Markdown to HTML Converter — Instant MD to HTML
Our free Markdown to HTML converter transforms Markdown text into clean, properly structured HTML instantly. See the raw HTML output with syntax highlighting alongside a live rendered preview. Download as an HTML fragment or a complete HTML5 document with built-in CSS. All conversion happens in your browser — no files are uploaded anywhere.
Markdown to HTML element reference
Here is how every Markdown element converts to its HTML equivalent:
| Markdown | HTML output | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| # Heading 1 | <h1>Heading 1</h1> | One # per heading level |
| **bold** | <strong>bold</strong> | Also: __bold__ |
| *italic* | <em>italic</em> | Also: _italic_ |
| ***both*** | <strong><em>both</em></strong> | Combined bold and italic |
| ~~strike~~ | <del>strike</del> | GFM strikethrough |
| `code` | <code>code</code> | Inline code |
| ```code block``` | <pre><code>...</code></pre> | Fenced code block |
| > quote | <blockquote><p>quote</p></blockquote> | Blockquote |
| - item | <ul><li>item</li></ul> | Unordered list |
| 1. item | <ol><li>item</li></ol> | Ordered list |
| [text](url) | <a href="url">text</a> | Hyperlink |
|  | <img src="url" alt="alt"> | Image |
| --- | <hr> | Horizontal rule |
| | col | col | | <table>...</table> | GFM table |
Why convert Markdown to HTML?
Publishing to the web
Most web content management systems and static site generators accept Markdown and convert it automatically. But when you need to publish directly to a platform that only accepts HTML — a custom website, an email template, a CMS that takes raw HTML — this converter gives you the clean HTML output you need without manual conversion.
Email templates
Email marketing platforms often accept HTML directly. Writing your email content in Markdown first and then converting to HTML is faster than writing HTML by hand. Enable the "Include full HTML document" toggle and paste the output directly into your email HTML editor.
Documentation and README files
GitHub, GitLab, and npm automatically render README.md files as HTML. But for hosting documentation on your own server or embedding it in an application, you need the actual HTML. This converter produces clean, semantic HTML suitable for any web context.
Learning HTML structure
Seeing Markdown and its HTML output side by side is an excellent way to understand how HTML elements map to human-readable formatting. The split view makes the relationship between Markdown syntax and HTML tags immediately visible.
Markdown flavors and compatibility
| Flavor | Supported features | Used by |
|---|---|---|
| CommonMark | Standard headings, lists, code, links, images | Most platforms — the base standard |
| GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) | CommonMark + tables, strikethrough, task lists | GitHub, GitLab, many editors |
| MultiMarkdown | GFM + footnotes, definition lists, math | Academic writing tools |
| Pandoc Markdown | Extensive extensions including citations | Academic, document conversion |
| MDX | Markdown + JSX React components | Next.js, Gatsby, Astro |
HTML output modes
| Mode | Output | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Fragment (default) | Just the converted HTML elements | Embedding in existing HTML, CMS paste |
| Full Document | Complete HTML5 with DOCTYPE, head, CSS | Standalone .html files, email templates |
| With IDs | Headings get id attributes | Navigation, table of contents, anchor links |
| With Classes | Elements get md-* class names | Targeting with custom CSS |
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a .md file to .html?
Click "Upload .md" to load your Markdown file into the editor. Enable "Include full HTML document" if you want a complete standalone HTML file, then click "Download .html". Your converted file downloads immediately.
Does Markdown support HTML?
Yes. Raw HTML can be embedded directly in Markdown and most parsers pass it through unchanged. For example, you can use <div>, <span>, <table>, or any other HTML element directly in your Markdown file and it will appear in the HTML output. This converter passes raw HTML through unchanged where supported.
How do I add CSS to converted Markdown HTML?
Enable "Include full HTML document" — the output includes a <style> block with basic typography CSS. You can copy the full document output and add your own CSS to the style block before the closing </style> tag.
What is the difference between Markdown and HTML?
Markdown is a lightweight plain-text syntax designed to be readable as-is and convertible to HTML. HTML is the markup language browsers render directly. Markdown is faster to write and easier to read in source form, but browsers do not render it — it must be converted to HTML first.
Can I convert HTML back to Markdown?
This tool converts Markdown to HTML. Converting HTML back to Markdown (called "reverse Markdown") is a more complex operation that requires interpreting HTML structure and mapping it back to Markdown syntax. Look for a dedicated "HTML to Markdown" converter tool for the reverse direction.