Math and tables
LaTeX math between $$…$$ is typeset on your device, with no internet connection, and tables keep their columns.
Markdown reader · Android & Mac
Read what your AI writes, as a clean page.
PilcrowMD opens .md files (AI answers, agent plans, READMEs, notes) and shows them as clean pages, with tables, code, math and diagrams. On your phone, offline, no account.
Free · Offline · No account · Android app open source
On a Mac, point it at the folder your agent writes to. An open file reloads as the agent saves it.
Private and checkable
Android
- Free, no ads, no in-app purchases, no account
- Open source, GPL-3.0
- F-Droid rebuilt version 1.0.5 from source, byte for byte. How that check was done
- Works offline; the app has no internet permission
Mac (beta)
- Free to download and use, no account
- Signed and notarized by Apple
- Runs in Apple's App Sandbox
- Makes no internet connection
Why raw .md files and AI output look broken
A Markdown file is plain text with symbols in it: # for headings, ** for bold, | for table columns. An editor or a file viewer shows those symbols as they are, so a plan from an AI agent reads as a wall of punctuation.
Tables turn into rows of pipes, equations into dollar signs, and a Mermaid diagram into a block of code. The content is fine; it just has not been rendered.
In a text editorplan.md
## Release plan **Goal:** ship the reader on Friday. | Step | Owner | Status | |---|---|---| | Build | agent | done | | Review | you | open | $$ E = mc^2 $$
In PilcrowMDplan.md
Release plan
Goal: ship the reader on Friday.
| Step | Owner | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Build | agent | done |
| Review | you | open |
E = mc²
Read more by topic: what an .md file is, reading the Markdown files AI agents write, Markdown tables, Mermaid diagrams in Markdown and math in Markdown.
Rendered on your device, not described
These are real screenshots of the Android app.
Mermaid diagrams
Mermaid diagrams are drawn on your phone, offline, and open full screen when you tap them.
Code
Fenced code blocks are syntax-highlighted across many programming languages, and long lines scroll sideways.
Two apps, one way of reading
Pick your device. Both read and edit Markdown, and neither needs an account.
PilcrowMD for Android
- Android 8.0 or later
- On Google Play and F-Droid
- My folders: add a folder of notes, see new and changed notes marked, and follow links between them
- Full-screen reading, off until you turn it on
PilcrowMD for Mac (beta)
- Free to download and use
- Folders on your Mac: a file you have open reloads when an agent or another app changes it
- macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later
- Tested on Apple Silicon. The Intel build has not been tested
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is PilcrowMD?
PilcrowMD is a Markdown reader and editor for Android and Mac that shows .md files as clean, formatted pages. It is built for the files AI agents write, such as plans, specs and notes, and for READMEs and AI answers saved as Markdown.
Is PilcrowMD free?
Yes. The Android app is free, with no ads, no in-app purchases and no account, and the Mac app is free to download and use.
Does PilcrowMD work offline and keep my files private?
Yes. Both apps render your files on your device. The Android app has no internet permission, so it cannot send anything over the internet, and the Mac app makes no internet connection. Neither needs an account.
What is the difference between the Android and Mac apps?
They are two separate native apps with the same reading look. The Mac app is in beta. On the Mac, a file you have open reloads when an agent or another app changes it in a folder on your Mac. The Android app is open source (GPL-3.0) and is also on F-Droid.
How do I open a .md file?
Open it with PilcrowMD. On Android, open the file from your file manager or another app; on the Mac, open it in the app or press Space on it in Finder to see it in the reading look. PilcrowMD opens .md, .markdown and .txt files.
Does PilcrowMD render Mermaid diagrams and math?
Yes, both. Mermaid diagrams are drawn on your device, offline, and LaTeX math is typeset on your device too. On Android, write math between $$…$$.
How is PilcrowMD different from a plain text editor?
A plain text editor shows the symbols in a Markdown file; PilcrowMD shows the page they describe. Headings, tables, code, math and diagrams are rendered, and you can still switch to the source and edit it.
Is PilcrowMD open source?
The Android app is. It is open-source software licensed under GPL-3.0-or-later, and F-Droid rebuilt version 1.0.5 from source, byte for byte. The Mac app is not open source.
Read what your agents write.
Android: free, no ads, no account. Mac (beta): free to download and use.