How to Write Markdown in Confluence: Step-by-Step Tutorial
Confluence does not have a built-in Markdown editor. The native editor is WYSIWYG only — you can't write in Markdown syntax. But many developers and technical teams prefer Markdown for documentation.
This tutorial shows how to add Markdown editing to Confluence so you can write in Markdown and have it render as standard Confluence content.
Does Confluence support Markdown?
No, Confluence does not natively support Markdown editing. The Confluence editor is a rich-text (WYSIWYG) editor. However, you can add Markdown support with a Marketplace app.
Step-by-step: Write Markdown in Confluence
Step 1: Install Enhanced Markdown
Go to Enhanced Markdown for Confluence on the Atlassian Marketplace and click Get it now. The app installs directly into your Confluence Cloud instance.
Enhanced Markdown is free for up to 10 users.
Step 2: Open a Confluence page
Navigate to the page where you want to write Markdown and click Edit.
Step 3: Insert the macro
Type /enhanced markdown in the Confluence editor and select the Enhanced Markdown macro from the dropdown.
Step 4: Write your Markdown
The macro opens a Markdown editor. Write using standard Markdown syntax:
# Heading 1
## Heading 2
This is a paragraph with **bold text**, *italic text*, and `inline code`.
### Lists
- Unordered item 1
- Unordered item 2
- Nested item
1. Ordered item 1
2. Ordered item 2
### Code blocks
```python
def hello():
print("Hello, Confluence!")
Tables
| Feature | Supported |
|---|---|
| Headings | Yes |
| Tables | Yes |
| Code blocks | Yes |
Task lists
- Install Enhanced Markdown
- Write documentation
- Share with team
Enhanced Markdown supports **CommonMark** and **GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM)**, including:
- Headings (H1–H6)
- Bold, italic, strikethrough
- Ordered and unordered lists
- Fenced code blocks with syntax highlighting
- Tables
- Task lists (checkboxes)
- Links and images
- Blockquotes
- Horizontal rules
### Step 5: Switch to WYSIWYG mode
Click the mode toggle to switch to **WYSIWYG mode**. In this mode you see the rendered result as you type — similar to Typora or Notion. You can also edit directly in WYSIWYG mode if you prefer.
### Step 6: Save
Click **Publish** or **Save**. The Markdown content renders as standard Confluence content. This means:
- **Exports work** — PDF and Word exports include the rendered content
- **Search works** — Confluence search indexes the content
- **Permissions work** — normal page permissions apply
- **Mentions and links work** — @mentions and Confluence links render normally
## What about inline Markdown in the Confluence editor?
Confluence's native editor does support a few Markdown shortcuts:
- Type `#` + space at the start of a line for a heading
- Type `-` + space for a bullet list
- Type `1.` + space for a numbered list
- Type `---` for a horizontal rule
But these are limited shortcuts, not full Markdown editing. For full Markdown support (tables, code blocks, task lists), you need Enhanced Markdown.
## Enhanced Markdown vs native Confluence editor
| Feature | Native Editor | Enhanced Markdown |
|---------|--------------|-------------------|
| Editing mode | WYSIWYG only | Raw Markdown + WYSIWYG |
| Markdown tables | No | Yes |
| Fenced code blocks | No | Yes |
| Task lists (checkboxes) | Partial | Yes |
| Syntax highlighting in code | No | Yes |
| PlantUML diagrams | No | Yes |
| Charts | No | Yes |
| Copy-paste from GitHub | Stripped | Renders correctly |
## Use cases
- **Developer documentation** — write docs in Markdown, the format developers know
- **API documentation** — fenced code blocks with syntax highlighting for endpoints
- **Knowledge base** — import existing Markdown files into Confluence
- **Meeting notes** — quick Markdown formatting without reaching for the mouse
- **README pages** — paste README.md content directly into Confluence
## Related resources
- [Enhanced Markdown — marketplace](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1232856/enhanced-markdown-for-confluence?hosting=cloud&tab=overview) | [documentation](/docs/Enhanced-Markdown-for-Confluence/usage)
- [Confluence Markdown vs WYSIWYG FAQ](/blog/faq-confluence-markdown-vs-wysiwyg)
- [Confluence Markdown editor FAQ](/blog/faq-confluence-markdown-editor)
- [Confluence Markdown editor comparison](/blog/confluence-markdown-editor-comparison)
- [Best Confluence apps for developers](/blog/best-confluence-apps-developers)