Turn Markdown into clean HTML
Markdown is great for writing, but a lot of places still want HTML: a CMS that only accepts raw HTML, an email template, a static page, or a README you want to paste into a website. Converting by hand is tedious and easy to get wrong, especially once you have tables, code blocks, and task lists.
The fastest fix is to paste your Markdown into a converter and copy the HTML out. This guide uses the Markdown to HTML converter, which runs entirely in your browser. Your text never leaves your device, there's nothing to install, and there's no sign-up. You'll get a live preview, a raw HTML view, and a minified version, plus a few toggles to control exactly what the output looks like.
How to convert Markdown to HTML
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Open the Markdown to HTML converter. It loads with a sample document already filled in so you can see how it behaves. Click Clear to empty the input, or just select all and delete.
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Paste or type your Markdown into the Markdown Input box on the left. The HTML on the right updates as you type, so there's no convert button to press. The character and line counts above each box update live too.
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Set the GFM mode option. GFM (GitHub Flavored Markdown) is on by default and adds support for tables, task lists (
- [x]/- [ ]), and strikethrough (~~text~~). Leave it on if your Markdown uses any of those. Turn it off if you want plain CommonMark behavior. -
Decide whether you need a Full HTML5 document. Leave this unchecked to get just the body fragment (headings, paragraphs, lists) to drop into an existing page or CMS field. Check it to wrap the output in
<!DOCTYPE html>,<head>, and<body>so you have a complete, standalone.htmlfile you can open in a browser. -
Keep Sanitize HTML checked unless you have a specific reason not to. It strips out
<script>,<iframe>, inlineon*event handlers, andjavascript:URLs. This matters most when you're converting Markdown you didn't write yourself, since raw HTML embedded in Markdown passes straight through otherwise. -
Check the result in the Preview tab to confirm headings, lists, links, and tables render the way you expect. Switch to the Raw tab to read the actual HTML source, or the Minified tab if you want the whitespace stripped out (handy for email or inlining). The Minified tab even shows how much smaller it is.
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Get the HTML out. Click Copy HTML to put the raw output on your clipboard, or Download .html to save it as a file. The Minified tab has its own Copy button if that's the version you want.
That's the whole loop: paste, tweak the three toggles, copy. For a quick before-you-publish look without the conversion machinery, the Markdown preview tool renders Markdown as a live page.
Tips
- Fragment vs. full document. If you're pasting into WordPress, a newsletter editor, or a
<div>on an existing page, leave "Full HTML5 document" off — you only want the inner HTML. Turn it on only when you need a file that stands on its own. - Tables need GFM. A Markdown table won't convert unless GFM mode is on and the header row is followed by a separator line like
|---|---|. If your table comes out as a plain paragraph, that separator row is usually missing. - Building a table from scratch? It's easier to generate the Markdown first with the Markdown table generator, then paste the result in here to get the HTML.
- Clean up the output. The converter's raw HTML is compact. If you want neatly indented, readable HTML for a codebase, run the result through the HTML beautifier.
- Going the other way? If you already have HTML and want Markdown, use the HTML to Markdown converter instead.
Common problems
- My
**bold**or*italic*didn't apply. Inline formatting needs the markers tight against the text —**bold**, not** bold **. Stray spaces break the match. - A code block leaked formatting. Fenced code blocks use three backticks on their own lines. Make sure the opening and closing fences each sit on a separate line, with the closing fence not indented.
- Embedded HTML disappeared. That's the sanitizer doing its job. If you deliberately included a
<script>or<iframe>and need it kept, uncheck "Sanitize HTML" — but only do that with Markdown you trust.
FAQ
Does my text get uploaded anywhere? No. The conversion happens in your browser using JavaScript. Nothing is sent to a server, there's no account, and closing the tab clears everything. That makes it safe for internal docs or drafts you don't want leaving your machine.
What Markdown features are supported? Headings, bold/italic/bold-italic, inline code, fenced code blocks with language classes, links, images, blockquotes, horizontal rules, and ordered/unordered lists. With GFM mode on you also get tables, task list checkboxes, and strikethrough.
Can I get a complete HTML file I can open directly?
Yes. Check "Full HTML5 document" so the output includes the doctype, <head>, and <body>, then click Download .html. The saved file opens in any browser as a standalone page.
Why is the HTML so condensed with no indentation? The converter outputs compact HTML by design. If you want it indented and easy to read or commit to a repo, paste the result into the HTML beautifier for properly formatted source.
Working with developer-focused utilities like this? The essential developer tools guide rounds up more converters and formatters worth bookmarking.