Zettlr Markdown: Complete Guide
Zettlr is a free, open-source markdown editor built for academic and professional writing. It supports Pandoc-flavored markdown, Zettelkasten-style linking, citation management with CSL/BibTeX, and export to PDF, Word, and HTML via Pandoc.
Markdown support:Full
Markdown Support in Zettlr
| Format | Syntax | Support |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | **text** | Yes |
| Italic | *text* | Yes |
| Strikethrough | ~~text~~ | Yes |
| Headings | # H1 ... ###### H6 | Yes |
| Links | [text](url) | Yes |
| Images |  | Yes |
| Blockquotes | > quote | Yes |
| Ordered Lists | 1. item | Yes |
| Unordered Lists | - item | Yes |
| Code (inline) | `code` | Yes |
| Code Blocks | ```lang\ncode\n``` | Yes |
| Tables | | col | col | | Yes |
| Task Lists | - [ ] task | Yes |
| Footnotes | [^1] | Yes |
| Horizontal Rule | --- | Yes |
Things to know
- Designed for academic writing with built-in citation support (@citekey).
- Supports Zettelkasten-style note linking with [[ID]] syntax.
- Uses Pandoc for export, supporting many output formats.
- Includes word count targets and a Pomodoro timer for productivity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Zettlr support markdown?
Yes. Zettlr fully supports markdown with Pandoc extensions. It handles headings, bold, italic, links, images, code blocks, tables, footnotes, citations, and more.
How do you bold text in Zettlr?
Wrap the text with double asterisks: **bold text**. Zettlr highlights the syntax in the editor and renders it in preview mode.
Is Zettlr free?
Yes. Zettlr is free and open source, available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. There are no paid features or subscriptions.
Does Zettlr support citations?
Yes. Zettlr has built-in support for academic citations using CSL JSON or BibTeX files. Use @citekey syntax in your markdown and Zettlr will format citations on export via Pandoc.