# MarkPad++ - complete reference

Source: https://openmdfiles.download/
Version described: 1.0.3
Last updated: 2026-09-16

MarkPad++ is a free, offline Markdown editor for Windows, written in C++ with Qt
by Volodymyr Kuksynok and distributed through the Microsoft Store. It has tabbed
editing in the style of Notepad++, a reader mode that renders the document in
place, find and replace, a highlighter pen, and export to PDF, DOCX and ODT.

This file is the complete, flat reference: every feature, every keyboard
shortcut, the supported Markdown syntax, the measured performance numbers, and
the known limits.

---

## At a glance

| Property | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Name | MarkPad++ |
| Category | Markdown editor / text editor, desktop application |
| Version | 1.0.3 |
| Price | Free. No trial, no subscription, no in-app purchase, no ads |
| Operating system | Windows 10 version 1809 (build 17763) or newer; Windows 11 |
| Architecture | x64 |
| Distribution | Microsoft Store (recommended); direct installer from GitHub Releases |
| Store listing | https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9PCKKT5MKL4L |
| Direct download | https://github.com/vkuksynok/MarkPadPP/releases/latest |
| Website | https://openmdfiles.download/ |
| Documentation | https://openmdfiles.download/Docs.dc |
| Changelog | https://openmdfiles.download/Changelog.dc |
| Issue tracker | https://github.com/vkuksynok/MarkPadPP/issues |
| Account required | No |
| Internet connection required | No. The application works entirely offline |
| Telemetry | None |
| Built with | C++ and Qt (Qt 5.12 or newer) |
| File encoding | UTF-8, always, for both reading and writing |
| Author | Volodymyr Kuksynok |

Not available for macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, or as a web application. The
Microsoft Store is the recommended channel and delivers updates automatically; a
direct installer is also available from GitHub Releases
(https://github.com/vkuksynok/MarkPadPP/releases/latest), where updates are manual.

---

## Feature list

- Tabbed editing, one tab per open file, in the style of Notepad++
- Reader mode toggled with `Ctrl+E`, rendering the document in place
- Scroll position preserved in both directions between editor and reader
- Markdown syntax highlighting in the source view, live as you type
- Highlighter pen: `==text==` paints the passage in both the editor and the
  rendered page
- Toggling formatting shortcuts for bold, italic, highlight, strikethrough,
  inline code, links, headings, bullet lists and quotes
- Find and replace with all hits highlighted at once, wrap-around, optional
  case-sensitive and whole-word matching
- Export the rendered document to PDF, Microsoft Word (`.docx`) and
  OpenDocument Text (`.odt`)
- Built-in light and dark themes covering the whole application, including the
  native Windows title bar
- Recent files list, ten entries deep
- Drag and drop files onto the window, several at a time
- Command-line file arguments, each opening in its own tab
- Single instance: opening a file reuses the existing window as a new tab
- Works fully offline, with no account and no telemetry

---

## Tabs

Every open file gets a tab, as in Notepad++.

- Opening a file that is already open brings its tab forward rather than taking
  a second copy of it.
- A file opened while the current tab is an untouched *Untitled* one takes that
  tab over, instead of leaving an empty tab behind.
- Each tab keeps its own text, undo history, caret position and place in the
  document.
- An unsaved tab is marked with an asterisk (`*`).
- Tabs can be dragged into another order.
- A tab closes with its `x`, with a middle click, or with `Ctrl+W`.
- Right-clicking a tab offers *Close*, *Close Others*, *Close All* and
  *Copy Full Path*.
- Closing the last tab leaves an empty tab rather than an empty window.
- Quitting asks about each modified file in turn.
- Files dropped on the window - several at once, if you like - and files named
  on the command line each open in a tab of their own.

---

## Reader mode

`Ctrl+E` toggles reader mode.

- The source is syntax highlighted as you type; the rendered view picks up the
  same theme.
- Reader mode keeps your place: the reader opens at whatever the editor was
  showing, and scrolling the reader and coming back moves the editor to match.
- Toggling without scrolling leaves the editor exactly where it was.
- `Ctrl+C` copies from whichever view is showing, so rendered text can be copied
  out of reader mode without the Markdown punctuation.
- There is no split pane to manage. The editor and reader are the same space.
- The rendered view is cached and only rebuilt when the text or the theme
  actually changed.
- The find bar is unavailable in reader mode, because searching applies to the
  Markdown source.

---

## Keyboard shortcuts (complete list)

Applying a format a second time removes it, so the formatting shortcuts toggle.
Heading shortcuts replace an existing heading level rather than stacking onto it.

### Formatting

| Action | Shortcut | Markup produced |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bold | `Ctrl+B` | `**text**` |
| Italic | `Ctrl+I` | `*text*` |
| Highlight | `Ctrl+Shift+H` | `==text==` |
| Strikethrough | `Ctrl+Shift+X` | `~~text~~` |
| Inline code | ``Ctrl+` `` | `` `text` `` |
| Link | `Ctrl+K` | `[text](url)` |
| Heading 1 to 3 | `Ctrl+1` to `Ctrl+3` | `# text` |
| Bullet list | `Ctrl+Shift+L` | `- text` |
| Quote | `Ctrl+Shift+Q` | `> text` |

### View

| Action | Shortcut |
| --- | --- |
| Toggle reader mode | `Ctrl+E` |

### Find and replace

| Action | Shortcut |
| --- | --- |
| Find | `Ctrl+F` |
| Replace | `Ctrl+H` |
| Find next | `F3` |
| Find previous | `Shift+F3` |

### Tabs

| Action | Shortcut |
| --- | --- |
| New tab | `Ctrl+N` |
| Close tab | `Ctrl+W` |
| Close all tabs | `Ctrl+Shift+W` |
| Next tab | `Ctrl+Tab` or `Ctrl+PgDown` |
| Previous tab | `Ctrl+Shift+Tab` or `Ctrl+PgUp` |

---

## Files and export

### Opening and saving

- **File > Open Recent** lists the last ten files opened or saved, most recent
  first. An entry that has since been moved or deleted drops off the list
  instead of staying there to fail again.
- Dropping a file anywhere on the window, the editor included, opens it rather
  than pasting its path.
- Files are always read and written as UTF-8.

### Export

**File > Export** writes the rendered document, without the Markdown
punctuation, to one of three formats:

| Format | Extension |
| --- | --- |
| PDF | `.pdf` |
| Microsoft Word | `.docx` |
| OpenDocument Text (ODF) | `.odt` |

Export behaviour:

- Formatting, tables, links and images are all carried into the exported file.
- Export uses a print-friendly light theme regardless of the theme in use.
- Relative image paths are resolved beside the source Markdown file.
- Export does not change the open file or its modified state.
- Export to HTML is **not** available.

---

## Find and replace

- Find highlights every hit at once and wraps around at the end of the document.
- Case-sensitive matching and whole-word matching are optional switches.
- The search term is always literal: a `.` matches a dot, not any character.
  Regular expressions are not supported.
- Replace All is a single undo step.
- Searching applies to the Markdown source, so the find bar is unavailable in
  reader mode.

---

## Markdown syntax supported

- ATX headings (`# Heading`) and setext headings
- Fenced code blocks, both ``` and `~~~`
- Indented code blocks
- Blockquotes, including lazy continuation
- Nested ordered and unordered lists
- Task lists (`- [x]`, `- [ ]`)
- Pipe tables, with column alignment
- Thematic breaks
- Emphasis and strong emphasis
- Strikethrough (`~~text~~`)
- Highlight (`==text==`)
- Code spans
- Links and images
- Autolinks and bare URLs
- Backslash escapes
- Hard line breaks

### HTML handling

Raw block-level HTML is escaped rather than passed through. A small whitelist of
inline tags is passed through, including `<br>`, `<sub>` and `<kbd>`.

---

## Themes

- Two themes ship with the application: light and dark. Both are built in.
- Switch with **View > Theme**.
- A theme drives the whole application at once: the window, menus, toolbar,
  editor surface and gutter; the Markdown tokens drawn in the editor; the
  rendered page in reader mode; and the native Windows title bar.
- User-supplied theme files are not supported in this release.

---

## Performance

Measured on the shipping build:

- Entering reader mode costs roughly **20 ms per KiB** of Markdown. A 200 KiB
  document therefore takes about four seconds to render; documents of a few KiB
  are effectively instant.
- The rendered view is cached and rebuilt only when the text or the theme
  actually changed, so toggling back and forth is free.
- Typing is unaffected by document size: about **0.2 ms per keystroke** at
  400 KiB.
- Search stays interactive because only the hits inside the viewport are
  painted.

---

## Limits and unimplemented features

Not implemented in version 1.0.3:

- Live side-by-side preview (reader mode replaces the editor rather than
  splitting the window)
- Export to HTML
- Regular-expression search
- Reference-style links
- Footnotes
- Reopening the last session's tabs on start
- User-supplied theme files
- Raw block-level HTML pass-through (it is escaped instead)
- Spell checking
- Plugins or extensions
- Cloud sync, collaboration, or any network feature

Platform limits:

- Windows only. No macOS, Linux, Android, iOS or web version.
- x64 only.
- Windows 10 version 1809 is the minimum. Earlier Windows 10 builds, Windows 8.1
  and Windows 7 are not supported.

---

## Requirements

- Windows 10 version 1809 (build 17763) or newer, or Windows 11
- x64 processor
- Installed through the Microsoft Store (recommended; auto-updates) or the direct
  installer from GitHub Releases (https://github.com/vkuksynok/MarkPadPP/releases/latest)
- No internet connection required after installation
- No Microsoft account required to use the application (a Store account is
  needed to install it, as with any Store app)

---

## Changelog

### 1.0.3 (current release)

**New functionality**

- Export rendered Markdown documents to PDF, OpenDocument Text (`.odt`) and
  Microsoft Word (`.docx`), including formatting, tables, links and images.
- Open files as new tabs in the existing MarkPad++ window instead of launching
  another application window.
- Match the native Windows title bar to the selected light or dark theme.

**Bug fixes**

- Fixed the Windows title bar not updating immediately after switching themes.
- Fixed block quote formatting in Word and OpenDocument exports, preserving the
  full-width background and left border without an empty table column.

Updates arrive through the Microsoft Store.

---

## Common questions

**Is MarkPad++ free?**
Yes, entirely. There is no trial period, no paid tier, no subscription, no
in-app purchase and no advertising.

**Does MarkPad++ need an account or an internet connection?**
No to both. It works entirely offline and never asks you to sign in to read your
own notes. It sends no telemetry.

**What platforms does it run on?**
Windows only: Windows 10 version 1809 or newer, and Windows 11, on x64. There is
no macOS, Linux, Android, iOS or web version.

**How do I install it?**
Through the Microsoft Store (recommended), at
https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9PCKKT5MKL4L, where updates arrive
automatically. A direct installer is also available from GitHub Releases
(https://github.com/vkuksynok/MarkPadPP/releases/latest), with manual updates.

**How do I preview the rendered Markdown?**
Press `Ctrl+E`. Reader mode renders the document in place and returns you to the
same position when you toggle back.

**Does it have a live side-by-side preview?**
No. Reader mode replaces the editor rather than splitting the window. A
side-by-side preview is not implemented.

**Can it export to PDF or Word?**
Yes, to PDF, Microsoft Word (`.docx`) and OpenDocument Text (`.odt`), via
**File > Export**. Export to HTML is not available.

**Does it support regular expressions in search?**
No. Search terms are always literal.

**Can I add my own theme?**
Not in this release. The light and dark themes are built in and user theme files
are not supported.

**How does it compare to Notepad++?**
The tab model is deliberately the same: one tab per file, each with its own
text, undo history and caret. MarkPad++ is Markdown-specific rather than a
general text editor, and adds a rendered reader mode, a highlighter pen and
document export.

**How large a file can it handle?**
Typing stays fast at any size (about 0.2 ms per keystroke at 400 KiB). Rendering
is the cost: roughly 20 ms per KiB, so a 200 KiB document takes about four
seconds to enter reader mode the first time. The render is then cached.

**What is `==text==`?**
The highlight, or marker pen, syntax. `Ctrl+Shift+H` wraps the selection in it,
and the passage is painted in both the editor and the rendered page.

---

## Blog articles

Published at https://openmdfiles.download/blog/. Each article is available as HTML at the
URL below and as its Markdown source at the same URL with `.md`
appended. The RSS feed at https://openmdfiles.download/blog/feed.xml carries
the full text of every article.

### How to Open a .md File on Windows

- URL: https://openmdfiles.download/blog/how-to-open-md-file-on-windows
- Markdown source: https://openmdfiles.download/blog/how-to-open-md-file-on-windows.md
- Published: 2026-09-16. Category: Guide. Reading time: about 3 minutes.
- Topics: Markdown, Windows, md files, Reader mode

Learn how to open, read, and edit .md files on Windows with MarkPad++, then set it as your default Markdown app for easy access.

Sections: What is inside a .md file?; Open it in MarkPad++; Make the next file a double-click away; What about Notepad?

### Notepad++ Markdown Preview: Plugins and Alternatives

- URL: https://openmdfiles.download/blog/notepad-plus-plus-markdown-preview-alternatives
- Markdown source: https://openmdfiles.download/blog/notepad-plus-plus-markdown-preview-alternatives.md
- Published: 2026-09-16. Category: Alternatives. Reading time: about 4 minutes.
- Topics: Notepad++, Markdown preview, Plugins, VS Code, Typora

Looking for a Notepad++ Markdown preview? Explore MarkPad++, Markdown Panel, VS Code, and Typora to find a comfortable way to read and edit .md files.

Sections: MarkPad++: open the file and settle into reading; Prefer to stay in Notepad++? Add Markdown Panel; Two more ways to preview Markdown; Choose the view you want to spend time in

### A Free Typora Alternative for Windows: Meet MarkPad++

- URL: https://openmdfiles.download/blog/free-typora-alternative-for-windows
- Markdown source: https://openmdfiles.download/blog/free-typora-alternative-for-windows.md
- Published: 2026-09-16. Category: Alternatives. Reading time: about 4 minutes.
- Topics: Typora, Free software, Windows, Markdown editor

Looking for a free Typora alternative on Windows? Meet MarkPad++: a Markdown editor with reader mode, tabs, and offline export to PDF and Word.

Sections: What you might miss about Typora; Write a little, then read it back; The useful extra: send a PDF or Word copy; Try it with a document you already know

### Convert Markdown to PDF or Word Offline on Windows

- URL: https://openmdfiles.download/blog/convert-markdown-to-pdf-word-offline
- Markdown source: https://openmdfiles.download/blog/convert-markdown-to-pdf-word-offline.md
- Published: 2026-09-16. Category: How-to. Reading time: about 4 minutes.
- Topics: Export, PDF, Word DOCX, Offline

Convert Markdown to PDF or Word offline with MarkPad++ 1.0.3. Export formatted .md files locally, with no uploads or Microsoft Word installation required.

Sections: From your draft to their inbox; How to convert Markdown to PDF or Word; Why offline makes a difference; A quick check before you send

### MarkPad++ vs VS Code, Typora, Obsidian, and Notepad++

- URL: https://openmdfiles.download/blog/markpad-vs-vscode-typora-obsidian-notepad-plus-plus
- Markdown source: https://openmdfiles.download/blog/markpad-vs-vscode-typora-obsidian-notepad-plus-plus.md
- Published: 2026-09-16. Category: Comparison. Reading time: about 4 minutes.
- Topics: Comparison, VS Code, Typora, Obsidian, Notepad++

An honest Markdown editor comparison: MarkPad++ strengths, missing Mermaid and LaTeX support, Windows-only availability, and where other editors do more.

Sections: The comparison; Where MarkPad++ earns its place; Where another editor is the better choice