Editor view modes

Every note can open in one of three modes: Rich, Preview, or Raw. Use the editor mode switch in the toolbar to change modes for the current note.

The three modes

Rich

Rich is the visual editor. You write with formatted text, the ribbon (bold, italic, color, highlight, link), and slash commands. Embeds such as Mermaid, HTML, and SVG need Run preview on the block after you edit their code.

Reach for Rich when you draft, format, paste images, extract selections to new notes, or insert structure from the slash menu.

Preview

Preview is read-only. Glyph renders Markdown, math, callouts, diagrams, and embeds for reading. You do not edit text in this mode.

Use Preview to proof a note, read long pages, or check how Mermaid, HTML, SVG, and math look without editing controls in the way. Embeds render without a separate Run preview click.

Raw

Raw (Raw Markdown) shows the plain Markdown source. You edit the text of the file. Vim Mode, when enabled in Settings, applies only here.

Use Raw for precise source edits, bulk find-and-replace in Markdown, wiki-link typing, or Vim motions and operators.

Switch modes

1. Open a note.
2. Use the Editor mode control in the toolbar.
3. Choose Rich, Preview, or Raw.

You can also use the commands Rich Mode, Preview Mode, and Raw Mode from the command palette.

The mode sticks for the current note session as you work. To change how notes open by default, use the setting below.

Default editor mode

Open Settings → General → Default editor mode.

Options:

• Rich (editing): open ready to write
• Preview (read-only): open for reading
• Raw Markdown: open on the source

Pick the mode you use most. You can still switch any open note from the toolbar.

Large notes

On large notes, the mode switch may show May be slow on large notes. Rich mode does more work to present the document. If the editor feels heavy, switch to Raw or Preview for that note, or split content across smaller files.

Find in every mode

Press ⌘/Ctrl+F to find text in Rich, Preview, and Raw. Search works in all three modes so you can locate a phrase without changing how you view the note.

When to use each

Switch modes when the task changes. Keep Default editor mode aligned with your usual first step when you open a note.