How to view Markdown (.md) files in Chrome

Short answer: Chrome shows a Markdown file as plain text. Drag a .md file into Chrome, or open a raw .md link, and you get the source with its # and * characters, not formatted headings and lists.

To see it formatted without installing anything, use GitHub (for files in a repository) or the preview built into VS Code. A Markdown viewer extension shows it formatted right in Chrome.

Updated 12 October 2026. Plain-text behaviour checked in Chrome 155 on a Mac.

Options that need no extension

Read the plain text in Chrome
Drag the .md file into a Chrome window, or press Ctrl+O (⌘+O on a Mac) and choose it. Markdown is designed to be readable as plain text, so this is fine for a short README.
View it on GitHub
If the file is in a GitHub repository, open it on github.com. GitHub shows Markdown files formatted, and you can switch to the source with the Code button above the file.
Preview it in VS Code
VS Code supports Markdown out of the box. Open the file and press Ctrl+Shift+V (⇧⌘V on a Mac) for a preview, or Ctrl+K then V (⌘K V) to see it side by side with the source. Most code editors have something similar.

View Markdown formatted in Chrome with Quire Markdown

Quire Markdown is in Chrome Web Store review and can’t be installed yet. It is our extension; here is what it does, so you can decide whether to come back for it.

Open a local file, drop one on the viewer, or paste Markdown. Your original file is never changed.
A heading outline for jumping around, find, and rendered, source or split views.
Tables, task lists and syntax-highlighted code with a copy button.
Refresh, or follow a file while your editor or coding agent changes it.
Print, or download an HTML copy.

Quire Markdown showing a rendered document with a heading outline on the left — Quire Markdown with its outline of headings.

Quire Markdown in the dark theme with the rendered page and Markdown source side by side — Split view in the dark theme: the rendered page beside the Markdown source.

Its limits

It is a viewer, not an editor.
It opens UTF-8 text files up to 2 MB.
Images in a document appear as blocked references rather than pictures, and diagrams and math aren’t rendered.
Opening a raw Markdown link asks for access to that one website. Files behind a sign-in or a redirect need to be downloaded and opened locally.

Other good options

Your code editor’s preview, as above. Good when you are editing the file anyway.
GitHub, for anything already in a repository.
Other Markdown extensions are available on the Chrome Web Store today. Before installing one, check what site access it asks for.

Questions

Can Chrome display Markdown files?

Chrome opens .md files as plain text. You see the Markdown source, with # for headings and * for lists, rather than formatted text. That is readable for short notes but not for long documents with tables or code.

How can I see formatted Markdown without installing anything?

If the file is in a GitHub repository, open it on github.com, which shows it formatted. If you have VS Code, open the file and press Ctrl+Shift+V (Shift+Command+V on a Mac) for its built-in preview.

Can I install Quire Markdown now?

Not yet. Quire Markdown has been submitted to the Chrome Web Store and is waiting for review. The Quire homepage will link to it once it is approved.

More guides

All guides · Quire homepage