How to open an MD file
A report can look perfectly readable in an AI chat, then open as a page of asterisks and hash marks after you download it. The words haven’t changed. Those marks describe the formatting.
To read an .md file as a formatted document, open it in a Markdown viewer. Drop your file into our free online viewer or select Choose a file, with no account or installation.
Have the text instead of a file? Use Paste Markdown in the reader. Both methods keep the document in your browser.
What is an MD file?
An MD file is a plain-text document written in Markdown. Its headings, emphasis and lists are described by characters in the text. Any text editor can open it. A Markdown reader uses those characters to format the page.
Markdown was designed to be readable as plain text. In a short note, you can usually follow both versions:
Inside the file
### Weekend plan
Bring **comfortable shoes**.
- Coffee by the canal
- A long lunchIn the reader
Weekend plan
Bring comfortable shoes.
- Coffee by the canal
- A long lunch
A few asterisks are easy enough to read around. In a longer report, tables, links and several levels of headings make the source much busier. A formatted page lets you follow the argument without mentally assembling the layout as you go.
Why MD files look different across apps explains what the file preserves, what the app supplies and why some formatting needs extra support.
Open it from your AI conversation
A download isn’t always necessary. Copy the short request on our documentation into the conversation that contains your document. Your AI can prepare a reader link. Open it to read, then return to the conversation when you want to discuss the document.
Opening a file yourself keeps it in your browser. The AI-link route sends the text to our service and includes a copy in the link itself. Anyone with that link can read it, and later edits won’t update it. These links hold up to about 12 KB; open longer documents directly as files.
Convert the MD file to PDF
Choose Export PDF in the reader, then Save as PDF in the browser’s print dialog. The PDF uses a white paper layout and includes supported diagrams and equations. Turn off browser headers and footers for a clean copy.
Your Markdown file stays unchanged. See how to convert Markdown to PDF for paper settings and exporting a previous version.
Read or edit it in Google Drive and Docs
If your file is already in Google Drive, its preview can display formatted Markdown. Google Docs can edit it while keeping the Markdown file type. Open Markdown in Google Docs explains the steps and formatting limits. Easy Markdown is for reading; it doesn’t edit the file.
When the document still looks wrong
The whole document appears as code. Check whether the copied text has lines marked ``` around the entire document. Those lines tell a reader to display what’s inside as a code block. Leave out the outer pair when using Paste Markdown. Keep any code examples within the document intact.
Images, diagrams or equations are missing. Embedded images stay off. Mermaid diagrams and KaTeX equations are supported; if one shows an error, check its source or ask your AI to correct it. Expand a wide diagram to read its details.
Pick up where you left off. Documents are saved in this browser and listed on the homepage. Use History to see or remove versions. Clearing browser data removes these copies, so keep your original file as a backup. More about document privacy.