How to Preview Markdown
Markdown is designed to be readable as plain text, but you still want to see how it will actually render before publishing a README or a documentation page — especially once tables and code blocks are involved. Type or paste your document here and the rendered result appears live in the panel below, styled the way a README looks on a code host: headings with rules beneath them, code blocks on a dark background, blockquotes with a coloured bar, and properly bordered tables. The parser covers the syntax people actually use, including GitHub-flavoured extensions that many basic previewers skip — tables with per-column alignment, task list checkboxes written as bracketed items, strikethrough, and fenced code blocks that carry their language as a class for syntax highlighting downstream. Switch to the HTML tab and you get the generated markup, ready to copy into a CMS or paste into a page, or download it as a complete HTML document. Rendering is done safely: your content is escaped and dangerous URL schemes in links are neutralised, so pasting an untrusted document can't execute anything. A running word count, character count and reading-time estimate sit above the preview. Everything happens in your browser.
Write or paste
Enter your Markdown; the preview updates as you type.
Check the render
Confirm headings, tables and code blocks look right.
Copy the HTML
Switch to the HTML tab, or download a full document.
What Is Markdown?
Plain text that formats itself
Markdown uses ordinary punctuation to express structure — hashes for headings, asterisks for emphasis, hyphens for lists. The source stays readable even without a renderer, which is why it took over documentation.
Flavours and extensions
The original spec had no tables or task lists. GitHub-flavoured Markdown added them, along with strikethrough and fenced code blocks, and that dialect is now the practical standard — which is what this renderer targets.
Common Use Cases
Preview a README
Check how your project readme will render before pushing it.
Convert to HTML
Turn a Markdown document into markup for a CMS or web page.
Write documentation
Draft docs with live formatting feedback as you type.
Check a table
Verify column alignment renders the way you intended.
Blog drafts
Compose a post in Markdown and export clean HTML.
Release notes
Format changelogs with lists, links and code snippets.
Email content
Write in Markdown and paste the HTML into a template.
Learning Markdown
Experiment with syntax and see the result immediately.
Tips & Best Practices
Leave a blank line between blocks
Markdown needs an empty line to separate paragraphs from lists, tables and headings.
Use fenced code blocks
Triple backticks with a language name are clearer than indented code and enable highlighting.
Keep one heading level 1
A single H1 for the document title, with H2 and below for sections, reads best and is better for SEO.
Align numeric table columns right
Use ---: in the separator row so figures line up neatly.
Prefer reference links for long URLs
Long inline links hurt readability of the source; this renderer handles inline links, so keep them short.
Preview before publishing
Tables and nested lists are where flavours differ most, so always check the rendered result.
Troubleshooting
My table isn't rendering
A table needs a separator row of dashes directly under the header, and every row must start with a pipe.
My list ran into the paragraph above
Add a blank line before the first list item so Markdown treats it as a new block.
My HTML tags show as text
Raw HTML is escaped and displayed literally, which keeps rendering safe against pasted content.
Nested lists aren't indenting
This renderer handles single-level lists. For deeply nested structures, check the result on your target platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I preview Markdown for free?
Type or paste your Markdown above and the rendered result appears live. Switch to the HTML tab to copy the markup — free, no signup.
Does it support tables?
Yes, GitHub-style tables including per-column left, centre and right alignment.
Are task lists supported?
Yes. Items written as - [x] and - [ ] render as checked and unchecked checkboxes.
Can I get the HTML?
Yes. The HTML tab shows the generated markup, which you can copy or download as a full document.
Does it handle code blocks?
Yes. Triple-backtick fenced blocks preserve formatting and carry the language as a class.
Is raw HTML rendered?
No. HTML in your Markdown is escaped and shown literally, which keeps rendering safe.
Which Markdown flavour is this?
It targets GitHub-flavoured Markdown, the practical standard for readmes and documentation.
Is my document sent anywhere?
No. Everything is rendered in your browser, so your writing never leaves your device.
Does it count words?
Yes. Word count, character count, line count and estimated reading time appear above the preview.
Can I download the result?
Yes. Download a complete HTML document, or copy just the body markup.
Does it support images?
Yes. Image syntax renders as an img tag with lazy loading and your alt text preserved.
Are links safe?
Yes. Dangerous URL schemes are neutralised, and links carry rel attributes for safety.
Does it support nested blockquotes?
Blockquotes are parsed recursively, so Markdown inside a quote renders correctly.
What about footnotes and definition lists?
Those are less common extensions and aren't rendered here; the supported syntax is listed in the cheatsheet.
Can I use it for a blog post?
Yes. Write in Markdown, check the preview, then copy the HTML into your CMS.
Does it work offline?
Once the page has loaded it runs entirely in your browser, so it keeps working without a connection.
Does it work on phones?
Yes, in any modern browser on Windows, Mac, Android or iPhone with nothing to install.
Is this tool really free?
Completely free, forever — no account, no ads and no premium wall.
100% free · No signup · Processed in your browser · Data never sent
Last updated: August 2026 · FlipMyFormat Markdown Preview
Written and maintained by the FlipMyFormat team · Runs entirely in your browser