Support

What macOS version do I need?

Peekdown requires macOS 15.0 (Sequoia) or later.

How do I set Peekdown as the default app for .md files?

Right-click any .md file in Finder, select "Get Info", expand "Open with", choose Peekdown, then click "Change All..."

Does Peekdown support CommonMark or GFM?

Peekdown renders GitHub-Flavored Markdown (GFM), which is a superset of CommonMark. This includes tables, task lists, strikethrough, and fenced code blocks.

What file types does Peekdown support?

Peekdown supports .md, .mdx, .markdown, .mdown, and .mkd files.

Can I preview markdown files without opening the app?

Yes! Peekdown includes a Quick Look extension—just press Space on any markdown file in Finder to see a beautifully rendered preview. It's enabled automatically. If it's not working, check System Settings > Login Items & Extensions.

Quick Look is showing plain text instead of a rendered preview

If pressing Space on a markdown file in Finder shows raw text instead of a styled preview, another app's Quick Look extension may be overriding Peekdown's. Code editors like Nova, VS Code, or Sublime Text often include their own Quick Look extensions for markdown files, and macOS may choose theirs over Peekdown's.

To fix this, go to System Settings > Login Items & Extensions, find the Quick Look section, and disable the conflicting app's extension. Peekdown's extension will then handle markdown previews.

Can I edit markdown files in Peekdown?

Yes! Press ⌘⇧E to open a side-by-side editor with live preview. Your source and preview scroll together, and changes are saved automatically as you type.

Can I keep the window floating above other apps?

Yes. Click the pin icon in the toolbar, or use Window > Pin on Top from the menu bar. Perfect for referencing documentation while you code.

What keyboard shortcuts are available?

• ⌘O Open file
• ⌘S Save file
• ⌘⇧E Toggle editor
• ⌘R Reload file
• ⌘+ Zoom in
• ⌘- Zoom out
• ⌘⇧0 Reset zoom
• ⌘⇧C Center window
• ⌘⇧L Fill left half
• ⌘⇧R Fill right half
• ⌘⇧F Full screen
• ⌘⇧S Toggle syntax highlighting

Does the editor support themes?

Yes! Peekdown includes eight editor themes: GitHub Light, GitHub Dark, Dracula, Monokai, Solarized Light, Solarized Dark, One Dark, and Nord. Change themes in Settings > Editor.

Can I change the editor font?

Absolutely. Choose from popular monospace fonts like SF Mono, JetBrains Mono, Fira Code, Menlo, Monaco, and more. Adjust font size from 9pt to 32pt. Find these options in Settings > Editor.

Can I adjust the text size?

Yes. Use ⌘+ to zoom in and ⌘- to zoom out. Press ⌘⇧0 to reset to the default size. Your zoom preference is remembered per window.

Why are my images showing as 'not accessible'?

Peekdown runs in a secure sandbox and needs permission to access folders containing your images. When an image can't be loaded, you'll see a placeholder with the file path.

To fix this, go to Settings > Folder Access and either toggle on access to common folders (like Desktop, Documents, or Downloads) or click "Add Folder..." to grant access to a custom location. The preview will automatically reload once access is granted.

Does Peekdown work offline?

Yes, completely. Peekdown never connects to the internet—all markdown rendering happens locally on your Mac. Your files stay private and the app works anywhere, even without Wi-Fi.

Is my data private?

Absolutely. Your markdown files stay exactly where they are—Peekdown just reads and writes to them directly. App preferences are stored locally via macOS defaults. Nothing is synced to the cloud, no accounts required, no telemetry collected.

Why aren't my changes saving?

The file may be read-only or located in a protected directory. Check the file's permissions in Finder (Get Info > Sharing & Permissions) and ensure you have write access.

The preview doesn't match GitHub exactly. Why?

Peekdown renders standard GitHub-Flavored Markdown, but GitHub applies additional processing for things like @mentions, issue links, and repository-specific features. For pure markdown, the rendering should be identical.