How to open .md files from Google Drive on Android

Updated: 2026-10-29

Google Drive can store .md files, but its preview doesn't format markdown. You either get a "No preview available" message or a wall of raw text with # and ** symbols.

The fix is to open the file in a markdown viewer. There are two ways.

Option 1: "Open with" from the Drive app

1. Open the Google Drive app and find the .md file.
2. Tap the ⋮ (three dots) next to the file.
3. Tap Open with.
4. Choose MD Reader.

Get it on Google Play

If MD Reader doesn't appear in the list, use option 2. Drive sometimes labels markdown files with an unusual file type.

Option 2: Open from inside MD Reader

1. Open MD Reader and tap Open file.
2. In the Android file picker, tap the ☰ menu and choose Drive.
3. Pick the .md file.

The Android file picker can reach any cloud app that supports it, including Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive.

Will my edits save back to Drive?

It depends on how the file was opened:

• Through the file picker (option 2): Drive usually allows saving, so edits and ticked checkboxes are written back to the file in Drive.
• Through "Open with" (option 1): Drive may hand over a read-only copy. If so, MD Reader tells you that changes are kept in the app. Use Save as… to save a copy somewhere else.

Reading offline

MD Reader doesn't use the internet. If Drive needs to download the file first, make sure the file is available offline in Drive (⋮ → Make available offline) before you travel.

Other places .md files come from

• Email attachments: see opening a .md email attachment
• Files and Downloads: see how to open a .md file on Android
• "No app can open this file": see the fix