Guides & Tutorials

Step-by-step walkthroughs of every feature in MD Reader, from opening your first .md file to writing LaTeX math and using the on-device AI assistant. Every screenshot is from the real app on Mac and iPhone.

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1

Open & Associate Your .md Files

Make MD Reader the home for every Markdown document.

  1. Launch MD Reader and choose Open… to pick any .md or .markdown file from your Mac or iPhone.
  2. On iPhone, browse to a document in the Files app, tap it, and choose MD Reader to open it instantly.
  3. On Mac, right-click a Markdown file in Finder, choose Open With → MD Reader, or set it as the default via Get Info → Open with → Change All…
  4. Your document opens straight into the reading view with headings, lists, tables, and math fully rendered.
MD Reader on iPhone showing a freshly opened Markdown document
Tip: because MD Reader registers the .md and .markdown file types, you can double-click a document anywhere and it opens straight in the app.
2

Edit with Live Preview

Write on one side and watch it render on the other.

  1. Switch to edit mode to reveal the editor and the live preview side by side.
  2. Type Markdown on the left — headings, bold, italics, links, lists, tables, task lists, and quotes — and the preview on the right updates as you type.
  3. Use the VS Code-style command palette to jump to any action without leaving the keyboard.
  4. Save your changes back to the original file when you are done; on Mac the full menu bar and native shortcuts are available.
MD Reader on Mac showing the editor and live preview side by side
Tip: open the command palette to format text, insert tables, or toggle the preview — it works just like the one in your code editor.
3

Navigate with the Table of Contents

Jump to any section of a long document in one tap.

  1. MD Reader builds a navigable table of contents automatically from your headings (#, ##, ###…).
  2. Open the contents panel to see the full outline of the document, nested by heading level.
  3. Tap or click any entry to jump straight to that section in the preview.
  4. Keep the panel open while you read long technical notes to always know where you are.
The navigable table of contents in MD Reader on iPhone
Tip: structuring your file with clear heading levels gives you a cleaner, more useful outline to navigate.
4

Write Math with LaTeX

Render beautiful equations with KaTeX, inline and in display.

  1. Wrap inline math in single dollar signs: $E = mc^2$.
  2. Use double dollar signs for centered display equations: $$\int_0^\infty e^{-x}\,dx = 1$$.
  3. MD Reader renders both with KaTeX in real time, so your formulas appear crisp in the preview.
  4. Mix math freely with text, tables, and code — it all renders together in the same document.
LaTeX equations rendered with KaTeX in MD Reader on Mac
Tip: KaTeX supports a huge range of LaTeX commands — fractions, integrals, matrices, Greek letters, and more all render instantly.
5

Code Blocks & Syntax Highlighting

Share code that reads as cleanly as it does in your editor.

  1. Create a fenced code block with triple backticks and add the language for highlighting, e.g. ```swift.
  2. MD Reader colors the syntax for Swift, Python, JavaScript, and many more languages.
  3. Use inline code with single backticks for short snippets like `let x = 1`.
  4. Combine code blocks with tables, task lists, and quotes to write clear technical documentation.
Syntax-highlighted code blocks in MD Reader on iPhone
Tip: always label the language after the opening backticks — that is what enables accurate, readable highlighting.
6

Search Inside a Document

Find any word in seconds, with matches highlighted.

  1. Open in-document search and type the word or phrase you are looking for.
  2. Every match is highlighted directly in the rendered document so it is easy to spot.
  3. Step through the results to move from one match to the next.
  4. Search works the same way on Mac and iPhone, so long documents stay manageable everywhere.
In-document search with highlighted matches in MD Reader on iPhone
Tip: pair search with the table of contents to find a term and instantly understand which section it belongs to.
7

Keyboard Shortcuts & Themes

Work faster on Mac and read comfortably day or night.

  1. On Mac, use native keyboard shortcuts and the full menu bar to open, save, search, and format without reaching for the mouse.
  2. Open the command palette to discover and trigger any action by name.
  3. Switch between light and dark themes to keep reading comfortable at any hour.
  4. The same shortcuts and menus that make sense on macOS work the way you expect from a native app.
A shortcuts table rendered in MD Reader on iPhone
Tip: the command palette is the fastest way to learn the shortcuts — every action shows its key combination next to it.
8

Use the On-Device AI Assistant

Generate Markdown locally — your text never leaves your device.

  1. Open the AI assistant and type an instruction, such as "create a comparison table" or "write the quadratic formula".
  2. MD Reader generates ready-to-use Markdown right in the editor, with all math written in LaTeX so it renders instantly with KaTeX.
  3. Review the result and insert it into your document; edit it like any other Markdown.
  4. Everything runs on Apple Intelligence's on-device Foundation Models — there are no servers, no API keys, and your text stays private.
Markdown and math generated by the on-device AI assistant in MD Reader
Note: the on-device AI assistant requires a device that supports Apple Intelligence (macOS 26 / iOS 26).

Still have a question?

Browse the FAQ for quick answers about formats, math, AI, and privacy, or get in touch and we will help you out.

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