Markdown Viewer Chrome Extension
Render .md files in Chrome with a clean reading experience. Great for web URLs that end in .md and for local files opened with file://.
A fast Markdown reader for Chrome
Automatically render .md pages on the web and on your computer with GitHub-style formatting.
Renders web .md URLs
Any http(s) URL ending in .md is rendered automatically in a clean reading mode.
Local file support (file://)
Open .md and README.md files from your computer and view them beautifully in Chrome.
GFM + syntax highlighting
Tables, task lists, and readable code blocks with syntax highlighting.
Light & dark themes
Switch between themes for comfortable reading.
Offline-friendly
Once installed, rendering works without needing an internet connection.
Reading controls
Adjust font size, content width, and code theme to match your preferences.
Get started
Use it for `.md` URLs on the web right after install. To render local files, enable Chrome’s file URL permission.
Render a web .md URL
Open any web URL that ends in .md and the extension will render it automatically.
Enable local file rendering (file://)
In Chrome’s extension details page, enable Allow access to file URLs.
Install the extension
Add it from the Chrome Web Store.
Allow file URLs
Open the extension details and enable “Allow access to file URLs”.
Open a .md file
Open any local .md or README.md file in Chrome and it will render.
Try example Markdown
Copy a snippet and see how it renders. Use it in the online viewer or save it as a .md file and open it in Chrome.
Preview
Rendered output.| You open in Chrome | Rendered? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| https://example.com/README.md | ✅ Yes | Auto-rendered (URL ends in .md) |
| https://example.com/docs/guide.md | ✅ Yes | Auto-rendered (URL ends in .md) |
| file:///Users/me/notes.md | ✅ Yes | Enable “Allow access to file URLs” |
| https://example.com/page.html | ❌ No | Use the online viewer instead |
What it is (and isn’t)
The extension is built for reading and rendering Markdown quickly. If you need a full writing workflow—live preview while editing, AI assistance, exports, and publishing—use MD Editor.
Great for
Rendering https://.../*.md pages, opening local .md files in Chrome, reading READMEs, and viewing Markdown links with consistent formatting.
Use MD Editor for
Editing with live preview, organizing docs, AI rewrites with diffs, and exporting to HTML/PDF/DocX.
Chrome extension FAQs
Preview in Chrome. Write in MD Editor.
Install the viewer for fast reading, then move into MD Editor for editing, AI assistance, and publishing workflows.