Markdown is a lightweight markup language created by John Gruber in 2004. It allows you to write formatted text using simple syntax like # for headings, ** for bold, and * for italics. It's widely used for documentation, README files, and content management systems.

What is GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM)?

GitHub Flavored Markdown extends standard Markdown with features like tables, task lists (checkboxes), strikethrough text, and fenced code blocks with syntax highlighting. This viewer fully supports GFM, so your GitHub README files will render exactly as they appear on GitHub.

Is my data stored or transmitted?

No. All processing happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No data is ever transmitted to any server (except when fetching a URL, which uses our CORS proxy). Your markdown content remains completely private. The tool works fully offline once loaded.

How do I fetch a markdown file from GitHub?

On GitHub, navigate to the .md file, click the Raw button, and copy the URL. It will look like: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/user/repo/branch/file.md. Paste this URL into the fetch field and click the download button.

Does the viewer support syntax highlighting in code blocks?

Yes! Code blocks with language specifiers (like ```javascript or ```python) are automatically syntax highlighted using highlight.js. We support 30+ popular programming languages including JavaScript, Python, Java, Go, Rust, SQL, and more.

What is the Table of Contents feature?

The Table of Contents is automatically generated from all headings (# H1, ## H2, etc.) in your markdown. Click any heading in the TOC to jump directly to that section. This makes navigating long documents much easier.

Can I export the rendered markdown?

Yes! You can export your rendered markdown as an HTML file (complete with styling) or as a PDF document. Both exports preserve the formatting, syntax highlighting, and overall appearance of the preview.

What file types can I upload?

You can upload files with .md, .markdown, or .txt extensions. The viewer will attempt to render any text file as markdown. Files without these extensions can be pasted directly into the paste textarea.

Is there a file size limit?

There's no strict file size limit. Since all processing happens in your browser, very large files (over 1MB) may take longer to render. For best performance, we recommend files under 500KB.

Why can't I edit the markdown?

This tool is designed as a view-only utility for quick markdown previewing. It's optimized for speed and simplicity. If you need to edit markdown with a live preview, check out our Markdown Editor tool (coming soon) which offers a full split-pane editing experience.

Instant Markdown Viewer
Paste, Drop, or Link to See It Live

View markdown files beautifully rendered. A lightweight, privacy-focused viewer for local files and URLs. Enjoy beautiful syntax highlighting and instant rendering without the privacy risks.

Upload File

Drop file here or click to browse Drop or browse (.md, .markdown, .txt)

URL:

Paste Code

Load a markdown file to preview

Paste, upload, or fetch from URL above

Common Use Cases

README Files

Preview GitHub README.md files before committing. See exactly how your project documentation will look when rendered.

Documentation

View technical documentation, API guides, and wikis written in markdown with proper formatting and syntax highlighting.

Blog Posts

Preview blog posts and articles written in markdown before publishing to platforms like Jekyll, Hugo, or Gatsby.

Meeting Notes

Render meeting notes, project plans, and task lists with checkboxes and proper formatting for easy reading.

Course Materials

View educational content, tutorials, and course materials with properly rendered code examples and diagrams.

Export to PDF

Convert markdown files to PDF for sharing with team members who don't use markdown or for offline reading.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why We Built Instant Markdown Preview

Developers frequently need to preview markdown files - README files, documentation, notes, and more. Most markdown viewers are either bloated editors with features you don't need, or online tools that require uploading your files to unknown servers.

We built Instant Markdown Viewer as a simple, fast, view-only utility. Upload a file, drag and drop, paste content, or fetch from a URL - and instantly see it rendered beautifully with GitHub Flavored Markdown support, syntax highlighting, and automatic Table of Contents generation.

Unlike online tools that send your data to external servers, Instant Markdown Viewer processes everything locally using JavaScript. This means your sensitive documentation never leaves your computer. The tool works completely offline once loaded, making it safe for enterprise environments and confidential content.

Instant Markdown Viewer is part of RJL.io's collection of free developer tools - each designed to do one thing exceptionally well, with no accounts, no tracking, and no data collection. Check out our other tools: Diff Checker, Pretty Print, Base64 Encoder, and more. Every tool is 100% client-side, works offline, and respects your privacy.

Instant Markdown Viewer Paste, Drop, or Link to See It Live

View markdown files beautifully rendered. A lightweight, privacy-focused viewer for local files and URLs. Enjoy beautiful syntax highlighting and instant rendering without the privacy risks.