Markdown Previewer
Write Markdown with a live, safe preview and export to HTML. Runs in your browser.
About this markdown previewer
This Markdown previewer shows your Markdown as formatted text while you type, using the GitHub flavor with tables, task lists and strikethrough. When it looks right, copy the HTML or download a .md file or a standalone .html page.
Write on the left and read on the right. A toolbar and the usual shortcuts (Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, Ctrl+K) add formatting for you, the two panes scroll together, and a counter tracks words, characters and reading time.
Every render is sanitized before it reaches the page, so HTML pasted from an unknown README cannot run scripts. Your text stays in your browser. A draft is kept in this browser only, so a closed tab does not lose your work.
Features
GitHub Flavored Markdown
Tables with column alignment, task lists with checkboxes, ~~strikethrough~~, fenced code blocks and bare links like www.example.com all render, on top of standard headings, lists, quotes and emphasis.
Sanitized preview
Script and style tags, inline styles, onclick and onerror handlers, javascript: links, iframes and forms are stripped before anything is shown or exported. Safe HTML such as <kbd>, <details> and <sup> still works.
Toolbar and shortcuts
Bold, italic, strikethrough, three heading levels, links, images, code, quotes, bulleted, numbered and task lists, tables and rules. Press a button again to undo bold or a list, and Ctrl+Z works as usual.
Synced scrolling
Scroll either pane and the other follows, so the paragraph you are editing stays in view. Switch it off, or use the Write or Preview view for a single wide pane.
Real exports
Download the Markdown as .md, or a standalone .html file with clean styles and a title taken from your first heading. Copy HTML puts the sanitized markup on your clipboard.
Counts as you type
Words, characters, lines and reading time at 238 words per minute, with Markdown symbols and link URLs left out of the word count.
How to use the markdown previewer
- 1Type or paste Markdown, or open a .md file.
- 2Use the toolbar or shortcuts and watch the preview update as you type.
- 3Copy the HTML or download a .md or standalone .html file.
When to use it
Checking a README before you push
Paste the README, fix the table that will not line up, and confirm the task list renders before it goes public.
Writing release notes and changelogs
Draft notes with headings and lists, then copy the HTML into a CMS or email tool that does not accept Markdown.
Reading a .md file someone sent you
Open the file and read it formatted instead of squinting at pound signs and asterisks.
Learning Markdown
Try the toolbar, then look at the characters it inserted. You learn the syntax by seeing both sides at once.
What is GitHub Flavored Markdown?
Markdown is a plain-text format that John Gruber published in 2004. You write # for a heading or **word** for bold, and a converter turns it into HTML. Over time, apps added their own extras, so the same file could render differently in different places. CommonMark fixed that with a precise specification.
GitHub Flavored Markdown, or GFM, is a strict superset of CommonMark with its own published spec. It adds tables, task lists, strikethrough and automatic links. It is what GitHub, GitLab and many editors use, so it is the safest flavor for READMEs and docs, and it is what this previewer renders.
How do I make tables, checkboxes and line breaks?
These are the questions people search most. Here is the syntax for each:
- Table: a header row like | Name | Price |, then a divider like | --- | ---: |, then one row per line. A colon on the right of the dashes aligns that column right.
- Task list: - [ ] for an open item and - [x] for a done one, each on its own line.
- Line break inside a paragraph: end the line with two spaces or a backslash. Or turn on Line breaks as <br> to treat every new line as a break, like GitHub comments do.
- Strikethrough: wrap text in two tildes on each side.
- Code block: put ``` on the line before and after the code. Add a language name after the opening fence, like ```json.
Is it safe to preview Markdown from the internet?
Markdown allows raw HTML, which means a file can contain <script> tags or an image with an onerror handler. A previewer that inserts the HTML as is can run that code on your machine. This one passes every render through a sanitizer first, and only the cleaned result is shown, copied or exported.
Remote images are a second issue. Loading one tells its server your IP address. The preview shows a labelled placeholder for images on other websites instead of loading them. The exported .html keeps the real image tags, so they appear when you publish the page.
Why use Mavros
| Mavros | Typical upload sites | |
|---|---|---|
| Where your text goes | Stays in your browser | Often synced to a server or a cloud drive |
| Raw HTML in Markdown | Sanitized before display and export | Often inserted as is |
| Remote images | Not loaded in the preview, kept in exports | Loaded, revealing your IP |
| Export | .md, standalone .html, copy HTML | Copy only, or export behind sign-up |
| Word count and reading time | Built in | Often missing |
| Sign-up or ads in the way | None | Common |
Tips
- Leave a blank line before a list or a table. Without it, many renderers treat the list as part of the paragraph above.
- Use the Write view on small screens and switch to Preview to check the result.
- Need a URL-friendly anchor for a heading? Turn the heading into a slug.
- For exact word and character limits, such as a 160-character summary, paste the text into the word counter.
- Comparing two drafts of the same document? Paste both into the text diff checker.
- Want to style the exported page further? Paste it into the HTML playground and edit the CSS live.
Questions
How do I convert Markdown to HTML?
Paste or type your Markdown, then press Copy HTML or Download .html. Copy gives you the HTML fragment for a CMS or email tool. Download gives you a complete page with styles that opens in any browser.
Does it render Markdown the same way GitHub does?
Very close. It follows GitHub Flavored Markdown, so tables, task lists, strikethrough and autolinks match. GitHub adds a few extras of its own, such as @mentions, emoji shortcodes, math and Mermaid diagrams, which are not rendered here.
Why does my list or table not render?
Most often there is no blank line before it, so it is read as part of the previous paragraph. For tables, also check that the divider row has at least three dashes per column and the same number of pipes.
How do I add a line break without a new paragraph?
End the line with two spaces or a backslash. A single Enter is ignored in standard Markdown. You can also turn on Line breaks as <br>, which treats every new line as a break.
Is HTML inside Markdown allowed?
Yes, safe HTML is allowed. Tags like <kbd>, <sup>, <details> and <br> render. Scripts, styles, event handlers, iframes, forms and javascript: links are removed before the preview or any export.
Why are my images shown as placeholders?
Images on other websites are not loaded in the preview, to protect your privacy. The downloaded .html keeps the real image tags, so they show up once the page is published or opened.
Is my text saved?
Yes, but only in your own browser. A draft is kept in local storage so it survives a reload. It is never uploaded. Press Clear, or load the sample, to replace it.
Can I export to PDF?
Not directly. Download the .html file, open it in your browser and choose Print, then Save as PDF. The exported styles are simple, so the printout looks clean.