Markdown Editor & Preview
Write Markdown and see live HTML preview. Works right here in the tab, even offline.
Last updated: May 18, 2026 · By Λ
Free Markdown Editor & Preview
Write and preview Markdown with a live split-pane editor. Supports headings, bold, italic, strikethrough, links, images, code blocks, inline code, blockquotes, ordered and unordered lists, horizontal rules, and tables. Toolbar buttons let you quickly insert Markdown syntax. See word count, character count, and estimated reading time. Copy your Markdown source or the rendered HTML output. The parser is plain JavaScript shipped with this page, so each keystroke is rendered locally and your draft text stays on your own machine. No account required, completely free.
What is Markdown?
Markdown is a lightweight markup language created by John Gruber in 2004 that lets you write formatted text using plain text syntax. Instead of clicking toolbar buttons or writing HTML tags, you use simple symbols like # for headings, ** for bold, * for italic, and - for list items. Markdown files are easy to read even in their raw form, and they can be converted to HTML, PDF, or other formats. Markdown is used extensively on platforms like GitHub, GitLab, Reddit, Stack Overflow, and in documentation tools like MkDocs and Docusaurus.
This free online Markdown editor provides a live split-pane experience: you write Markdown on the left and see the rendered HTML preview on the right in real time. It is perfect for writing README files, blog posts, documentation, notes, or any formatted text. The toolbar buttons help you insert Markdown syntax quickly, and keyboard shortcuts for bold (Ctrl+B) and italic (Ctrl+I) speed up your workflow. Because the rendering loop lives in this tab and nowhere else, your writing never reaches a server.
How to Use This Tool
- Type or paste your Markdown content into the left panel labeled "Markdown." The preview updates automatically as you type.
- Use the toolbar buttons above the editor to quickly insert headings, bold, italic, links, images, code blocks, lists, blockquotes, tables, and horizontal rules.
- Review the rendered output in the right panel labeled "Preview." Word count, character count, and estimated reading time are shown below the editor.
- Click "Copy Markdown" to copy your source text, or "Copy HTML" to copy the generated HTML markup for use in web pages or email templates.
Key Features
- Live Preview - See your formatted output instantly as you type, with no delay or manual refresh needed. Changes appear in real time in the preview panel.
- Full Syntax Support - Handles headings (h1 through h6), bold, italic, strikethrough, links, images, inline code, fenced code blocks with language labels, blockquotes, ordered and unordered lists, tables with alignment, and horizontal rules.
- Toolbar and Keyboard Shortcuts - Insert Markdown syntax with toolbar buttons or use Ctrl+B for bold and Ctrl+I for italic. Tab key support is also included for indentation.
- Copy Markdown or HTML - Export your work as raw Markdown text or as rendered HTML with a single click, making it easy to paste into GitHub, CMS platforms, or HTML documents.
- Writing Statistics - Track word count, character count, and estimated reading time (based on an average reading speed of 200 words per minute) as you write.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Markdown syntax does this editor support?
The editor supports standard Markdown syntax including headings (# through ######), bold (**text**), italic (*text*), strikethrough (~~text~~), links, images, inline code, fenced code blocks with optional language tags, blockquotes, ordered and unordered lists, tables with column alignment, and horizontal rules. This covers the vast majority of Markdown used in documentation, README files, and blog posts.
Can I use this editor for GitHub README files?
Yes. This editor supports the same core Markdown syntax used by GitHub. You can write your README content here, preview how it will look, and then copy the Markdown to paste into your repository. The table syntax, fenced code blocks, and image references all work the same way as on GitHub.
Is my content saved automatically?
No. This editor does not save your content to any server or to local storage. If you close the browser tab, your work will be lost. Make sure to copy your Markdown or HTML output before leaving the page. This design choice ensures that no data is ever stored or tracked.
How do I create a table in Markdown?
Click the "Table" button in the toolbar to insert a pre-formatted table template. Markdown tables use pipes (|) to separate columns and hyphens (-) for the header separator row. You can add colon characters to the separator row to set column alignment: left-aligned (default), center-aligned (:---:), or right-aligned (---:). The preview will render the table with proper formatting.