Markdown Mode for Jira

Support and documentation

How to install and use Markdown Mode for Jira, answers to common questions, known limitations and how to reach us.

1. Installation

Markdown Mode for Jira is installed from the Atlassian Marketplace by a Jira site administrator:

1. In Jira Cloud, open Settings (gear icon) → Apps → Explore more apps.
2. Search for Markdown Mode for Jira and choose Get app.
3. Review the requested permissions (read:jira-work, write:jira-work) and confirm.

After installation, every user of the site sees the two actions in the issue ••• (Actions) menu. There is nothing to configure. Administrators can disable or uninstall the app under Settings → Apps → Manage apps. Uninstalling removes nothing from your issues: everything saved with the app is ordinary Jira content.

2. Getting started

1. Open any Jira issue (new issue view).
2. Click ••• (Actions) at the top right of the issue.
3. Choose Edit in Markdown (description) or Comment in Markdown (new comment, or edit one of your own).
4. Write or paste Markdown. The preview shows exactly what Jira will display.
5. Press Save description or Add comment, or Cmd/Ctrl+Enter.

Layout buttons: Markdown (editor only), Split and Preview. Copy as Markdown copies the whole text; in the comment list, each comment has its own Copy as Markdown.

If your browser blocks copying, a box opens with the text already selected: press Cmd+C (Mac) or Ctrl+C (Windows, Linux).

3. Keyboard shortcuts (inside the editor)

4. Markdown reference

The app supports standard CommonMark plus GitHub tables, task lists (- [ ]), strikethrough (~~) and autolinks. Jira-only elements are written as short tags:

By default, a single line break inside a paragraph becomes a space (CommonMark). Tick Single line breaks are kept (GitHub style) to keep them as line breaks.

5. FAQ

Why not a Markdown toggle inside the Jira editor?

Atlassian does not let apps replace or extend the built-in editor (see JRACLOUD-72631). The app opens a focused editor from the issue ••• menu and writes straight into the native description and comment fields.

Do other people need the app to read what I write?

No. The app saves normal Jira content. Everyone sees ordinary Jira formatting in the issue, in e-mails and in the mobile apps.

What happens to mentions, status lozenges, panels, dates and emoji?

They are shown as short tags, for example :status[IN REVIEW]{color="blue"} or :::panel{type="info"}, which you can edit. They are saved back exactly as they were.

What about attachments, images, macros and layouts?

Anything Markdown cannot represent is kept as a protected block and saved back unchanged. You can move it, but not edit its inside.

Can I paste output from ChatGPT, Claude or GitHub?

Yes. CommonMark plus GitHub tables, task lists, strikethrough and autolinks are supported. The preview shows the exact Jira result before you save.

Is there a keyboard shortcut to open it?

Jira does not let apps register global shortcuts in the issue view today. Inside the editor, see keyboard shortcuts.

Where is my data stored? Do you see my issues?

Nowhere outside Jira. The app has no backend: it runs in your browser inside Jira and calls the Jira API as you. We (PPFTEC S.R.L.) never receive your issue content. The only thing kept is two display preferences (layout and line-break mode) in your browser's local storage. See the privacy policy.

What permissions does it need?

Read and write Jira work items (read:jira-work, write:jira-work). It can only do what you can already do: if you cannot edit an issue, the editor opens read-only.

What if two people edit the same description?

Before saving, the app checks whether the description changed since you opened it and lets you reload or overwrite.

How much does it cost?

Every Jira Cloud site gets a 30-day free trial through the Atlassian Marketplace. After that it is $0.60 per user per month: sites with up to 10 users pay a flat $6 per month, and per-user rates go down above 100 users. Billing is handled by Atlassian; see the pricing tab on the app's Marketplace listing for the full table.

6. Troubleshooting

"Read-only: your Jira permissions do not allow editing this issue"

You need the Jira permission to edit the issue (or to add comments). Ask your Jira administrator.

"Someone changed this description after you opened it"

Choose Reload (lose my edits) or Overwrite.

"Markdown Mode for Jira needs an active subscription"

The site's subscription has lapsed. A Jira administrator can renew it under Settings → Apps → Manage apps.

The actions are missing

The app works in the new issue view on Jira Cloud. Ask your administrator whether the app is installed and enabled.

7. Known limitations

• Jira Cloud only, in the new issue view. Jira Data Center and Server are not supported.
• Tested on team-managed Jira Software spaces. Company-managed spaces and Jira Service Management have not been tested yet.
• The app cannot add a Markdown mode inside Jira's own editor, and it cannot add a global keyboard shortcut to open the editor. It opens from the issue ••• menu.
• Comment in Markdown edits only your own comments.
• Tags for Jira-only elements (for example :status[…]) are not standard Markdown. Other Markdown tools show them as plain text.
• Attachments, macros and layouts are kept as protected blocks: they can be moved, not edited, in Markdown.
• The editor can take a few seconds to open the first time.

8. Contact

• E-mail: support@ppftec.com
• Support is provided by e-mail on business days, on a best-effort basis.
• Security reports: support@ppftec.com (see security.txt)
• Privacy policy · Terms

Please don't send issue content with personal data unless it is needed to reproduce a problem.

Provided by PPFTEC S.R.L., Romania.