9 Best Markdown Extensions for VS Code in 2026 (Tested & Ranked)

VS Code has built-in Markdown support. Syntax highlighting, preview pane, and outline view work out of the box. But extensions add features the base install doesn't have: table of contents generation, diagram rendering, spell checking, and advanced preview options.

Most developers install Markdown All in One first. It adds keyboard shortcuts, auto-preview, and table formatting. Markdown Preview Enhanced adds diagrams (Mermaid, PlantUML), math equations, and presentation mode. markdownlint catches style issues before they reach production.

The right extensions depend on what you're writing. Technical documentation needs diagram support and link validation. Blog posts need spell checking and word count. Academic writing needs citation support and PDF export.

This guide covers nine extensions tested on VS Code 1.95 across Windows, Mac, and Linux. Each extension includes installation steps, configuration examples, and real-world use cases.

1. Markdown All in One (Essential for Everyone)

Markdown All in One is the most popular Markdown extension for VS Code. 5+ million installs. Maintained actively.

Install: Press Ctrl + Shift + X (Cmd + Shift + X on Mac), search "Markdown All in One", click Install.

What you get:

• Keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl + B for bold, Ctrl + I for italic)
• Auto-preview (opens preview automatically when editing .md files)
• Table of contents generation (Ctrl + Shift + P > "Create Table of Contents")
• Table formatter (auto-formats tables as you type)
• List editing (auto-continues lists, reorders with Alt + Up/Down)
• Section numbering (auto-numbers headers)
• Math support (KaTeX rendering in preview)
• Print to HTML (export with styles)

Configuration:

{
  "markdown.extension.toc.levels": "2..6",
  "markdown.extension.toc.updateOnSave": true,
  "markdown.extension.list.indentationSize": "adaptive",
  "markdown.extension.tableFormatter.enabled": true
}

What you don't get:

• No diagram support (Mermaid, PlantUML)
• No advanced export (PDF, DOCX)
• No spell checking

Markdown All in One fits everyone who writes Markdown in VS Code. Install it first, then add specialized extensions based on your needs.

2. Markdown Preview Enhanced (Best for Diagrams)

Markdown Preview Enhanced adds advanced preview features. Diagrams, math, presentations, and custom export.

Install: Search "Markdown Preview Enhanced" in Extensions panel, click Install.

What you get:

• Mermaid diagrams (flowcharts, sequence diagrams, Gantt charts)
• PlantUML diagrams (UML, architecture diagrams)
• Math equations (LaTeX via KaTeX or MathJax)
• Code execution (run code blocks and show output)
• Presentation mode (convert Markdown to slides)
• Custom themes (CSS customization)
• Export to PDF, HTML, PNG, JPEG
• Sync scroll (editor and preview scroll together)

Mermaid example:

```mermaid
graph TD
    A[Start] --> B{Decision}
    B -->|Yes| C[Action 1]
    B -->|No| D[Action 2]

**Math example:**

```markdown
$$
E = mc^2
$$

Configuration:

{
  "markdown-preview-enhanced.enableScriptExecution": true,
  "markdown-preview-enhanced.previewTheme": "github-light.css",
  "markdown-preview-enhanced.codeBlockTheme": "default.css",
  "markdown-preview-enhanced.mathRenderingOption": "KaTeX"
}

What you don't get:

• Replaces default preview (can't use both)
• Heavier than default preview
• Some features require external tools (Pandoc for PDF)

Markdown Preview Enhanced fits technical writers who need diagrams, developers documenting architecture, or anyone who needs advanced export options.

3. markdownlint (Best for Style Checking)

markdownlint enforces Markdown style rules. Catches inconsistent formatting, trailing spaces, and common mistakes.

Install: Search "markdownlint" in Extensions panel, click Install.

What you get:

• Real-time linting (underlines issues as you type)
• 50+ rules (heading styles, list formatting, line length, etc.)
• Auto-fix (Ctrl + . to fix issues automatically)
• Custom rules (disable or configure specific rules)
• Works with .markdownlint.json config files
• Integrates with CI/CD pipelines

Common rules:

• MD001: Heading levels should increment by one
• MD009: No trailing spaces
• MD012: No multiple consecutive blank lines
• MD013: Line length (default 80 characters)
• MD022: Headings should be surrounded by blank lines
• MD032: Lists should be surrounded by blank lines

Configuration (.markdownlint.json):

{
  "MD013": {
    "line_length": 120,
    "code_blocks": false
  },
  "MD033": false,
  "MD041": false
}

What you don't get:

• No grammar checking (only style)
• No spell checking
• Can be strict (requires configuration)

markdownlint fits teams who need consistent Markdown formatting, documentation projects with style guides, or anyone who wants to catch formatting issues early.

4. Markdown PDF (Best for PDF Export)

Markdown PDF converts Markdown to PDF, HTML, PNG, or JPEG. No external tools required.

Install: Search "Markdown PDF" in Extensions panel, click Install.

What you get:

• Export to PDF (Ctrl + Shift + P > "Markdown PDF: Export (pdf)")
• Export to HTML, PNG, JPEG
• Custom CSS styling
• Header and footer templates
• Page breaks (
  )
• Syntax highlighting in code blocks
• Table of contents support
• Works offline (no internet needed)

Configuration:

{
  "markdown-pdf.executablePath": "",
  "markdown-pdf.styles": ["${workspaceFolder}/custom.css"],
  "markdown-pdf.headerTemplate": "<div style='font-size: 9px; margin: 0 auto;'><span class='title'></span></div>",
  "markdown-pdf.footerTemplate": "<div style='font-size: 9px; margin: 0 auto;'><span class='pageNumber'></span> / <span class='totalPages'></span></div>",
  "markdown-pdf.displayHeaderFooter": true,
  "markdown-pdf.margin.top": "1cm",
  "markdown-pdf.margin.bottom": "1cm"
}

What you don't get:

• Limited styling options compared to Pandoc
• No DOCX export
• No citation support

Markdown PDF fits anyone who needs quick PDF export without installing LaTeX or Pandoc. Good for documentation, reports, or sharing formatted documents.

5. Paste Image (Best for Image Handling)

Paste Image pastes images from clipboard directly into Markdown. Saves time when adding screenshots.

Install: Search "Paste Image" in Extensions panel, click Install.

What you get:

• Paste from clipboard (Ctrl + Alt + V or Cmd + Alt + V)
• Auto-saves image to configured folder
• Auto-inserts Markdown image syntax
• Configurable file naming (timestamp, custom pattern)
• Configurable image path (relative or absolute)
• Works with screenshots, copied images, or files

Configuration:

{
  "pasteImage.path": "${projectRoot}/images",
  "pasteImage.basePath": "${projectRoot}",
  "pasteImage.prefix": "/",
  "pasteImage.namePrefix": "img-",
  "pasteImage.nameSuffix": "",
  "pasteImage.insertPattern": "![${imageFileName}](${imageFilePath})"
}

Workflow:

1. Take screenshot (Win + Shift + S on Windows, Cmd + Shift + 4 on Mac)
2. In VS Code, press Ctrl + Alt + V
3. Image saves to configured folder
4. Markdown syntax inserts automatically

What you don't get:

• No image optimization (saves original size)
• No image editing
• No cloud upload

Paste Image fits documentation writers, bloggers, or anyone who frequently adds screenshots to Markdown files.

6. Code Spell Checker (Best for Spell Checking)

Code Spell Checker catches spelling errors in Markdown, code comments, and strings.

Install: Search "Code Spell Checker" in Extensions panel, click Install.

What you get:

• Real-time spell checking (underlines misspelled words)
• Quick fixes (Ctrl + . to see suggestions)
• Custom dictionaries (add project-specific terms)
• Language support (English, Spanish, French, German, etc.)
• Ignore patterns (URLs, code blocks, specific words)
• Works in Markdown, code comments, and strings

Configuration:

{
  "cSpell.language": "en",
  "cSpell.words": [
    "markdownlint",
    "PlantUML",
    "Mermaid",
    "KaTeX"
  ],
  "cSpell.ignoreWords": [
    "vscode",
    "github"
  ],
  "cSpell.enableFiletypes": [
    "markdown",
    "plaintext"
  ]
}

Add to workspace dictionary: Right-click underlined word > "Add to Workspace Dictionary"

What you don't get:

• No grammar checking (only spelling)
• No style suggestions
• Can flag technical terms (requires custom dictionary)

Code Spell Checker fits anyone writing documentation, blog posts, or technical content. Catches typos before publishing.

7. Markdown Table (Best for Table Editing)

Markdown Table adds Excel-like table editing to VS Code. Format, sort, and manipulate tables visually.

Install: Search "Markdown Table" in Extensions panel, click Install.

What you get:

• Format tables (Ctrl + Shift + P > "Markdown Table: Format")
• Add/remove rows and columns
• Sort by column
• Navigate with Tab/Shift+Tab
• Auto-align columns
• CSV to Markdown table conversion
• Works with GitHub Flavored Markdown tables

Before formatting:

| Name | Age | City |
|---|---|---|
| John | 30 | NYC |
| Jane | 25 | LA |

After formatting:

| Name | Age | City |
| ---- | --- | ---- |
| John | 30  | NYC  |
| Jane | 25  | LA   |

Configuration:

{
  "markdowntable.alignColumns": true,
  "markdowntable.alignRows": true
}

What you don't get:

• No visual table editor (still text-based)
• No table templates
• No cell merging

Markdown Table fits anyone who works with tables in Markdown. Documentation writers, data analysts, or anyone who needs clean table formatting.

8. Markdown Footnotes (Best for Academic Writing)

Markdown Footnotes adds footnote support to VS Code's Markdown preview.

Install: Search "Markdown Footnotes" in Extensions panel, click Install.

What you get:

• Footnote syntax support
• Preview rendering (footnotes appear at bottom)
• Click to jump between reference and footnote
• Works with standard Markdown footnote syntax

Syntax:

Here is a sentence with a footnote.[^1]

Here is another with a longer footnote.[^longnote]

[^1]: This is the first footnote.

[^longnote]: This is a longer footnote with multiple paragraphs.

    You can include code blocks or lists in footnotes.

What you don't get:

• No citation management
• No bibliography generation
• Basic footnote support only

Markdown Footnotes fits academic writers, researchers, or anyone who needs footnotes in documentation.

9. Markdown Checkboxes (Best for Task Lists)

Markdown Checkboxes adds interactive checkboxes to VS Code's Markdown preview.

Install: Search "Markdown Checkboxes" in Extensions panel, click Install.

What you get:

• Interactive checkboxes in preview
• Click to toggle checkbox state
• Updates source file automatically
• Works with GitHub Flavored Markdown task lists

Syntax:

- [ ] Task 1
- [x] Task 2 (completed)
- [ ] Task 3

What you don't get:

• No task management features
• No due dates or priorities
• Basic checkbox support only

Markdown Checkboxes fits project managers, developers tracking tasks in README files, or anyone using Markdown for todo lists.

Extension Comparison Table

Recommended Extension Combinations

For technical documentation:

• Markdown All in One (shortcuts and TOC)
• Markdown Preview Enhanced (diagrams)
• markdownlint (style consistency)
• Paste Image (screenshots)
• Code Spell Checker (catch typos)

For blog writing:

• Markdown All in One (shortcuts and formatting)
• Markdown PDF (export for review)
• Code Spell Checker (catch typos)
• Paste Image (add images quickly)

For academic writing:

• Markdown All in One (TOC and formatting)
• Markdown Footnotes (citations)
• Code Spell Checker (catch typos)
• Markdown PDF (export drafts)

For project documentation:

• Markdown All in One (shortcuts and TOC)
• markdownlint (enforce style)
• Markdown Checkboxes (task tracking)
• Paste Image (screenshots)

VS Code Markdown Settings

Beyond extensions, configure VS Code's built-in Markdown settings:

{
  // Preview settings
  "markdown.preview.fontSize": 14,
  "markdown.preview.lineHeight": 1.6,
  "markdown.preview.fontFamily": "-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, sans-serif",
  "markdown.preview.breaks": false,
  "markdown.preview.linkify": true,
  "markdown.preview.typographer": true,

  // Editor settings
  "editor.wordWrap": "on",
  "editor.quickSuggestions": {
    "comments": "off",
    "strings": "off",
    "other": "off"
  },
  "editor.minimap.enabled": false,

  // File associations
  "files.associations": {
    "*.md": "markdown"
  },

  // Auto-save
  "files.autoSave": "afterDelay",
  "files.autoSaveDelay": 1000
}

Keyboard Shortcuts for Markdown

VS Code's built-in shortcuts (work without extensions):

• Ctrl + Shift + V (Cmd + Shift + V): Open preview
• Ctrl + K V (Cmd + K V): Open preview to the side
• Ctrl + Shift + O (Cmd + Shift + O): Go to symbol (headers)
• Ctrl + Space: Trigger suggestions
• Alt + Click: Insert cursor (multi-cursor editing)

With Markdown All in One:

• Ctrl + B (Cmd + B): Bold
• Ctrl + I (Cmd + I): Italic
• Alt + S: Strikethrough
• Ctrl + Shift + ]: Increase heading level
• Ctrl + Shift + [: Decrease heading level

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best Markdown extension for VS Code?

Markdown All in One. It adds keyboard shortcuts, table of contents generation, table formatting, and auto-preview. Install it first, then add specialized extensions based on your needs. For diagrams, add Markdown Preview Enhanced. For style checking, add markdownlint. For spell checking, add Code Spell Checker. Most developers use 3-5 extensions together.

How do I add diagrams to Markdown in VS Code?

Install Markdown Preview Enhanced extension. Use Mermaid syntax for flowcharts, sequence diagrams, and Gantt charts. Example: Write ~~~mermaid followed by diagram code in a code block. The preview renders diagrams automatically. For UML diagrams, use PlantUML syntax. Markdown Preview Enhanced supports both without external tools.

How do I export Markdown to PDF in VS Code?

Install Markdown PDF extension. Open your Markdown file, press Ctrl + Shift + P (Cmd + Shift + P on Mac), type "Markdown PDF: Export (pdf)", press Enter. The PDF saves to the same folder as your Markdown file. Configure styling with custom CSS in settings. For advanced PDF export with citations, use Pandoc from terminal.

Does VS Code have built-in Markdown support?

Yes. VS Code includes syntax highlighting, live preview (Ctrl + K V), outline view, and basic formatting. Extensions add features the base install doesn't have: table of contents generation, diagrams, spell checking, advanced export, and style linting. Install Markdown All in One for essential features, then add specialized extensions.

How do I check spelling in Markdown in VS Code?

Install Code Spell Checker extension. It underlines misspelled words in real-time. Press Ctrl + . (Cmd + . on Mac) on underlined words to see suggestions. Add project-specific terms to workspace dictionary (right-click > "Add to Workspace Dictionary"). Configure language and ignored words in settings.json. Works in Markdown, code comments, and strings.

What's the difference between Markdown All in One and Markdown Preview Enhanced?

Markdown All in One adds keyboard shortcuts, table of contents, and formatting tools. It enhances the editing experience. Markdown Preview Enhanced replaces the default preview with advanced features: diagrams (Mermaid, PlantUML), math equations, presentations, and custom export. Use both together: Markdown All in One for editing, Markdown Preview Enhanced for preview and export.

How do I format tables in Markdown in VS Code?

Install Markdown Table extension. Select your table, press Ctrl + Shift + P, type "Markdown Table: Format", press Enter. The extension auto-aligns columns and rows. Or install Markdown All in One which formats tables as you type. Navigate table cells with Tab/Shift+Tab. Both extensions work with GitHub Flavored Markdown tables.

Related Reading

Looking for Markdown editors instead of extensions? See platform-specific guides:

• Best Markdown editors for Mac for macOS options
• Best Markdown editors for Windows for Windows 11 and 10
• Best Markdown editors for Linux for Ubuntu, Fedora, and Arch

For JSON editing in VS Code:

• Best JSON extensions for VS Code