?
Yes: Ctrl/⌘ with B for bold, I for italic, K for a link and E for inline code. Tab inserts an indent instead of moving focus out of the editor.
Does the preview scroll with the editor?
Yes, in split view the panes scroll together in proportion. Untick Sync scroll to move them independently.
Can I use it on a phone?
Yes. On small screens the panes stack, and the Write and Read buttons switch between the editor and the preview at full width.
Is HTML inside my Markdown rendered?
No. Raw HTML is escaped and shown as literal text. That is deliberate: a document from an untrusted source cannot run scripts in your browser through the preview.
What is the document outline?
A table of contents built automatically from your headings. Every heading also gets a unique anchor id, and clicking an outline entry scrolls the preview to that section.
How is reading time calculated?
From the word count of the prose at roughly 220 words per minute, rounded to the nearest minute. Code blocks are excluded because they are not read at prose speed.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Once the page has loaded, no network connection is needed to write, preview or export.
What is Markdown?
A plain-text formatting syntax created by John Gruber in 2004. Simple marks such as # for a heading and ** for bold keep the source readable while still describing structure, which is why it is used for READMEs, documentation, notes and static site content.
Can I preview tables and task lists?
Yes. Pipe tables with column alignment and task lists both render, and completed tasks feed the progress meter in the statistics bar.
Why does my heading anchor have a number after it?
When two headings would produce the same anchor, the later one gets a numeric suffix such as -1 so every id in the document stays unique.