Not natively. Apple Notes uses its own rich-text format and does not render or store notes as markdown. Recent versions can export to markdown, but if you want to write in markdown day to day, use a markdown-first app such as atiea.
Short answer: Apple Notes is not a markdown editor. If you type **bold** or # Heading, the characters stay exactly as typed and nothing is converted. Your notes are also not stored as plain markdown files. Apple’s own documentation and release notes are the place to confirm what the current version of Notes can do, because Apple changes the app over time.
What Apple Notes does instead
Apple Notes is a rich-text app. You format text with the Format menu, the toolbar, or keyboard shortcuts, and the app stores the result in its own internal format. It offers titles, headings, subheadings, bulleted and numbered lists, checklists, tables, attachments, and iCloud sync across Apple devices. It is built in, free to start using, and very good at fast capture.
The tradeoff is that the format is closed. The text you see is not a file you can open in another editor, and formatting is something you apply with buttons rather than something you write as syntax. For many notes, that is perfectly fine.
Can you get markdown in and out?
Recent versions of Apple’s apps have added some markdown-related export options, so you can sometimes get a copy of a note as markdown text. That is useful for taking a note somewhere else. Check Apple’s documentation for exactly what your macOS version supports, since the behavior has changed between releases.
Exporting is still not the same as writing in markdown. A few practical differences:
- No live syntax. You do not see markers like
##or**while you write, so you cannot edit formatting by editing characters. - No round trip. Exporting a copy does not turn Apple Notes into a markdown library. The original note stays in Apple’s format.
- No plain-text vault. You cannot point another tool at a folder of Apple Notes and read them as
.mdfiles. For background on that format, see what an MD file is.
Common workarounds and where they break
| Workaround | What it gives you | Where it breaks |
|---|---|---|
| Write markdown in a note and paste into another app | Quick way to reuse text | Apple Notes shows raw characters with no highlighting; pasted rich text may carry formatting you did not want |
| Export a note and convert it | A markdown copy of finished notes | One-way and manual; easy to forget; formatting may change in conversion |
| Use a separate markdown editor for drafts | Real markdown writing | You now have two places to look for notes |
| Third-party scripts or shortcuts | Automated conversion | Fragile across macOS updates; you maintain it |
None of these are wrong. They are fine for occasional use. If you find yourself relying on them every week, the notes app is probably the wrong tool for that kind of writing.
Why people want markdown notes
- Portability. Plain text opens in almost any editor and tends to outlive any single app. The markdown cheat sheet covers the whole syntax in a page.
- Speed. Formatting from the keyboard keeps your hands on the keys. Type
- [ ]for a task,#for a heading, and keep going. See markdown task lists and checklists. - Linking. Tools built around wiki links and backlinks turn separate notes into a connected library.
- Predictable export. Writing in markdown makes it straightforward to produce HTML, PDF, or Word documents later.
A decision framework: stay or switch?
Ask three questions about the notes you write most.
- Will I reuse this text outside the notes app? If it ends up in documents, a blog, or code documentation, markdown saves steps.
- Do these notes need to connect? If you keep revisiting ideas and want links between them, a linking-friendly app helps. If each note is a one-off, it does not matter.
- Do I want to see and control the formatting characters? If you like writing
*emphasis*yourself, you want a markdown editor. If you prefer clicking a Bold button, Apple Notes already suits you.
If you answered no to all three, stay put. A switch costs time, and Apple Notes is a capable app for the job it was designed for.
When not to switch from Apple Notes
- Shopping lists, reminders, and quick captures. Apple Notes is fast, built in, and available across your Apple devices.
- Handwriting, scanning, and sketching. Apple Notes handles scanned documents and drawing in ways a markdown editor generally does not.
- Shared notes with family or friends. If you rely on Apple’s sharing, a local-first markdown app is not a drop-in replacement.
- You need your notes on an iPhone. atiea is Mac-only for now (an iPhone and iPad app is coming), so if mobile access matters most today, factor that in.
A markdown-first alternative on Mac
atiea is a native Mac app (macOS 15 or later, built with SwiftUI) where you write in markdown with live syntax highlighting. You link notes with [[wiki links]] and see backlinks, organize with inline #tags, pin important notes, and switch between list and grid views. Deleted notes go to a trash. Standard shortcuts work as you would expect: Cmd+N for a new note, Cmd+F to find, Cmd+B for bold, Cmd+I for italic, and Cmd+K for a link.
Notes are stored locally on your Mac, and no account is required. You can export to Markdown, HTML, PDF, and DOCX; see converting markdown to PDF and Word on Mac for what to expect. For a wider look at the category, read the best markdown notes apps for Mac, or see the full feature list.
Other tools exist as well. Obsidian keeps markdown files in a local vault and has a large plugin ecosystem, and Bear is an Apple-only notes app built around tags. Each has different tradeoffs, so check each product’s site for current details. We compare options in the Bear and Obsidian comparison pages.
Bottom line
Keep Apple Notes for quick captures, lists, scans, and anything you share inside Apple’s ecosystem. Use a markdown-first app for writing you want to keep, link, and move between tools. Many people sensibly use both.