How to Open .md Files (Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android & Online)

The quickest way: open it online

Go to markdownviewer.gloath.com in any browser.
Click Open (or press Ctrl/⌘ + O) and choose your .md file — or drag and drop the file onto the page.
The document appears formatted straight away. Switch between Edit, Split and Preview with the buttons at the top.

There’s nothing to install and no account needed. The file is read by your browser and is not uploaded to a server.

Tip

Viewing a README on GitHub or GitLab? Choose Open → Open from URL and paste the link to the file. Markdown Viewer Online fetches the raw Markdown for you.

What is an .md file?

A file ending in .md (or .markdown) is a Markdown document: plain text that uses simple symbols for formatting, like # for headings and ** for bold. Because it’s plain text, it opens anywhere — but you need a Markdown viewer to see the formatting instead of the symbols.

You’ll most often see .md files as:

README.md files in software projects
Documentation, wikis and knowledge bases
Notes from apps such as Obsidian and other Markdown-based note-takers
Content exported from tools, or text written by AI assistants

New to the syntax? See What is Markdown? and the Markdown cheat sheet.

On Windows

Formatted: open the file at markdownviewer.gloath.com in Edge, Chrome or Firefox. If you install the site as an app (the install icon in the address bar in Edge or Chrome), you can open .md files directly from File Explorer with Open with.
Raw text: right-click the file → Open with → Notepad.
For developers: Visual Studio Code shows a live preview with Ctrl + Shift + V.

On Mac

Formatted: open the file at markdownviewer.gloath.com in Safari, Chrome or Firefox, or drag it onto the page.
Raw text: right-click → Open With → TextEdit, or select the file and press Space for Quick Look.
For developers: Visual Studio Code shows a live preview with ⌘ + Shift + V.

On iPhone and iPad

Open Safari and go to markdownviewer.gloath.com.
Tap the Open button (folder icon) → Open file…
Choose the file from the Files app (including iCloud Drive, Downloads or email attachments you’ve saved).

To make this one tap next time, tap Share → Add to Home Screen to install Markdown Viewer Online like an app.

On Android

Open Chrome and go to markdownviewer.gloath.com.
Tap Open (folder icon) → Open file… and pick the file from Downloads or Files.

You can also install the site from Chrome’s menu (Add to Home screen / Install app).

Editing and creating .md files

Markdown Viewer Online is also an editor. Type in the left pane (or the Edit view on phones) and the preview updates instantly. Use the formatting toolbar for bold, headings, lists, links, tables and more, then Export → Download .md to save it. Your work is saved automatically in your browser, so you can come back to it later on the same device.

Frequently asked questions

What is an .md file?

An .md file is a plain-text document written in Markdown, a simple formatting syntax. It is commonly used for README files, documentation and notes. The .markdown extension means the same thing.

What program opens .md files?

Any text editor can open an .md file and show the raw text. To see it formatted, use a Markdown viewer such as Markdown Viewer Online (in any web browser), or an editor with a Markdown preview such as Visual Studio Code.

Can I open an .md file on my phone?

Yes. Open markdownviewer.gloath.com in your phone’s browser, tap Open, then Open file, and choose the file from your Files or Downloads app. It opens formatted, ready to read.

Is it safe to open .md files?

Markdown files are plain text and cannot run programs by themselves. Markdown Viewer Online also removes scripts and unsafe HTML from documents before displaying them, and your file is not uploaded anywhere.

How do I convert an .md file to PDF or Word?

Open the file in Markdown Viewer Online and choose Export → Print / Save as PDF. To paste into Word or Google Docs with formatting, use Export → Copy formatted text.