This tutorial explains how to preview files on GitHub using Chrome browser. You can preview MS Office (PPTX, DOCX, DOC, XLS, XLSX, etc.), video files (say MP4), Graphviz files, font (OTF and TTF) files, and images available on GitHub. All these files can’t be previewed natively on GitHub, but there is a free Chrome extension, called “Octoview“, that helps you preview such type of files on GitHub.
GitHub, no doubt, supports feature to preview TXT, PNG, and PDF files. However, for other files (like DOCX, OTF, Graphviz files, etc.), you first need to download them and then view files with supported applications. This Chrome extension helps you skip that hassle. You can preview any file on GitHub supported by this Chrome extension in just a single click. Files like OTF and Graphviz can be previewed directly and within GitHub. For other files like DOCX, MP4, etc., this extension opens a pop-up window to preview the file.
Above you can see a DOCX file available on GitHub whose preview is visible on the pop-up window with this help of this Chrome extension. For MS Office files, it uses Office Online to preview those files.
How To Preview Files On GitHub Using This Free Google Chrome?
Step 1: Open the homepage of Octoview extension and add it to your Chrome browser.
Step 2: Open GitHub and access a particular repository that contains MS Office, OTF, MP4, or some other format files. Click on a particular file.
Step 3: After accessing a file available in a GitHub repository, you will see a “View” button, just before “Raw” button on the right side. Click that button. This button won’t visible in GitHub unless you install this extension.
Now depending on the file type, file preview will visible either directly on GitHub or in a pop-up window.
This way, you can use this Chrome extension to preview GitHub files.
Some other GitHub related important tutorials covered by us include: How to Track Traffic to GitHub Repos for Longer than 14 Days and Chrome Extension To Show The Size of Any GitHub Repository.
The Conclusion:
This Chrome extension is helpful to save your time by previewing different file types available on GitHub. Instead of first download a GitHub file and then open it with a suitable application, you can give a try to this extension. After that, previewing any of the supported files on GitHub will just be a matter of click.
