How to open .md files
A .md file is a Markdown text file — usually exported by
ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, or a developer's README. Open it in any text
editor, or in a Markdown editor like MDX to see it as a formatted
document.
What is a .md file?
The .md extension stands for Markdown, a lightweight syntax
for writing formatted documents in plain text. Inside, a .md
file is just text — # marks a heading, **bold**
marks bold, - item marks a list. Every operating system can
open it; most won't render the formatting unless you use a
Markdown-aware editor.
That's why .md files from ChatGPT or Claude often look like
a wall of asterisks and hash signs when you double-click them — you're
seeing the source, not the document.
Open a .md file on every platform
Open .md files on Windows 10 / 11
- Locate the .md file. Find the file in File Explorer.
- Right-click and choose Open with. Right-click the file, then pick Open with → Choose another app.
- Pick an editor. Notepad shows the raw markdown source. To see the file as a formatted document, pick MDX (install it first if it's not in the list).
- Set as default. Tick "Always use this app to open .md files" so double-clicking just works.
Open .md files on macOS
- Locate the .md file. Find the file in Finder.
- Right-click and choose Get Info. Right-click the file and choose Get Info.
- Pick an app under Open with. Expand the "Open with" panel and pick TextEdit for raw text, or MDX to view and edit it as a document.
- Apply to every .md file. Click "Change All…" to make this the default opener for every .md file on your Mac.
Open .md files on Linux
- Locate the .md file. Find the file in your file manager (Nautilus, Dolphin, Thunar, Nemo).
- Right-click and choose Open With. Right-click the file and choose Open With → Other Application.
- Pick an editor. gedit, Kate, or any text editor will show the raw markdown. Pick MDX to render it as a document.
- Set as default from the terminal. Run
xdg-mime default mdx.desktop text/markdownto set MDX as the system default for every .md file.
Open a .md file as a formatted document
Notepad, TextEdit, and gedit all open .md files — but they
show the raw source. To read or edit a .md file the way it
was meant to look — real headings, bold, tables, math, code — you need
a Markdown editor.
MDX opens any .md file as a document you can edit with a
click-to-format toolbar, then saves it back as plain .md.
No syntax to learn, nothing locked in.
Common questions about .md files
What is a .md file?
A .md file is a plain-text Markdown file. The .md extension stands for Markdown — a lightweight syntax for writing formatted text using regular characters like # for headings and ** for bold. The file itself is just text and can be opened in any text editor on any operating system.
Why did I get a .md file from ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Cursor?
Most AI tools export long-form replies as Markdown because it preserves headings, lists, code, and tables in a single portable file. To read it the way it was written — as a formatted document — you need an editor that renders Markdown, not just one that shows the raw text.
What's the difference between .md and .markdown?
There is none. Both extensions mean the same thing — a Markdown text file. .md is just the shorter, more common form. Any app that opens .md files opens .markdown files too.
How do I open a .md file as a formatted document instead of raw text?
Install a Markdown editor and set it as the default app for .md files. MDX renders Markdown as a clean document with real headings, bold, tables, math, and code blocks — and saves it back as plain .md when you're done.
Can I open a .md file on iPhone or Android?
Yes. Any text editor app on iOS or Android opens .md files because they're just plain text. For a rendered view, use a Markdown-aware mobile app. MDX itself is desktop-only (macOS, Windows, Linux) — on mobile the file will still open in any text editor.
I double-clicked a .md file and nothing happened
Windows and macOS don't always have a default app registered for the .md extension. Right-click the file and choose Open with → Choose another app (Windows) or Open with (macOS), pick a text editor or MDX, and tick the option to always use this app.