Markdown Viewer & Editor for Mac: Open .md Files

Markdown viewer and editor for Mac at a glance

macOS: macOS 11 Big Sur or later
Processor: Apple silicon and Intel (one universal app)
Download: .dmg from markdific.com, signed and notarized by Apple
Updates: Checked in the app at launch, or from Help > Check for Updates
Finder preview: Quick Look, on macOS 12 Monterey or later
File types: .md, .markdown and .txt
Export: PDF, Word (.docx) and HTML
Price: Free to open and read Markdown files. Editing, saving, export, themes and autosave are free for 14 days, then a one-time purchase of USD $12.99. See pricing

Install the Markdown editor for Mac

Download the installerDownload for Mac saves the Markdific installer (.dmg) to your Downloads folder.
Drag it to ApplicationsOpen the .dmg and drag Markdific into the Applications folder.
Start MarkdificOpen it from Applications, Launchpad or Spotlight. The app is notarized, so macOS opens it without a security warning.

The Markdown editor for Mac checks for a new version each time it starts. You can also choose Help > Check for Updates. Updates are signed and install in place, so your settings and recent files stay as they are.

Open .md files on a Mac

macOS has no Markdown viewer of its own, so a .md file usually opens in TextEdit or Xcode as plain text. With Markdific as your Markdown viewer for Mac you can:

Double-click a .md file, or drag it onto the Markdific window or its Dock icon. Several files open as tabs.
Right-click a file in Finder and choose Open With > Markdific.
Use File > Open (⌘O) or File > Open Recent inside the app.

Make Markdific the default app for .md files

Get InfoSelect any .md file in Finder and press ⌘I, or choose File > Get Info.
Choose MarkdificIn the Open with section, pick Markdific from the list.
Change AllClick Change All… and confirm. Every .md file now opens in Markdific on double-click.

Preview Markdown in Finder with Quick Look

Markdific adds a Quick Look preview for Markdown files to Finder, so you can read a file without opening any app. Select a .md file and press the Space bar to see it formatted. Press Space again to close the preview.

The preview shows headings, lists, tables, code blocks, math and local images.
Mermaid diagrams and images loaded from the web appear when you open the file in Markdific.
Quick Look preview needs macOS 12 Monterey or later. If Space shows plain text, open Markdific once so macOS registers the preview, then try again.
If the preview does not appear, check that Markdific is turned on under Quick Look in the Extensions section of System Settings.

Features of the Markdown editor for Mac

Everything below works in Markdific on Mac. See the supported Markdown syntax for every element it renders.

Documents

MDProduct Launch Plan.md

MDAPI Guide.md

MDResearch Notes.md

Product Launch Plan.mdspace

A Markdown file previewed as a formatted document, the way Quick Look shows it in Finder.

Quick Look on Mac

Select a .md file in Finder and press the Space bar to see it formatted, without opening the app.

Autosaved10:42 · Product Launch Plan.md

Live editing with autosave

Edit the formatted document directly. With autosave on, your file is saved a moment after you stop typing and when you switch tabs.

Markdific split view: Markdown source on the left, rendered document on the right.

Source and split views

Work in raw Markdown, or use split view to see the rendered document update beside the source as you type.

Markdific Export menu with Markdown, PDF, HTML and Word options and Copy as Markdown.

Export to PDF, Word and HTML

Turn a Markdown file into a PDF, a Word document or an HTML page to share.

Markdific sidebar listing three open files.

Multiple files in tabs

Keep several Markdown files open at once and switch between them with a click.

Markdific sidebar outline listing every heading in the document.

Outline sidebar

Every heading is listed in the sidebar, so you can jump through long documents.

Markdific presentation mode in the Dark theme with the Inter font and the reading controls bar.

Themes, fonts and presentation mode

Pick a theme and typeface, or read full screen and adjust text size, line spacing, width and contrast.

A Mermaid sequence diagram rendered in Markdific.

$A LaTeX math formula rendered in Markdific.$

Code, math, diagrams and images

Syntax-highlighted code, math, diagrams and images render in place. Pasted images are kept when you save.

Find and replace

Search with match case, whole word or regular expressions, with every match highlighted. Replace in Source view.

Download for Mac Buy $12.99

14-day free trial. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Keyboard shortcuts on Mac

Markdific uses the ⌘ key on Mac.

Open a file	`⌘O`
Save	`⌘S`
Find	`⌘F`
Export to PDF	`⌘⇧P`
Live editor, Source, Split view	`⌘1, ⌘2, ⌘3`
Show or hide the sidebar	`⌘\`
Close the current tab	`⌘W`

Markdown viewer for Mac: frequently asked questions

How do I open a .md file on a Mac?

Install Markdific, then double-click the .md file in Finder, or right-click it and choose Open With > Markdific. The file opens as a formatted document instead of plain text. To preview it without opening an app, select it and press the Space bar for Quick Look.

Is there a free Markdown viewer for Mac?

Yes. Markdific is a free Markdown viewer for Mac: it opens and displays .md files on macOS, with headings, tables, code, math and diagrams rendered. Editing, saving and export are included in a 14-day trial, then need a one-time USD $12.99 purchase. Reading stays free.

Which macOS versions does Markdific support?

Markdific runs on macOS 11 Big Sur or later. It is a universal app, so the same download works on Apple silicon (M1 and later) and Intel Macs. The Quick Look preview in Finder needs macOS 12 Monterey or later.

How do I preview a Markdown file in Finder without opening it?

Install Markdific and open it once. Then select a .md file in Finder and press the Space bar. Quick Look shows the file formatted instead of as plain text.

How do I set Markdific as the default app for .md files on Mac?

Select a .md file in Finder, press ⌘I to open Get Info, choose Markdific under Open with, then click Change All. From then on every .md file opens in Markdific.

Can I export Markdown to PDF on a Mac?

Yes. Choose File > Export > PDF or press ⌘⇧P. You can set the paper size, orientation and margins. Export to Word (.docx) and HTML is in the same menu.

Is Markdific in the Mac App Store?

No. Markdific is downloaded from markdific.com. The app and installer are signed with an Apple Developer ID and notarized by Apple, and the app updates itself.

Can I use my license on Windows or Linux too?

Yes. One purchase activates on up to three of your own devices, and they can be any mix of Mac, Windows and Linux computers.

Updated 7 October 2026. See the release notes for the latest changes.

Markdown Viewer & Editor for Mac