MDtoTEXT Star

Using MDtoTEXT is pretty straightforward. You type markdown on the left, you see the result on the right. But if you're new to markdown or want to know about the extra stuff like diagrams and math, here's everything explained.

Getting Started

Open the editor. Start typing. That's it. Your content is saved automatically as you type, so if you close the tab and come back later, it'll still be there. No accounts, no onboarding flow, none of that nonsense.

Markdown Basics

If you already know markdown, skip this. If not, here's the cheat sheet:

Headings

# Big Heading (H1)
## Section Heading (H2)
### Subsection (H3)

Text Formatting

**bold text**
*italic text*
~~strikethrough~~
`inline code`

Lists

- Item one
- Item two
  - Nested item

1. Numbered item
2. Another item

Links and Images

[link text](https://example.com)
![alt text](/image.png)

Blockquotes

> Someone said something wise
> Or maybe not

Code Blocks

```javascript
function hello() {
  console.log("world");
}
```

Specify the language after the opening backticks for syntax highlighting. Works with javascript, python, html, css, json, and pretty much everything highlight.js supports.

Tables

MDtoTEXT renders GFM-style tables. Here's the syntax:

| Name | Role | Active |
|------|------|--------|
| Alice | Admin | Yes |
| Bob | Editor | No |

Task Lists

- [x] Completed task
- [ ] Pending task

Diagrams with Mermaid

This is probably the coolest feature. You can embed diagrams directly in your markdown using Mermaid syntax. Wrap them in a code block with the language set to mermaid:

```mermaid
graph TD
    A[Start] --> B{Is it working?}
    B -->|Yes| C[Great]
    B -->|No| D[Fix it]
    D --> B
```

You can do flowcharts, sequence diagrams, Gantt charts, class diagrams, and more. Check the Mermaid docs for the full syntax.

Math with LaTeX

For inline math, use single dollar signs: $E = mc^2$ renders as $E = mc^2$.

For block math, use double dollar signs:

$$ \int_{a}^{b} x^2 dx $$

Editor Features

Dark Mode

Click the sun/moon icon to toggle. Your preference is remembered.

Search and Replace

Hit the search icon or press Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac) to open the search bar. You can search for text and optionally replace it with something else. Matches are highlighted in yellow.

Toggle Preview

Click the eye icon to hide the preview panel and get a full-width writing view. Useful when you just want to focus on the text without distractions.

Clear Document

The trash icon clears your current document. It asks for confirmation first, so you don't accidentally lose anything.

Edit Preview Mode

Normally the preview panel is read-only — it shows you how your markdown renders. Click the ✏️ Edit button above the preview and it becomes editable. You can type, paste, or delete content directly in the rendered view.

Any changes you make in the preview are converted back to markdown (using Turndown) and placed in the editor on the left. The auto-save and word count still work. Click ✅ Done to exit edit mode and return to normal live preview.

Focus Mode

Click the 🎯 Focus button in the toolbar to hide everything except the editor. No header, no toolbar, no preview — just a clean writing surface. Press Escape or click ✕ Exit Focus to return to the full layout.

Templates

Use the Templates dropdown in the toolbar to start from a structured template instead of a blank page. Options include Blog Post, README, and Meeting Notes. Each one includes common sections and placeholder text.

Heading Anchors

Every heading in the preview automatically gets an anchor link. Hover over any heading and click the # symbol to get a direct URL to that section. Useful for sharing specific parts of a document.

Exporting

There are two export options:

Offline Usage (PWA)

MDtoTEXT is a Progressive Web App. If you visit the site once while online, it caches everything needed to run. Next time you're offline, it still works.

You can install it as an app:

Open MDtoTEXT

New to markdown? Read our beginner's guide or browse the full blog for more tutorials.