In Ulysses, you use markup tags to define text elements such as headings, lists, images, links, and more. By default, Ulysses uses its own markup language called “Markdown XL.” You can learn more about Markdown XL in our detailed guide. 

In this article we want to explain how you can apply a different markup, customize your own markup on Mac and which options you have to make the markup barely visible in the editor.

Apply a Different Markup

Here's how to change the markup language of your sheet:

Mac

1. Select one or multiple sheets in the sheet list.
2. Go to Edit › Convert Markup.
3. Choose one of the other markups from the list.
   

   

All sheets you had selected, and all new sheets created from now on will use this new markup.

iPad/iPhone

1. Open a sheet you wish to convert to a new markup. Tap the circled ellipses in the upper right corner and select Customize Editor.
2. Tap Markup and select your preferred markup.
   
   

   

   
    
3. This will prompt a dialog box, which you need to confirm by tapping Convert. All new sheets created from now on will use this new markup.

Customize Your Markup (Mac only)

Markdown is excellent for focused and productive writing, but it might occasionally interfere with the specifics of your writing task. 

Let's assume you need to use the [square brackets] without Ulysses marking them as links. In this case, you can escape this by adding a backslash before the opening tag. In our example, this would look like this: \[square brackets]. However, you'll probably find it inconvenient to do it repeatedly.

On Mac, you can customize the markup to your needs:

1. In the menu bar, click Ulysses › Settings › Markup. 
2. Click the drop-down menu to see a list of currently available markups and select New Markup…
   
   

   

3. Choose a name for your new markup and select a template to use as a basis. For now, let's stick to Ulysses' default markup language, Markdown XL.
   
   

   

4. Double-click the Link markup in the definitions overview to modify the tags. Enter, for example, angular brackets < > in the Tags field instead of square brackets or switch to double square brackets [[ ]] – choose whatever suits you best. Then, click OK.
   
   

   

   
   When this markup is selected, square brackets will no longer be treated as links. Instead, angled brackets (or whatever you have replaced them with) will serve as links. Of course, this can also be applied to other tags within a markup, not just links.
5. Once you save the changes, you must apply the markup to your sheets (see “Apply a Different Markup”).

Remember that you'll need to manually update the markup on each sheet, as glued sheets won't update automatically. Additionally, all existing links in your sheet will be automatically converted to the new markup.

Can I Hide All the Markup?

Currently, it is not possible to hide all the markup in the editor natively. However, some themes make them barely visible, resulting in an even more minimal writing experience.

You can browse our Styles & Themes website and, under the Editor Themes, select Hidden Tags to see all such themes. This link forwards you right there: Hidden Tags

Some of our recommendations include:

• Barely There

• No Tags

• Invisible