Quick start
- Choose Visual mode if you want to manipulate the equation directly, or Code mode if you know LaTeX.
- Describe a common formula, press a symbol, search the template library, or type your source.
- Check that the preview says “Valid LaTeX”. A warning below the editor explains document-level or wrapped input.
- Choose Display for a standalone centered equation or Inline for math inside a sentence.
- Select an output based on where the formula will go—not merely on which button is familiar.
Four ways to enter a formula
Visual editor
Click within numerators, denominators, exponents, roots, and matrix cells. MathLive maintains the underlying LaTeX while offering a structured editing experience and virtual keyboard.
Code editor
Type commands directly. Autocomplete appears after a backslash command prefix. The code view is ideal for precise adjustments and learning transferable LaTeX syntax.
Plain-language generator
Use short, conventional requests such as “Pythagorean theorem”, “normal distribution”, “square root of x+1”, or “fraction x+1 over 2”. The generator is local and deliberately limited.
Templates and symbols
Templates replace the current formula with a complete example. Symbol buttons insert structures or commands. In Code mode they use the cursor and current selection; in Visual mode MathLive provides its own structured keyboard.
Copyable examples
\frac{x+1}{2}\sqrt[n]{x}\int_0^1 x^2\,dx\lim_{x\to0}\frac{\sin x}{x}=1\begin{pmatrix}a&b\\c&d\end{pmatrix}f(x)=\begin{cases}x&x\ge0\\-x&x<0\end{cases}Example workflow: PowerPoint
Load a physics template, select a contrasting formula color, leave the background transparent, select 3× or 4×, and download PNG.
Example workflow: editable Word equation
Create the equation, use Copy for Word, then paste. If the Word configuration does not accept the rich clipboard representation, insert an equation field and paste LaTeX, or download MathML.
Why complete documents are different
A document begins with commands such as \documentclass, loads packages, defines layout, and contains text plus multiple math regions. The formula editor has no TeX engine, filesystem, package installer, or PDF page compiler.
When it detects a document, it searches for formulas inside $…$, $$…$$, \[…\], equation, align, and gather environments. Use an “Extract formula” action to move one expression into the editor.
TikZ drawings, Circuitikz circuits, tables, page geometry, sections, bibliographies, custom package commands, and multi-page PDF compilation.
Choose the correct export
| Format | Use it for | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| LaTeX | Source, Overleaf, Markdown | Needs a compatible renderer |
| MathML | Web and structured interchange | Destination support varies |
| Word copy | Editable office documents | Paste behavior varies by Word version |
| PNG | Slides and universal image use | Raster; not mathematically editable |
| SVG | Web and scalable design | May embed rendered HTML |
| Print handoff | Current export places a high-resolution rendering on a PDF page |
Using the editor on a phone
Visual mode opens a mathematical virtual keyboard. Symbol categories remain horizontally scrollable, the preview stacks below the editor, and export controls move into a single-column panel. For long source editing, landscape orientation is more comfortable.
Frequently asked questions
What can I create?
Individual math expressions such as fractions, roots, powers, limits, derivatives, integrals, sums, matrices, cases, vectors, probability notation, and physics equations.
What can I not create?
The tool does not compile page layouts, document classes, packages, bibliographies, TikZ, Circuitikz, or complete articles. It detects full documents and can extract many formulas enclosed by math delimiters.
Which mode should a beginner use?
Start in Visual mode. Click inside a structure and type naturally. Use the on-screen keyboard for fractions, roots, Greek letters, calculus, and matrices. Switch to Code later to learn the generated LaTeX.
Why does a correct document produce a warning?
A `.tex` document can be valid for pdfLaTeX while still being outside KaTeX's scope. Validity depends on the renderer: formula LaTeX and document LaTeX are related but not interchangeable.
How does local text generation work?
A deterministic rule set recognizes common English requests such as the quadratic formula, kinetic energy, Bayes theorem, a fraction, or a square root. No request is uploaded.
Why is there no image or handwriting upload?
Reliable math OCR requires a specialized model and careful privacy, cost, and accuracy controls. The tool does not claim to provide OCR until such a provider is deliberately configured.
How do I paste into Word?
Try Copy for Word first. It writes rich MathML plus a plain LaTeX fallback to the clipboard. Word behavior varies by version and paste mode; if the expression remains plain text, insert a Word equation and paste the LaTeX or use MathML.
What is MathML?
MathML is structured mathematical markup for web pages, accessibility tools, and interchange. Unlike PNG, it preserves the semantic tree of many expressions.
What does Copy share link include?
It copies a URL that restores the current LaTeX formula, Display or Inline mode, formula color, background color, and transparency setting. Anyone with the link can open that saved editor state; no formula is uploaded to an account or database.
Why might Copy Image fail?
Writing image data to the clipboard requires a secure browser context and Clipboard API support. Download PNG is the compatible fallback.
What is stored?
The current formula and history use session storage unless Preferences consent permits local storage. Share links encode the formula in the URL. No account or cloud formula database is used.
Are formulas calculated or verified?
No. The editor validates notation and rendering, not the scientific truth of the equation. A beautifully rendered formula can still be mathematically wrong.
Can I define custom macros?
Not in this release. Use supported standard commands. Expanding user macros safely and consistently across KaTeX, MathLive, exports, and shared links requires a dedicated macro manager.
Ready to create a formula?
Return to the workspace with the guide available whenever you need it.