Typora

ApplicationTypora

Also called typora editor, typora markdown

TyporaProductivity

A WYSIWYG Markdown editor. The process is Typora.exe. It is not Visual Studio Code.

What you need to know

Typora is a WYSIWYG Markdown window. VS Code is a general editor.

Typora.exe hides the source by default. Code.exe is Visual Studio Code. Installing VS Code does not provide a Typora license.

What is it?: Markdown editor
Still current?: Yes, see Current status
Official download?: Use the vendor link in this article

Feex says

If Typora.exe will not save, I would check the license and the .md path. I would not open Code.exe to activate Typora.

What is Typora?

Typora is a focused Markdown editor. Typora.exe opens .md files in a live preview canvas. Visual Studio Code is Code.exe and a general editor that can preview Markdown as a side feature.

If you have never used it

If you want to write Markdown and see formatted text in the same pane, this is Typora, not VS Code. Download it from typora.io. After 1.0 it is a paid editor. Code.exe is Microsoft's editor with a preview pane and extensions. Typora is not a programming IDE.

What is it used for?

Live Markdown writing

Type in a formatted view. VS Code shows source first unless you open a preview.

Export to PDF or Word

Typora export themes. That is not a pandoc task you configure in a VS Code terminal.

Open a folder of notes

A file tree for Markdown. It is not an Obsidian vault plugin host and not a VS Code workspace of languages.

Who is it for?

Writers who want Markdown without a source pane
People willing to pay for Typora 1.x
Anyone who should not install VS Code expecting this exact canvas

Current status

Actively developed as a paid Windows app. Older unrestricted betas are not the current license.

How old is it?

Typora's beta began around 2015 as a free WYSIWYG Markdown experiment. Version 1.0 in 2021 introduced paid licenses. VS Code launched in 2015 as a different Microsoft product. They are not the same Markdown story.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Typora 1.x (paid)

Legacy beta

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	A current supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, per the vendor
RAM	Enough for Windows plus this app. Heavy projects want more.

Resource profile

CPU demand: Follows what you open inside the app
RAM demand: Follows documents, tabs, or libraries

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
Typora.exe	Markdown editor window

Startup components

Typora starts when you open a .md file. It should not start with Windows unless you added a shortcut.

File locations

Common Typora locations
Typical install	C:\Program Files\Typora\Typora.exe

File formats

MDHTMLPDFDOCX

Common problems

License nag after the beta era

Typora 1.x expects a paid seat. That is not a VS Code license and not a Windows activation issue.

People edit the same .md in both apps

Two writers on one file can overwrite. Pick one editor for that note.

Getting unstuck

Buy or restore the license from typora.io, not a key shop

A "Typora crack" is malware. VS Code is free and a different product.

Install from typora.io

A "Markdown WYSIWYG" search ad is the wrong file.

If you needed extensions and a terminal, use VS Code

That is a product choice. Repairing Typora will not add a debugging console.

Alternatives

VS Code, Obsidian, and Mark Text overlap. VS Code is the sibling this article is not. Obsidian is a vault.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	typora.io/ Official installer or vendor page
Help	support.typora.io/ Vendor support
Official site	typora.io/ Start here, not a random exe host

Related hardware

Markdown editing is light. Huge generated .md files want RAM, not a GPU.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

Typora official site · Vendor product page
Typora help · Vendor support
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

Was this article useful?

A yes or no is enough. Pick a reason if you want, or add a short note.