The short answer. Quick Look extensions each cover one file type, so the right question is which file type you open most. If you read Markdown, the three options here differ in what they render: FluxMarkdown handles Mermaid diagrams, maths and a table of contents; Markdown Quick Look renders the page with syntax highlighting and little else; QLMarkdown shows the source with line numbers and wrapping instead of a rendered page. If you open CSV or TSV files, CSV Quick Look adds sorting and filtering to the preview. If you preview source files, Syntax Highlight makes them readable without opening an editor. And if you want to see inside a .torrent before opening it, Torrent Preview reads the file list and trackers. Install one per file type — two extensions claiming the same type is the failure mode this category has.
This guide covers 6 quick look plugins for macOS. Every fact below is drawn from the same verified records that back each app’s own page. The recommendations are our editorial judgment, not payment.
Quick comparison
| App | What it is | Pricing | Licence | Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSV Quick Look | file utility | Open source | MIT | 1.0.2 |
| FluxMarkdown | system tool | Open source | GPL-3.0 | 1.34.475 |
| markdown-quicklook | system tool | Open source | MIT | 2.1.0 |
| QLMarkdown | system tool | Open source | GPL-3.0 | 1.5.7 |
| Syntax Highlight | system tool | Open source | GPL-3.0 | 2.1.32 |
| Torrent Preview | system tool | Open source | MIT | 1.0 |
What actually decides this
- One file type per extension. Each of these covers a specific type and does nothing for the others. This is not a limitation to work around; it is what makes the category simple — decide by the file you open most.
- Rendered, or the source. A Markdown preview can show the rendered page or the source with line numbers. Both are called “Markdown preview”, and they answer different needs: reading, versus checking what you wrote.
- Two extensions, one file type. The most common failure here. macOS lets several extensions claim the same type and the winner is not always the one you installed last, so the preview you get may not be the one you chose.
- Extensions have to be enabled. Installing one is not the same as turning it on. Quick Look extensions are managed in System Settings, and a plugin that appears to do nothing is usually one that was never enabled.
- What the extension renders is not editable. Quick Look is a preview. None of these edit the file, and expecting a preview pane to replace an editor is a category error rather than a missing feature.
Our picks
- FluxMarkdown — Its record lists Mermaid, KaTeX, GFM, a table of contents and charts, which is the widest rendering scope here. Choose it when the Markdown contains diagrams, maths or a table of contents.
- QLMarkdown — Its record describes line numbers, word wrap options and tab replacement, which are source-viewing features rather than rendering ones. Choose it when you want the Markdown source with line numbers rather than a rendered page.
- markdown-quicklook — Its record describes rendered previews with syntax highlighting and a menu bar toggle, which is the narrow version. Choose it when you want rendered Markdown with syntax highlighting and nothing more.
- CSV Quick Look — Its record lists virtual scrolling, sorting, filtering and dark mode, which turn the preview into something you can inspect rather than merely see. Choose it when you open CSV files often and want to sort and filter before importing them.
- Syntax Highlight — Its stated scope is highlighting source code files in Quick Look. Choose it when you preview source files and want them readable without opening an editor.
- Torrent Preview — Its record describes a file list with sizes, the total size and file count, the tracker list and the torrent’s metadata. Choose it when you want to see what is inside a torrent before opening it.
The apps
CSV Quick Look
CSV Quick Look is a file utility for macOS. Quick Look extension for CSV and TSV files with virtual scrolling, sorting, filtering, and dark mode. It is released under MIT.
What it does. macOS QuickLook extension for CSV & TSV files — virtual scroll, sort, filter, dark mode.
CSV Quick Look is listed with current version 1.0.2.
Full profile and verified facts for CSV Quick Look →
FluxMarkdown
FluxMarkdown is a system tool for macOS. Quick Look extension for Markdown previews with Mermaid, KaTeX, GFM, TOC, and charts. It is released under GPL-3.0.
What it does. Markdown Preview Enhanced for macOS QuickLook.
FluxMarkdown is listed with current version 1.34.475.
Full profile and verified facts for FluxMarkdown →
markdown-quicklook
markdown-quicklook is a system tool for macOS. Quick Look plugin for rendered Markdown previews with syntax highlighting. It is released under MIT.
What it does. Quick Look preview for Markdown files on macOS + menu bar toggle.
markdown-quicklook is listed with current version 2.1.0.
Full profile and verified facts for markdown-quicklook →
QLMarkdown
QLMarkdown is a system tool for macOS. Quick Look extension for Markdown files. -. It is released under GPL-3.0.
What it does. Line numbers visibility. Word wrap options. Tabs replacements.
QLMarkdown is listed with current version 1.5.7.
Full profile and verified facts for QLMarkdown →
Syntax Highlight
Syntax Highlight is a system tool for macOS. Quick Look extension for highlight source code files. -. It is released under GPL-3.0.
What it does. Installation. Enable the Quick Look extension. File format management. Application settings.
Syntax Highlight is listed with current version 2.1.32.
Full profile and verified facts for Syntax Highlight →
Torrent Preview
Torrent Preview is a system tool for macOS. Quick Look extension for previewing .torrent files, trackers, and metadata. It is released under MIT.
What it does. File list with sizes and type-specific icons. Total size, file count, and piece info. Tracker list. Metadata: creation date, creator, comments, info hash.
Torrent Preview is listed with current version 1.0.
Full profile and verified facts for Torrent Preview →
How to choose
- No licence fee, source available. CSV Quick Look, FluxMarkdown, markdown-quicklook, QLMarkdown, Syntax Highlight and Torrent Preview — the source can be read and, under the terms of each licence, reused.
Open source: CSV Quick Look, FluxMarkdown, markdown-quicklook, QLMarkdown, Syntax Highlight and Torrent Preview (6 of 6).
Common mistakes
- Installing two extensions for the same file type. Only one wins the preview and it is not necessarily the one you meant.
- Installing an extension and assuming it is active. Quick Look extensions are enabled in System Settings, and an inactive one looks identical to a broken one.
- Expecting a rendered preview when you installed a source viewer, or the reverse. Both are called Markdown preview and they show different things.
- Treating Quick Look as an editor. It is a preview surface, and nothing here writes to the file.
How this guide was put together
Each app’s facts come from its own record: the developer’s own pages and repository, the App Store listing where one exists, and the documentation, each with a source grade and an access date. Where a fact rests on the developer’s own statement rather than on something we verified independently, the sentence says so. Where our data has no value for something, the guide says “not published” instead of guessing.
A price appears here only where the record carries one from a stated source; the guide never estimates one, and it records the pricing model alongside so the two can be read together. Prices change and vary by region, so each app links to its own page for the current detail.
The facts and the recommendations are kept apart on purpose. Everything in the app entries, the comparison table and the answers above is composed from the records. The short answer, the criteria and the picks are our editorial judgment: they reflect what we would choose and why, and they are not paid for. Where we make a recommendation we name the condition it applies under, because we do not call anything “the best” without explaining the criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose between these quick look plugins?
There is no single answer — it depends on what you need. This guide covers 6 quick look plugins: CSV Quick Look, FluxMarkdown, markdown-quicklook, QLMarkdown, Syntax Highlight and Torrent Preview. They differ mainly in pricing model, licence and the trade-offs each one carries. Pick by the trade-off you care about rather than by rank.
Are these quick look plugins free?
Pricing across this group: open source (CSV Quick Look, FluxMarkdown, markdown-quicklook, QLMarkdown, Syntax Highlight and Torrent Preview). We quote a price only where the record carries one from a stated source, and we never estimate one. Prices change and vary by region and by store, so always check the developer’s own page for the current figure.
Which of these quick look plugins are open source?
CSV Quick Look (MIT), FluxMarkdown (GPL-3.0), markdown-quicklook (MIT), QLMarkdown (GPL-3.0), Syntax Highlight (GPL-3.0) and Torrent Preview (MIT) are open source.
Do these quick look plugins support Apple Silicon?
Our data does not carry an explicit Apple Silicon statement for any app in this group, so we do not claim one. The absence of a statement is not the same as the absence of support.
How do I choose between them?
Start with how you pay: the guide groups these apps by pricing model, because the budget is the constraint most people actually have. Then check the trade-offs listed for each app: the limitations are the part that decides most people’s choice, because they describe what the app will not do for you.
