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EPUB Export

Marked exports fully compliant EPUB files from your Markdown preview—styled with the same built-in and custom themes you use on screen, and readable in Apple Books, Kobo, and other standard EPUB readers.

The typical workflow is preview first, export EPUB second: open or compile your document in Marked, choose a theme, proofread in the live preview, then export when the book is ready.

Exporting an EPUB

Open the Export Panel (⇧+⌘+E) or use Save as from the gear menu and choose EPUB.

The EPUB save dialog lets you set:

  • Title — defaults to MultiMarkdown metadata or the filename
  • Author — defaults to your macOS user name; the last author you enter is remembered for the next export
  • Date — ISO format; editable at save time
  • Cover image — optional PNG or JPG; Marked generates a default cover preview when none is set

Marked embeds local images in the EPUB and can download remote images so the finished file is self-contained. Exported EPUBs are validated as well-formed XHTML before saving, producing files that meet EPUB standards for distribution and accessibility.

See Export Profiles to save EPUB metadata and export settings for repeat use.

Styling with built-in themes

The preview style selected for your document drives EPUB appearance. Every built-in Marked theme—Swiss, GitHub, Manuscript, and the rest—can be applied to EPUB export.

  1. Choose a style from the Preview window style menu (or set a default in Marked Settings, Style pane).
  2. Review typography, headings, code blocks, and images in the live preview.
  3. Export to EPUB — Marked bundles the theme’s CSS into the EPUB package.

Marked also applies export-specific CSS on top of your preview theme so elements like footnotes, tables, and syntax-highlighted code blocks render correctly in e-readers. Outline-mode documents use outline-optimized export styles; Leanpub Book.txt indexes use Leanpub-oriented export styling automatically.

EPUB readers ignore some web-only CSS (fixed positioning, viewport tricks, etc.). What you see in Marked's preview is the goal, but e-reader layout engines may simplify spacing and fonts. Test in Apple Books or your target reader before publishing.

Styling with custom themes

Custom Styles work the same way for EPUB as for preview and PDF:

  • Add CSS files in Marked Settings, Style pane or the Style Manager.
  • Select the custom theme before exporting.
  • Marked embeds your stylesheet in the exported EPUB.

Tips for EPUB-friendly custom CSS:

  • Keep layouts fluid—use relative units and max-width: 100% on images (#wrapper img { max-width: 100%; } is a good baseline).
  • Avoid @media print rules for ebook styling; EPUB uses the main screen styles plus Marked’s export stylesheet.
  • Dark Mode inversion in preview uses @media screen queries; most EPUB readers use the light stylesheet unless the reader app applies its own dark theme.
  • Use Additional CSS in Style settings to tweak all themes at once (for example, uniform body font size across exports).

For authoring guidance, see Creating Custom CSS.

Syntax highlighting and math

If Include syntax highlighting in export is enabled in Marked Settings, Export pane, code blocks export with the same syntax colors as your preview. Math rendered with MathJax is included in the EPUB as appropriate for e-reader support.

Metadata in your source file

You can set EPUB metadata in the document instead of the save dialog. At the top of a Markdown file (or in a Scrivener metadata page), use MultiMarkdown-style keys: 

title: Your Document Title
author: Your Name
cover image: path/to/image.jpg

cover image accepts a path relative to the document or an absolute path. PNG and JPG are supported. Dialog values override or fill in missing metadata at export time.

Multi-file books

For long works, compile chapters with Multi-File Documents—index files, Scrivener exports, Leanpub Book.txt, or GitBook-style indexes. Marked watches included files, previews the full book, and exports one EPUB from the compiled HTML.

Headings in the compiled document become the EPUB table of contents for navigation in Apple Books and other readers.

Reading and publishing

Exported EPUBs open directly in Apple Books (double-click the file or use File → Add to Library). They also work in Kobo, Thorium, Calibre, and most EPUB 3-compatible apps.

Apple Books

Drag an exported .epub onto the Books app or add it through File → Import. Custom typography and cover art from your Marked theme carry through. Use Apple Books on Mac, iPad, or iPhone to verify layout before sharing.

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)

EPUB is an accepted upload format for Kindle Direct Publishing. Export from Marked and upload the .epub file; Amazon converts it for Kindle delivery. KDP also accepts DOCX. See Amazon’s supported eBook formats for current requirements.

MOBI is not required for new KDP titles. Marked does not export MOBI.

Optional: preview Kindle layout with Amazon’s free Kindle Previewer before uploading.

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