View Markdown online

What a Markdown viewer actually does

Open a .md file through file:// in Chrome and you get the whole document, # and ** included. The browser only displays what it is told to display, and a .md file tells it nothing.

A Markdown viewer does two jobs. It reads the file you picked, then converts the Markdown syntax into HTML so headings, tables, lists and code blocks come out in their proper shape.

In MDFrame both jobs run inside your browser. No step sends the file to a server.

Three steps to read a file

1. Open MDFrame.
2. Drag the .md file into the window, or click Open file and pick it (Ctrl + O).
3. Read. Open more files and each one gets its own tab.

No sign-up, no limit on how many files you open, no ads pushed into the middle of the document.

Does my file get uploaded?

No. MDFrame is a static bundle of HTML, CSS and JavaScript. It reads files with FileReader and the File System Access API, both of which run on your machine.

You can check this yourself. Open DevTools, switch to the Network tab, clear the request list, then open a .md file. No request carries the file's contents anywhere.

External images are blocked until you select Load external images. This contacts the image hosts and may reveal your network address and the document identifier in an image URL. Consent applies to the current document tab and resets when its text changes or the app reloads. Local folder images and embedded images do not need this network permission.

That matters for documents you would not hand to a stranger: contracts, internal specs, personal notes.

What you get while reading

• Several tabs at once, each remembering its scroll position. Reopen the app and your open tabs come back.
• A table of contents down the left side, highlighting the section you are reading.
• Find in document with Ctrl + F and a match counter.
• Reading history with Alt + H, so you can reopen a file without picking it again, filtered by name.
• Syntax highlighting for code blocks, and Mermaid diagrams drawn as real diagrams.
• Print or export PDF with Ctrl + P, export Word with Ctrl + S.
• Light or dark theme, font size and column width, all remembered for next time.

Install it as an app for offline use

Open MDFrame in Chrome or Edge and click the install icon in the address bar. You get its own window, its own icon, and it keeps working without a connection. Still no account, still no upload.

When a desktop app is the better fit

If you open .md files every day and want a double-click to work, install MDFrame as an app and set it as the default handler for .md.

If you write a lot and need to manage hundreds of cross-linked notes, Obsidian or VS Code will suit you better. How to open a .md file compares the options.

FAQ

Is there a file size limit? A few hundred KB opens almost instantly. Files of several MB are slow, because everything runs in the browser.

Does it open .markdown and .txt? Yes: .md, .markdown, .mdown, .mkd, .mdx and .txt.

Do I need an account? No. No account, no email, no tracking.