MarkThatDownMarkThatDown resources
Guides
Understand Markdown, open your files, and solve the things that interrupt writing.
Make a table in Markdown
Separate columns with pipes and put a separator row below the headers. Tables are a Markdown extension, so check the app receiving your file.
Read more GuidesGive a note clear headings
Start a heading with one to six # characters and a space. Use the heading level to describe the document’s structure.
Read more GuidesMake a phrase bold
Wrap a phrase in two asterisks on each side to make it bold. Use emphasis to identify the point a reader must notice.
Read more GuidesAdd emphasis with italics
Wrap a phrase in one asterisk on each side to make it italic. A single emphasis marker differs from the pair used for bold.
Read more GuidesShow a change without hiding it
Wrap text in two tildes on each side to show strikethrough in a renderer that supports the extension.
Read more GuidesMake a readable bullet list
Start each item with a hyphen and a space. Put one item on each line and keep the marker style consistent.
Read more GuidesWrite steps in the right order
Start an ordered item with a number, a period, and a space. Use an ordered list when the sequence matters.
Read more GuidesKeep substeps under their parent
Indent a nested list under the content of its parent item. Four spaces are a readable starting convention for ordinary bullet lists.
Read more GuidesTurn a list into a checklist
Use - [ ] for an unchecked item and - [x] for a completed item. Checkbox rendering needs a supporting Markdown app.
Read more GuidesSet a passage apart
Start a blockquote line with > and a space. Use a blockquote for attributed material or a passage set apart from the main note.
Read more GuidesShow a command as text
Wrap a short literal fragment in backticks. Inline code makes commands, filenames, and syntax easier to distinguish from prose.
Read more GuidesKeep a code example intact
Put a fence of at least three backticks above and below a code example. An optional language name follows the opening fence.
Read more GuidesGive a link a useful label
Use [label](destination) to create a link. Tell the reader what the destination contains rather than using a vague label.
Read more GuidesAdd an image with useful alt text
Use  for an image. Keep the image file with the note when the path is relative.
Read more GuidesReuse a destination cleanly
Use a named link reference when several passages share a destination. Define the destination elsewhere in the same document.
Read more GuidesSeparate two parts of a note
Use three or more hyphens, asterisks, or underscores on a separate line for a thematic break.
Read more GuidesChoose a paragraph or a line break
A blank line starts a new paragraph. A backslash before a newline creates a hard line break in CommonMark.
Read more GuidesShow Markdown symbols literally
Put a backslash before Markdown punctuation when you want the symbol to appear instead of triggering formatting.
Read more GuidesKeep a note beside the argument
Supporting renderers use a footnote marker such as [^note] and a matching definition. Footnotes are an extension, so test the destination.
Read more GuidesKeep an equation with the explanation
Math syntax is a renderer extension. MarkThatDown supports math, while another Markdown destination may need a different delimiter.
Read more GuidesPut a diagram in the note
A supporting renderer can turn a fenced mermaid block into a diagram. Keep the diagram source beside the explanation so the flow remains editable.
Read more GuidesLink one note to another
Wiki links such as [[Project notes]] are an app extension. Standard Markdown links are safer when the receiving app does not support wiki links.
Read more GuidesKeep metadata at the top
Some publishing tools read YAML between delimiter lines at the start of a Markdown file. Front matter is not part of base Markdown.
Read more GuidesLink to a section of a note
A heading link uses an anchor such as #project-notes. The renderer decides how it turns heading text into an anchor.
Read more GuidesMake a visible URL clickable
CommonMark autolinks wrap an absolute URL or email address in angle brackets. Some extensions also recognize bare URLs.
Read more GuidesShow HTML without running it
Put HTML examples inside a fenced code block when you want to show the markup as text. Raw HTML behavior depends on the renderer.
Read more GuidesOpen an .md file on your Mac
Use File > Open File in MarkThatDown to open an existing Markdown document. Opening a file does not require importing a whole folder.
Read more GuidesOpen a folder of Markdown notes
Choose File > Open Notes Folder to use an existing folder of Markdown files. The folder remains the source of your ordinary notes.
Read more GuidesChoose what opens your .md files
Finder’s Get Info window lets you choose the app that opens .md files. Use Change All only when you want the choice to apply to that file type.
Read more GuidesChoose the view the note needs
Use Control-Command-1, 2, or 3 for Visual Editor, Markdown Source, or Split Preview. Command-E switches between editing and reading.
Read more GuidesMake a long note easier to read
MarkThatDown’s Editor and Reading settings include controls for text size, line height, and content width. Choose a setting that fits your Mac display.
Read more GuidesGet to a note without browsing folders
Command-Option-P opens Quick Open in MarkThatDown. Use it when you know the note’s name and want to stay at the keyboard.
Read more GuidesSearch text across your notes folder
Use Command-Option-F for find and replace across the open folder. Search the right folder before treating a missing result as missing writing.
Read more GuidesReplace text in the current note
Command-F opens Find and Replace in Note. Review a match in context before replacing repeated words or syntax.
Read more GuidesReview a replacement across files
Use folder find and replace for a deliberate change across multiple notes. Back up the folder and inspect the matching contexts first.
Read more GuidesCheck a Markdown PDF before sharing
Use MarkThatDown’s export or sharing controls to create a PDF. Open the finished PDF before sending it.
Read more GuidesKeep a copy outside your working folder
Copy the complete notes folder, including attachments, to a separate backup location. A synced copy alone may reproduce an accidental deletion.
Read more GuidesCheck changes made in another editor
Ordinary Markdown files can be edited outside MarkThatDown. Save and compare changes carefully when two apps can write the same file.
Read more GuidesReconnect a folder the app cannot read
Re-select the folder through File > Open Notes Folder when MarkThatDown loses access. Check Finder access before changing permissions.
Read more GuidesFind the image a note expects
A missing local image usually needs a path or attachment check. Resolve the image path relative to the Markdown file.
Read more GuidesRestore the Pro access you bought
Use Restore Purchases in the app’s Account screen with the Apple Account that bought Pro. The website cannot restore an Apple purchase.
Read more GuidesManage a Pro subscription through Apple
Apple manages MarkThatDown subscriptions. Cancel the monthly or annual plan in your Apple Account before the next billing period.
Read more GuidesCheck why Writing Tools are unavailable
MarkThatDown Writing Tools require Pro, macOS 26 or later, and eligible Apple Intelligence hardware. The core editor remains available without them.
Read more GuidesBring exported notes into a folder
Export ordinary Markdown and attachments from the source app, then use File > Import Notes. Keep the original export until you have checked the result.
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