Releases

This page tracks the public release history of NotepadMD.

Release Timeline

Version 1.5

NotepadMD 1.5 is a major feature release centred on document navigation and linking. It introduces a full table-of-contents system, a vastly enhanced linking workflow with cross-document section links, a new Insert menu, and scroll position persistence across tab switches.

Highlights

• Table of Contents: Insert auto-generating TOC blocks into your documents via the slash menu or Insert menu. TOCs support multiple marker formats ([TOC], [[TOC]], [[toc]], [[_TOC_]], ``), configurable heading level ranges (H1–H6), and live-refresh as you edit headings. Exported documents include TOCs in Word (with TOC fields and bookmarks), HTML, and plaintext formats. Our primary tag is [TOC]. Contents tables have a configurable TOC heading level range (default H2–H6). Scroll-past-end spacer for visual breathing room at document end. Scoped Ctrl+A selects within the current block instead of the entire document. Wrapped-line right-click now hit-tests correctly. Deleting an empty heading drops it to a paragraph. Improved link labels and file-link modal text.
• Cross-Document Section Links: Link to specific headings in other files using wiki syntax ([[filename#Heading Name]]). The wiki menu now includes a Headings sub-menu showing all headings in the active document. Supports Obsidian-style resolution, so [[#Section Name]] links navigate within and across documents.
• Heading Auto-Identifiers: Headings can carry stable anchor IDs ({#h-xxxxxx}) that survive heading text edits. When linking to headings, choose from four styles: GitHub slug (e.g., #my-heading), HeaderId (stable anchor), Obsidian slug (raw heading text), or "Ask Every Time" (default). Configure your preference in Settings.
• Friendly Link Aliases: Wiki links now support custom display text. A link to [[filename#Heading|My Friendly Label]] renders as clickable text "My Friendly Label" that navigates to the target heading. Link descriptions can be edited after insertion.
• Insert Menu: New top-bar menu between Edit and View with quick-access flyouts for Tables, Table of Contents, Links, Images, Code Blocks (with language picker), Callouts, Quote Blocks, and Breaks (Section/Page). Reuses the same sub-components as the slash menu for consistent behaviour.
• Scroll Position Persistence: Switching between file tabs now preserves and instantly restores your scroll position. Navigation via TOC links and wiki section links also captures and restores the exact scroll position when using Back, so you return to where you clicked the link.
• Enhanced Wiki Link Workflow: The wiki link picker now resolves links from unsaved ("dirty") documents by saving the target first. Duplicate file link targets are handled correctly.
• Editor Quality-of-Life: Scroll-past-end spacer for visual breathing room at document end. Scoped Ctrl+A selects within the current block instead of the entire document. Wrapped-line right-click now hit-tests correctly. Deleting an empty heading drops it to a paragraph. Improved link labels and file-link modal text.

Fixes And Improvements

• Fixed text selection being lost when mouseup lands outside the editable area.
• Fixed clipboard copy with overlapping selection ranges.
• Fixed wiki menu errors and link style confirmation dialog.
• Fixed wiki links resolving within the active workspace for unsaved documents.
• Fixed first-run flags for existing workspaces.
• Fixed modal z-index so zoom panel sits above tab bar.
• Fixed window controls remaining accessible during first-run wizard and other modals.
• Fixed Linux sidebar rendering and open-file dialogue.
• Fixed Windows Save As behaviour for certain display types.
• Improved startup render time on the Photino host.

Version 1.4

NotepadMD 1.4 is a workflow and polish release focused on a major app appearance overhaul, a new find and replace panel, back/forward navigation history, and improvements to file linking.

Highlights

• Redesigned the application shell with a new custom title bar and menu bar (AppTopBar), replacing the legacy toolbar. The menu bar provides a consistent File/Edit/View/Help structure with Alt-key activation, keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+N, Ctrl+Shift+S), and OS-aware "chrome-less" UI.
• Added a full find and replace panel with multi-scope search across open files, the active folder, or all open folders. Results show sticky file headers, a 150-character context window centred on each match with highlighted match text, and per-line match rows. Scope, filters, and sub-folder recursion depth are all configurable.
• Added back and forward navigation history. The title bar now shows Back and Forward buttons (Alt+Left / Alt+Right), tracking every file switch, persisting history across sessions, reopening previously closed files when navigating back, and pruning stale entries automatically.
• Improved file link pickers to show relative folder paths alongside each filename, so links between files in different sub-folders are easier to identify. Search in the link picker now matches against both filename and folder path.

Fixes And Improvements

• Fixed link toolbar flyout overlapping adjacent controls.
• Fixed callout title blocks to enter edit mode on click.
• Fixed ZWSP-aware markdown offset calculation for more reliable block-level cursor placement.
• Fixed C# auto formatting rules, better handling of modern C# such as single line autoprops
• Fixed inline element exit behavior, added Ctrl + Space shortcut to exit inline blocks
• Fixed wiki links to store relative targets rather than absolute paths, and scoped the file link list to the active folder.

Version 1.3

NotepadMD 1.3 is a feature and platform release focused on a major code block overhaul, new editing workflows for block separators, copy and callouts, RTF paste support, stronger database encryption, and the first publicly distributed Linux builds.

Highlights

• Encrypted backing database for data security. The source files on disk are not affected by this, it's just that the state we store about files and in flight changes will now be encrypted.
• Overhauled the code block experience with language badge display, syntax theme picker, toggleable line numbers, and in-block code layout formatter.
• Added a block separator button and Ctrl+Return shortcut for inserting new paragraphs between hard blocks like code blocks, tables, and images, with a styled return-key indicator for discoverability.
• Improved callout and blockquote editing with flyout filtering, smaller open-quote styling, better backspace and delete behavior, and improved pointer event handling around block controls.
• Added a Copy Document button to the editor status bar with multiple copy format options, including a right-click context menu for quick access.
• Added RTF paste support on desktop, allowing richer clipboard content to be converted into Markdown on paste.

Fixes And Improvements

• Fixed a broad set of pre-release editor issues including separator caret safety, Ctrl+Shift+Return handling, delete key protection at block boundaries, race condition guards, and a fix for disappearing nested list items when toggling task mode.
• Added version and delete labels to document tabs, and a Close option to the tab context menu.
• Fixed the licence prompt appearing incorrectly on application restart.
• Fixed image submit clearing the slash trigger text and prevented auto-mode-switch for external image URLs.
• Resolved blurry sidebar text on Linux caused by CSS transforms in WebKitGTK, and suppressed duplicate dialog triggers from WebKitGTK keyboard accelerators.

Platform And Release Work

• Shipped the first Linux distribution builds with support for AppImage (with auto-update), Snap, and Flatpak packaging, though only AppImage to be published at the moment. Added Linux-specific drive filtering, build scripts, and submission guides.
• Updated the security policy, web documentation, and user guide to reflect the new features and platform support.

Known Issues

• On Linux, some AppImage installation or integration methods other than Gear Lever can launch NotepadMD successfully but fail to display the running application icon correctly in the dock, taskbar, or app switcher. For the best installed AppImage experience, integrate the app with Gear Lever.

Version 1.2

NotepadMD 1.2 is a quality and workflow release focused on editor polish, better image and link handling, improved file dialog behavior, stronger startup performance work, and a more robust release pipeline.

Highlights

• Added a much stronger image workflow in the editor, including inline image support, image actions in the editor menus, better image context actions, improved image input options, dimension preservation, and better keyboard behavior around images.
• Improved link handling with better bare URL detection, multi-line tooltips, right-click editing, and clearer feedback when navigation fails.
• Upgraded the desktop file and folder selection experience with native Windows file dialog support and several usability improvements to the Open Folder flow.
• Improved page break and section editing with better parsing, export behavior, copy/paste handling, and keyboard navigation.
• Added more front matter safeguards, including empty-front-matter prevention, automatic cleanup when properties are removed, and a cleaner Delete All experience.

Fixes And Improvements

• Fixed a broad set of editor issues around image paste, image navigation, callout backspace behavior, undo/focus handling, quoted URL typing, and trailing-space rendering.
• Improved folder and explorer behavior, including clearer Close vs Delete actions in folder context menus, better icons, always-visible explorer folders, and persisted bug report settings.
• Resolved additional EULA formatting and display issues, along with a wider round of pre-release bug fixes and test coverage improvements.
• Hardened production builds by minifying JavaScript in release output.
• Continued startup and maintainability work in the editor by extracting shared TypeScript helpers and splitting large editor responsibilities into smaller components.

Platform And Release Work

• Expanded cross-platform groundwork for Linux builds, packaging, WSL debugging, and distribution automation. This release includes substantial behind-the-scenes pipeline work to support future Linux distribution more reliably.
• Improved packaging, deployment, and release-version handling across the installer and pipeline flow.
• Added more automated coverage for the new editor behaviors and release-critical regressions.

Version 1.1

NotepadMD 1.1 is a workflow and distribution release focused on better export options, stronger desktop file handling, improved onboarding, and a more reliable installer and release pipeline.

Highlights

• Added richer document export workflows, including Word-oriented export improvements, template support, syntax highlighting, callout styling, and Mermaid chart export.
• Improved desktop file and folder workflows with better Save As behavior, folder-selection polish, auto-extension handling, and stronger open/save safety checks.
• Reworked the explorer and sidebar experience with filtering, collapse and expand controls, better keyboard navigation, and improved session persistence.
• Added the first-run wizard and refined the settings and identity experience so new installs are easier to understand and configure.

Fixes And Improvements

• Fixed dirty-state regressions, save/close edge cases, link-picker race conditions, and several review-comment workflow issues.
• Improved table editing and keyboard navigation, strengthened image paste handling, and continued editor stabilization work.
• Published the first public Security page and shipped deeper local security hardening, including encrypted LiteDB storage and stronger HMAC replay protection.

Platform And Release Work

• Replaced the legacy installer flow with Velopack and added first-launch migration for users moving from older install packaging.
• Refreshed the packaging and deployment pipeline so local installer builds and release publication are more reliable.
• Added support and installer documentation updates to match the new release flow.

Version 1.0

NotepadMD 1.0 was the initial public release of the application: a Markdown-first desktop editor built around readable source files, block-based editing, and fast everyday writing workflows.

Core Editing

• Block-based editing for paragraphs, headings, bullet lists, numbered lists, task lists, blockquotes, callouts, tables, code blocks, links, images, and footnotes.
• A slash menu and Markdown-friendly auto-formatting shortcuts for faster authoring.
• Raw Markdown round-tripping designed to keep documents readable outside the app.
• File and folder workflows with tabs, auto-save support, themes, and local-first document handling.

Advanced Markdown Features

• Mermaid diagram support for richer technical writing.
• Front matter editing, wiki links, and a strong set of Markdown authoring features for structured documents.
• Review comments stored in Markdown-friendly syntax rather than HTML-heavy markup.
• Smart Paste and other editor workflow features aimed at turning pasted or structured content into clean Markdown.

Initial Release Scope

• Initial Windows desktop release.
• Signed distribution and the first public marketing/documentation website.
• The foundation for ongoing Pro workflows, licensing, and future cross-platform distribution work.