Markdown Preview Online — See Your Markdown Rendered Instantly
The free Markdown Preview tool shows your Markdown source rendered as styled HTML in real time — side by side with your editor. No libraries, no signup, and nothing is sent to a server.
Why a Live Markdown Preview Matters
Writing Markdown as plain text is fast, but the syntax can be ambiguous at a glance. A # heading looks like a comment; a list item started with -can be confused with a dash in running text; a mismatched ** produces italic instead of bold. A live preview eliminates all of that guesswork — the rendered output shows exactly what readers will see, updated with every keystroke.
Live preview is especially useful when writing:
- README files for GitHub repositories
- Blog posts for Ghost, Jekyll, or Hugo static sites
- Documentation pages for Docusaurus or MkDocs
- Notion or Confluence pages that accept Markdown input
- Email drafts with Markdown formatting before converting to HTML
How to Use the Markdown Preview Tool
- Open Markdown Preview. A sample document is pre-loaded so the preview is visible immediately.
- Replace the sample with your own Markdown in the left panel. The rendered preview updates in the right panel as you type.
- Use the word and character counts at the bottom of the editor panel to track length — useful for README files with display limits or blog posts with target word counts.
- When the preview looks correct, copy your Markdown source and paste it into your publishing platform.
Supported Markdown Syntax
| Markdown | Rendered As |
|---|---|
# Heading 1 | Large page title |
## Heading 2 | Section heading with underline |
**bold** | Bold text |
*italic* | Italic text |
***bold italic*** | Bold italic |
~~strikethrough~~ | Struck-through text |
`inline code` | Monospace code span |
```js ... ``` | Code block with dark background |
- item | Bullet list item |
1. item | Numbered list item |
> quote | Purple-accented blockquote |
[text](url) | Clickable hyperlink |
 | Inline image |
--- | Horizontal divider line |
Markdown Preview vs Markdown to HTML Converter
Both tools use the same underlying Markdown parser. The difference is in the output:
| Feature | Markdown Preview | Markdown to HTML Converter |
|---|---|---|
| Output format | Styled visual rendering | Raw HTML source code |
| Best for | Checking how content looks | Copying HTML for a CMS or template |
| Copy button | Not needed (visual output) | Copy HTML to clipboard |
| Code blocks | Dark background, coloured text | Raw <pre><code> markup |
Use the Markdown Preview when you want to check readability and appearance. Use the Markdown to HTML Converter when you need the raw HTML to paste into a webpage or email template.
Common Questions
Does the preview need an internet connection?
Only for the initial page load. Once loaded, rendering happens entirely in your browser. The tool works offline — useful when writing documentation on a train or a plane.
Is my content stored anywhere?
No. The Markdown you type is processed entirely in your browser's memory and is never sent to a server. Closing the tab discards everything — there is no auto-save.
How do I convert Markdown to HTML for use in a CMS?
Use the Markdown to HTML Converter — it outputs the raw HTML string with a one-click copy button. Paste it directly into a WordPress custom HTML block, a Ghost HTML card, or an email template.
What if I want to go the other direction — HTML to Markdown?
The HTML to Markdown Converter reverses the process — paste any HTML on the left and get clean Markdown on the right. Useful for migrating content from an HTML-based CMS into a Markdown-native system.
Preview Your Markdown Now
Type Markdown on the left, see the rendered result on the right. Instant, free, no signup.
Open Markdown Preview