First Use

May 26, 2026 · View on GitHub

Now that you have Markdown Viewer installed, let's open your first document!

Opening Markdown Files

Method 1: Drag and Drop

The simplest way to open a Markdown file:

  1. Open a new Chrome, Edge, or Firefox tab
  2. Drag your .md file from your file manager into the browser window
  3. Drop it — Markdown Viewer will automatically render it

Method 2: Double-Click (Requires File Access)

If you've enabled file access:

  1. Simply double-click any .md file
  2. It will open directly in your configured browser with Markdown Viewer

Method 3: GitHub and Online Files

Markdown Viewer automatically renders Markdown files on:

  • GitHub repositories (raw file view)
  • GitLab repositories
  • Any URL ending in .md

Just navigate to the Markdown file, and it will be rendered automatically.

Method 4: Obsidian Vault Preview

If you've installed the Obsidian plugin:

  1. Open a note or supported diagram file in your vault
  2. Open the Command Palette
  3. Run Open Markdown Viewer
  4. The preview opens in a split pane and stays synced with the active file

The Interface

When you open a Markdown file, you'll see:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  📄 Document Title                    [Toolbar]     │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                     │
│  ┌─────────┐                                        │
│  │ Table   │     Your beautifully rendered         │
│  │ of      │     Markdown content appears          │
│  │ Contents│     here with all formatting,         │
│  │         │     diagrams, and code highlighting   │
│  │ • H1    │                                        │
│  │ • H2    │                                        │
│  │   • H3  │                                        │
│  └─────────┘                                        │
│                                                     │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Toolbar Options

IconFunctionShortcut
📥Export to WordCtrl/Cmd + S
🎨Change Theme-
📐Change Layout-
🔍+Zoom InCtrl/Cmd + +
🔍-Zoom OutCtrl/Cmd + -
📑Toggle TOCCtrl/Cmd + B

Exporting to Word

This is the core feature of Markdown Viewer!

Quick Export

  1. Open your Markdown file
  2. Click the Download button or press Ctrl/Cmd + S
  3. Watch the progress indicator
  4. The .docx file downloads automatically

What Gets Converted

Markdown ElementWord Result
HeadingsStyled headings
Bold/ItalicFormatted text
Code blocksSyntax highlighted
TablesFormatted tables
ImagesEmbedded images
Mermaid/PlantUML diagramsHigh-res PNG
LaTeX formulasEditable equations
LinksClickable hyperlinks

Switching Themes

  1. Click the Theme button in the toolbar
  2. Browse the 29 available themes
  3. Click a theme to preview it
  4. The document updates instantly

Theme Recommendations

Use CaseRecommended Theme
Business reportsBusiness
Academic papersAcademic
Technical docsTechnical
Chinese documentsHeiti or Mixed
Creative contentTypewriter, Handwritten
General useDefault

Adjusting the View

Layout Options

  • Normal (1000px) - Standard reading width
  • Full Screen - Uses entire browser width
  • Narrow (530px) - Preview how it looks in Word

Zoom

  • Ctrl/Cmd + + — Zoom in
  • Ctrl/Cmd + - — Zoom out
  • Ctrl/Cmd + 0 — Reset zoom
  • Zoom range: 50% to 400%

Table of Contents

  • Press Ctrl/Cmd + B to toggle the sidebar TOC
  • Click any heading to jump to that section
  • Auto-generated from your document headings

Tips for Best Results

  1. Use standard Markdown syntax — The more standard your Markdown, the better the conversion

  2. Test complex diagrams first — For documents with many PlantUML/Mermaid diagrams, do a test export

  3. Check theme compatibility — Some themes work better with certain content types

  4. Enable caching — Keep caching enabled for faster repeat opens

Next Steps