Markdown to HTML Converter

About Markdown to HTML Converter

The Markdown to HTML Converter transforms Markdown text into clean, semantic HTML with live preview functionality. Everything runs locally in your browser (client-side) so your content is never uploaded to a server, making it safe for internal READMEs, specs, and private documentation. It supports GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) including tables, task lists, strikethrough, and autolinks, and automatically generates GitHub-style heading anchors plus an optional clickable Table of Contents so you can publish long-form docs as navigable standalone HTML pages. Features include split-view editor, real-time preview, HTML sanitization for security, auto-conversion mode, and downloadable HTML files with optional CSS styling. Perfect for writers, developers, documentation creators, and anyone working with Markdown content who needs clean HTML output. See also our Text Cleaner and the Character Counter.

What is Markdown?

Markdown is a lightweight markup language that uses plain text formatting syntax to create formatted documents. It's widely used for readme files, documentation, forum posts, and static site generators. Markdown files use .md or .markdown extensions and are easy to read in their raw form.

What is GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM)?

GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) is an extension of standard Markdown that adds features like tables, task lists, strikethrough text, autolinks, and fenced code blocks with syntax highlighting. It's the variant used on GitHub and is widely supported across many platforms.

What does 'Sanitize HTML' do?

HTML sanitization removes potentially unsafe HTML tags and attributes that could be used for XSS (cross-site scripting) attacks. When enabled, it filters out dangerous elements like <script>, <iframe>, and event handlers while preserving safe formatting tags. This is recommended when converting untrusted Markdown content.

How does auto-convert mode work?

When auto-convert is enabled, the tool automatically converts your Markdown to HTML as you type, with a short delay (500ms) to avoid excessive processing. This provides real-time feedback and instant preview updates without needing to click the Convert button.

What's the difference between downloading with and without CSS?

Downloading with CSS includes a complete HTML document with embedded styling that makes the output look like GitHub-style Markdown when viewed in a browser. Without CSS, you get just the converted HTML markup, which is useful for embedding in existing web pages with their own styles.

Can I use HTML tags in my Markdown?

Yes! Markdown allows inline HTML for advanced formatting. However, if 'Sanitize HTML' is enabled, potentially unsafe HTML tags will be removed for security. Disable sanitization only when working with trusted content if you need full HTML capabilities.

Does it add heading anchors and a Table of Contents?

Yes. Every heading (h1-h6) automatically receives a GitHub-style slug id (for example '## Getting Started' becomes id="getting-started"), so in-page anchor links like #getting-started and shareable section URLs work in the exported HTML. Duplicate headings get numbered suffixes (-1, -2) to keep ids unique. Enable 'Add Table of Contents' to prepend an auto-generated, clickable nested TOC linking to every section, which is also included in the downloaded file.

Is my content uploaded to a server?

No. All conversion happens entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. Your Markdown is never sent to or stored on any server, so it is safe to paste internal documentation, private READMEs, or confidential specs. You can even use the tool offline once the page has loaded.

Can I import a .md file or convert large documents?

Yes. Use the file button on the input to open a local .md or .txt file directly, then convert it. Because everything runs in your browser, there is no upload limit imposed by a server; large READMEs and long specifications are handled instantly, and the auto-generated heading anchors and Table of Contents make navigating them easy.

Example Markdown Syntax