Ulysses Markdown: Complete Guide
Ulysses is a premium writing app for Mac and iOS that uses a custom markdown dialect called Markdown XL. It adds features like annotations, footnotes, and image handling beyond standard markdown. Ulysses uses its own library format but can export to standard markdown, HTML, PDF, Word, and EPUB.
Markdown support:Custom
Markdown Support in Ulysses
| Format | Syntax | Support |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | **text** | Yes |
| Italic | *text* | Yes |
| Strikethrough | ~~text~~ | Yes Uses ||text|| syntax |
| Headings | # H1 ... ###### H6 | Yes |
| Links | [text](url) | Yes |
| Images |  | Yes Uses (img) syntax instead of standard ![]() |
| Blockquotes | > quote | Yes |
| Ordered Lists | 1. item | Yes |
| Unordered Lists | - item | Yes |
| Code (inline) | `code` | Yes |
| Code Blocks | ```lang\ncode\n``` | Yes Uses ``code`` double backtick blocks |
| Tables | | col | col | | Yes |
| Task Lists | - [ ] task | Yes |
| Footnotes | [^1] | Yes Uses (fn) inline syntax |
| Horizontal Rule | --- | Yes |
Things to know
- Uses Markdown XL, a custom dialect with non-standard syntax for some features.
- Strikethrough uses ||text|| instead of ~~text~~.
- Images use (img) syntax rather than the standard .
- Notes are stored in a proprietary library, not as plain .md files on disk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ulysses support markdown?
Yes, but Ulysses uses its own Markdown XL dialect. It supports standard formatting like bold, italic, headings, and links, but uses custom syntax for some features like strikethrough, images, and footnotes.
How do you bold text in Ulysses?
Wrap the text with double asterisks: **bold text**. Standard bold syntax works the same as in regular markdown.
Can Ulysses export to standard markdown?
Yes. Ulysses can export to standard markdown (.md), HTML, PDF, Word (docx), and EPUB. You can also publish directly to WordPress and Ghost.
Is Ulysses available on Windows?
No. Ulysses is available only on macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. It requires a subscription for full access.