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Markdown to email guide

How to Paste Markdown Into Outlook

Outlook does not render Markdown, so pasted ## and ** stay visible. Convert Markdown to inline-styled HTML first, copy as rich text, then paste into the Outlook compose window.

Direct answer

Outlook does not render Markdown in the compose window, so pasted # headings, **bold**, and - bullets stay as literal characters. Convert the Markdown to inline-styled HTML first, copy it as rich text, then paste into Outlook — the headings, bold text, links, and lists arrive already formatted.

Open Markdown to Email converter

When to use this

  • A pasted status update shows literal ## and ** characters in Outlook.
  • Notes, reports, or AI drafts start in Markdown but must be sent from Outlook.
  • You need bullets, headings, and links to survive the paste into a corporate mail client.

Steps

  1. Copy the full Markdown draft, including headings, bullets, and links.
  2. Paste it into the converter to generate inline-styled email HTML.
  3. Press Copy Rich to put the formatted version on the clipboard.
  4. Paste into the Outlook compose window with a normal paste (Ctrl+V or Cmd+V).
  5. Check the result: headings sized, bullets indented, links clickable, no stray symbols.

Example conversion

Markdown input
## Weekly status

Hi Dana,

Shipping is **on track** for Friday.

- Billing migration: done
- Load test: runs `Thursday`
- Rollback plan: [runbook](https://example.com/runbook)

Thanks,
Sam
Email HTML output
<h2 style="margin:20px 0 10px;font-size:20px;color:#222;">Weekly status</h2>
<p style="margin:12px 0;line-height:1.6;color:#374151;">Hi Dana,</p>
<p style="margin:12px 0;line-height:1.6;color:#374151;">Shipping is <strong>on track</strong> for Friday.</p>
<ul style="margin:12px 0;padding-left:20px;"><li style="margin:4px 0;">Billing migration: done</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Load test: runs <code style="background:#f3f4f6;padding:2px 6px;border-radius:3px;font-size:13px;">Thursday</code></li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Rollback plan: <a href="https://example.com/runbook" style="color:#2563eb;text-decoration:underline;">runbook</a></li></ul>
<p style="margin:12px 0;line-height:1.6;color:#374151;">Thanks,</p>
<p style="margin:12px 0;line-height:1.6;color:#374151;">Sam</p>

Common mistakes

  • Do not paste raw Markdown and expect Outlook to format it — Outlook has no Markdown mode.
  • Do not use Paste Special > Keep Text Only after copying rich text; that strips the formatting you just created.
  • Do not rely on external CSS or <style> blocks — Outlook desktop strips them, so every style must be inline.

FAQ

Does Outlook support Markdown?
No. Neither Outlook desktop, Outlook on the web, nor the new Outlook renders Markdown syntax. Pasted # and ** characters stay visible as plain text. Convert to HTML first and paste the rich-text result.
Why does my pasted email show ** and ## characters?
Those are raw Markdown markers. Outlook treats pasted text as plain text or rich text, never as Markdown source, so the markers are not interpreted. Converting first replaces them with real bold text and headings.
What does Copy Rich actually copy?
It writes the generated HTML to the clipboard with an HTML mime type. Outlook reads that on paste and inserts formatted content — the same way a paste from Word carries formatting.
Will the formatting survive Outlook desktop and Outlook on the web?
Yes, because every style is inlined on each element. Outlook desktop uses Word's rendering engine and strips <style> blocks, but it keeps inline styles on headings, paragraphs, lists, and links.

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