Free Markdown Editor and Live Preview
Write Markdown on the left, see it rendered on the right — instantly, privately, in your browser.
Markdown was designed to be readable before it's rendered
Markdown's original design goal, when it was created in the mid-2000s, was that a document written in it should already be readable as plain text — an asterisk-wrapped word like *emphasis* reads naturally even if nothing ever renders it, unlike HTML's <em>emphasis</em>. That plain-text-first philosophy is why Markdown spread so widely for READMEs, comments, and documentation: you can write and read it comfortably in a plain text editor with zero tooling. What this tool renders specifically is GitHub-Flavored Markdown (GFM), an extended dialect that adds tables, task lists, and strikethrough on top of the original spec — features common on GitHub and many other platforms, but not part of Markdown's original 2004 design.
Why raw HTML gets shown as text, not rendered
Original Markdown deliberately allows embedding raw HTML directly in a document. This tool intentionally does not execute any HTML it finds in your input — it displays it as literal text instead — because rendering arbitrary HTML in a live preview would open the door to script injection from anything you paste in, which isn't a risk worth taking for a formatting preview.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Markdown syntax is supported?
GitHub-flavored Markdown (GFM): headings, bold and italics, links, images, code blocks with fencing, tables, task lists, strikethrough, and blockquotes.
Can I get the rendered HTML?
Yes — click "Copy HTML" and the rendered HTML is copied to your clipboard, ready to paste into a website, CMS, or email template.
Is my writing saved or uploaded?
No. Rendering happens locally in your browser and nothing is transmitted. Download your work as a .md file before closing the page — the tool does not store anything.
Why does my raw HTML not render in the preview?
For safety, raw HTML embedded in Markdown is shown as plain text rather than executed. Standard Markdown formatting covers most needs.
What's the difference between plain Markdown and GitHub-Flavored Markdown?
GFM is an extended dialect that adds features like tables, task lists (- [ ]), and strikethrough (~~text~~) on top of the original Markdown specification, which didn't include any of those. This tool follows GFM, which is what most modern platforms — GitHub, many static site generators, and chat tools — actually implement.
Can I use Markdown directly in an email?
Most email clients don't render Markdown natively — pasting raw Markdown into an email will show the literal asterisks and hash marks. Use "Copy HTML" instead and paste the rendered HTML into an email client or template that accepts formatted content.