diff --git a/rslib/src/markdown.rs b/rslib/src/markdown.rs
index 88bb211f3..3f1da808a 100644
--- a/rslib/src/markdown.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/markdown.rs
@@ -1,12 +1,134 @@
 // Copyright: Ankitects Pty Ltd and contributors
 // License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 
+use std::borrow::Cow;
+
 use pulldown_cmark::html;
+use pulldown_cmark::Options;
 use pulldown_cmark::Parser;
 
-pub(crate) fn render_markdown(markdown: &str) -> String {
-    let mut buf = String::with_capacity(markdown.len());
-    let parser = Parser::new(markdown);
+/// Render markdown to HTML with GitHub Flavored Markdown extensions.
+///
+/// Enabled extensions:
+/// - Tables (GFM)
+/// - Strikethrough (~~text~~)
+/// - Task lists (- [ ] and - [x])
+/// - Footnotes
+///
+/// # Example
+/// ```
+/// let html = render_markdown("| A | B |\n|---|---|\n| 1 | 2 |");
+/// // Returns: <table>...</table>
+/// ```
+pub(crate) fn render_markdown(markdown: &str) -> Cow<'_, str> {
+    // Return early if input is empty or contains no markdown-like syntax
+    if markdown.is_empty() {
+        return Cow::Borrowed(markdown);
+    }
+
+    let mut options = Options::empty();
+    // Enable GFM tables: | col1 | col2 |
+    options.insert(Options::ENABLE_TABLES);
+    // Enable strikethrough: ~~deleted~~
+    options.insert(Options::ENABLE_STRIKETHROUGH);
+    // Enable task lists: - [ ] todo, - [x] done
+    options.insert(Options::ENABLE_TASKLISTS);
+    // Enable footnotes: [^1] and [^1]: footnote text
+    options.insert(Options::ENABLE_FOOTNOTES);
+    // Enable smart punctuation: "quotes" -> curly quotes, -- -> en-dash, --- -> em-dash
+    options.insert(Options::ENABLE_SMART_PUNCTUATION);
+
+    let mut buf = String::with_capacity(markdown.len() * 2);
+    let parser = Parser::new_ext(markdown, options);
     html::push_html(&mut buf, parser);
-    buf
+
+    Cow::Owned(buf)
+}
+
+/// Render markdown without wrapping paragraphs in <p> tags.
+/// Useful for inline content where paragraph tags would break layout.
+pub(crate) fn render_markdown_inline(markdown: &str) -> Cow<'_, str> {
+    let rendered = render_markdown(markdown);
+
+    // Strip outer <p>...</p> tags if present (for single-paragraph content)
+    if let Cow::Owned(s) = rendered {
+        let trimmed = s.trim();
+        if trimmed.starts_with("<p>") && trimmed.ends_with("</p>") && trimmed.matches("<p>").count() == 1 {
+            let inner = &trimmed[3..trimmed.len() - 4];
+            return Cow::Owned(inner.to_string());
+        }
+        Cow::Owned(s)
+    } else {
+        rendered
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_basic_markdown() {
+        assert!(render_markdown("**bold**").contains("<strong>bold</strong>"));
+        assert!(render_markdown("*italic*").contains("<em>italic</em>"));
+        assert!(render_markdown("`code`").contains("<code>code</code>"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_tables() {
+        let table = "| Header 1 | Header 2 |\n|----------|----------|\n| Cell 1   | Cell 2   |";
+        let html = render_markdown(table);
+        assert!(html.contains("<table>"));
+        assert!(html.contains("<th>Header 1</th>"));
+        assert!(html.contains("<td>Cell 1</td>"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_strikethrough() {
+        let result = render_markdown("~~deleted~~");
+        assert!(result.contains("<del>deleted</del>"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_task_lists() {
+        let tasks = "- [ ] Todo\n- [x] Done";
+        let html = render_markdown(tasks);
+        assert!(html.contains("type=\"checkbox\""));
+        assert!(html.contains("checked"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_footnotes() {
+        let text = "Text with footnote[^1].\n\n[^1]: Footnote content.";
+        let html = render_markdown(text);
+        assert!(html.contains("footnote"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_code_blocks() {
+        let code = "```rust\nfn main() {}\n```";
+        let html = render_markdown(code);
+        assert!(html.contains("<pre>"));
+        assert!(html.contains("<code"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_empty_input() {
+        assert_eq!(render_markdown(""), "");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_inline_rendering() {
+        let result = render_markdown_inline("**bold**");
+        assert_eq!(result, "<strong>bold</strong>");
+        assert!(!result.contains("<p>"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_multiline_keeps_paragraphs() {
+        let text = "First paragraph.\n\nSecond paragraph.";
+        let result = render_markdown_inline(text);
+        // Multiple paragraphs should keep their structure
+        assert!(result.contains("<p>"));
+    }
 }
diff --git a/rslib/src/template_filters.rs b/rslib/src/template_filters.rs
index 66e9ecb37..47624328e 100644
--- a/rslib/src/template_filters.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/template_filters.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ use regex::Regex;
 
 use crate::cloze::cloze_filter;
 use crate::cloze::cloze_only_filter;
+use crate::markdown::render_markdown;
+use crate::markdown::render_markdown_inline;
 use crate::template::RenderContext;
 use crate::text::strip_html;
 
@@ -86,6 +88,11 @@ fn apply_filter(
         "hint" => hint_filter(text, field_name),
         "cloze" => cloze_filter(text, context),
         "cloze-only" => cloze_only_filter(text, context),
+        // Markdown filter: converts markdown syntax to HTML
+        // Supports GFM tables, strikethrough, task lists, footnotes, code blocks
+        "markdown" | "md" => render_markdown(text),
+        // Inline markdown: same as markdown but strips outer <p> tags
+        "markdown-inline" | "md-inline" => render_markdown_inline(text),
         // an empty filter name (caused by using two colons) is ignored
         "" => text.into(),
         _ => {
@@ -300,4 +307,103 @@ field</a>
             "[anki:tts lang=en_US voices=Bob,Jane]foo[/anki:tts]"
         );
     }
+
+    // Markdown filter tests
+    #[test]
+    fn markdown_basic() {
+        let ctx = RenderContext {
+            fields: &Default::default(),
+            nonempty_fields: &Default::default(),
+            frontside: None,
+            card_ord: 0,
+            partial_for_python: false,
+        };
+
+        // Test bold
+        let (result, remaining) = apply_filters("**bold**", &["markdown"], "Field", &ctx);
+        assert!(result.contains("<strong>bold</strong>"));
+        assert!(remaining.is_empty());
+
+        // Test with alias
+        let (result, _) = apply_filters("*italic*", &["md"], "Field", &ctx);
+        assert!(result.contains("<em>italic</em>"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn markdown_tables() {
+        let ctx = RenderContext {
+            fields: &Default::default(),
+            nonempty_fields: &Default::default(),
+            frontside: None,
+            card_ord: 0,
+            partial_for_python: false,
+        };
+
+        let table = "| A | B |\n|---|---|\n| 1 | 2 |";
+        let (result, _) = apply_filters(table, &["markdown"], "Field", &ctx);
+        assert!(result.contains("<table>"));
+        assert!(result.contains("<th>"));
+        assert!(result.contains("<td>"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn markdown_strikethrough() {
+        let ctx = RenderContext {
+            fields: &Default::default(),
+            nonempty_fields: &Default::default(),
+            frontside: None,
+            card_ord: 0,
+            partial_for_python: false,
+        };
+
+        let (result, _) = apply_filters("~~deleted~~", &["markdown"], "Field", &ctx);
+        assert!(result.contains("<del>deleted</del>"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn markdown_inline() {
+        let ctx = RenderContext {
+            fields: &Default::default(),
+            nonempty_fields: &Default::default(),
+            frontside: None,
+            card_ord: 0,
+            partial_for_python: false,
+        };
+
+        let (result, _) = apply_filters("**bold**", &["md-inline"], "Field", &ctx);
+        assert_eq!(result.trim(), "<strong>bold</strong>");
+        assert!(!result.contains("<p>"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn markdown_code_blocks() {
+        let ctx = RenderContext {
+            fields: &Default::default(),
+            nonempty_fields: &Default::default(),
+            frontside: None,
+            card_ord: 0,
+            partial_for_python: false,
+        };
+
+        let code = "```python\nprint('hello')\n```";
+        let (result, _) = apply_filters(code, &["markdown"], "Field", &ctx);
+        assert!(result.contains("<pre>"));
+        assert!(result.contains("<code"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn markdown_combined_with_other_filters() {
+        let ctx = RenderContext {
+            fields: &Default::default(),
+            nonempty_fields: &Default::default(),
+            frontside: None,
+            card_ord: 0,
+            partial_for_python: false,
+        };
+
+        // Markdown then strip HTML
+        let (result, _) = apply_filters("**bold**", &["markdown", "text"], "Field", &ctx);
+        assert_eq!(result.trim(), "bold");
+        assert!(!result.contains("<strong>"));
+    }
 }