Google Adds Native Markdown Support to Docs and Drive

According to Android Authority, the change covers two areas. In Google Docs, a Markdown file can be imported and then rendered with its Markdown formatting preserved, and collaborators can edit that file directly. In Google Drive, Markdown files can be previewed in rendered form rather than as raw text.

The reported example is a document written in a Markdown editor such as Obsidian. That file can now be brought into Docs and shared with a team, with edits made in place instead of going through a conversion step that produces a separate Doc file.

Markdown is a plain-text formatting syntax that is typed entirely from the keyboard, which allows writers to produce structured documents without working through menu options. Google Docs is built for creating, editing and viewing documents, and the new support connects the two workflows rather than requiring users to choose between them.

Google did not provide details in the report about which account tiers receive the feature, when it will reach all users, or whether administrators can turn it off. Android Authority reported the announcement on the same day it was made.