Reload the document from disk on demand (⌘R)

QuickMD/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ All notable changes to QuickMD will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Added
+- **Reload** (⌘R, View ▸ Reload, or the ↻ button in the top-right cluster): re-reads the document from disk now and restarts the file watcher, for the times auto-reload does not notice a change (some network volumes and editors' save strategies). A toast says whether anything changed; a file that is gone shows the "File no longer exists" banner. Off while Source Edit shows, where the editor already follows the disk.
+
 ## [1.12.0] - 2026-10-05
 
 Source Edit: QuickMD stays a viewer first, but you can now fix the Markdown you are reading without leaving the window. Asked for by [@KillSwitchSIG](https://github.com/KillSwitchSIG) (#31) and [@vinaymve](https://github.com/vinaymve) (#34).

QuickMD/QuickMD/MarkdownExport.swift

@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@ struct FocusedOpenInExternalEditorKey: FocusedValueKey {
     typealias Value = () -> Void
 }
 
+/// View ▸ Reload (⌘R) and the reload pill.
+struct FocusedReloadDocumentKey: FocusedValueKey {
+    typealias Value = () -> Void
+}
+
 struct FocusedZoomActionKey: FocusedValueKey {
     typealias Value = (MarkdownZoom) -> Void
 }
@@ -147,6 +152,10 @@ extension FocusedValues {
         get { self[FocusedOpenInExternalEditorKey.self] }
         set { self[FocusedOpenInExternalEditorKey.self] = newValue }
     }
+    var reloadDocumentAction: (() -> Void)? {
+        get { self[FocusedReloadDocumentKey.self] }
+        set { self[FocusedReloadDocumentKey.self] = newValue }
+    }
     var zoomAction: ((MarkdownZoom) -> Void)? {
         get { self[FocusedZoomActionKey.self] }
         set { self[FocusedZoomActionKey.self] = newValue }

QuickMD/QuickMD/MarkdownView.swift

@@ -434,6 +434,9 @@ struct MarkdownView: View {
                     .transition(.opacity)
                 }
                 if documentURL != nil {
+                    ReloadDocumentButton(theme: theme) {
+                        reloadManually()
+                    }
                     EditSourceButton(theme: theme) {
                         toggleSourceEdit()
                     }
@@ -526,6 +529,7 @@ struct MarkdownView: View {
         })
         .focusedSceneValue(\.copyDocumentAction, { copyToClipboard(currentText) })
         .focusedSceneValue(\.openInExternalEditorAction, { openInExternalEditor() })
+        .focusedSceneValue(\.reloadDocumentAction, { reloadManually() })
         .focusedSceneValue(\.toggleDocumentListAction, {
             guard !isReadingMode else { return }
             withAnimation(.easeInOut(duration: 0.2)) { isDocumentListVisible.toggle() }
@@ -844,6 +848,22 @@ struct MarkdownView: View {
         }
     }
 
+    /// ⌘R / the reload pill: re-read the file now, and restart the watcher in
+    /// case it lost track of the file (some volumes and save strategies never
+    /// deliver an event). Not while Source Edit shows — the session owns the
+    /// disk then.
+    private func reloadManually() {
+        guard !editSession.isActive, let url = documentURL else { return }
+        guard FileManager.default.fileExists(atPath: url.path) else {
+            withAnimation(.easeInOut(duration: 0.2)) { fileMissing = true }
+            return
+        }
+        let before = currentText
+        reloadFromDisk()
+        startWatching(url)
+        showToast(currentText == before ? "Reloaded \u{00B7} no changes" : "Reloaded")
+    }
+
     /// ⌘E — hand the document off to the user's configured editor, at the line
     /// the reader is at when that editor documents a line link (v1.11 E-D1).
     private func openInExternalEditor() {

QuickMD/QuickMD/QuickMDApp.swift

@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ struct QuickMDApp: App {
                 CopyMarkdownCommand()
             }
             CommandGroup(after: .toolbar) {
+                ReloadDocumentCommand()
+                Divider()
                 ZoomCommands()
                 ToggleToCCommand()
                 ToggleDocumentListCommand()
@@ -209,6 +211,22 @@ struct CopyMarkdownCommand: View {
     }
 }
 
+/// View ▸ Reload (⌘R) — re-reads the frontmost document from disk, for the
+/// times auto-reload did not notice a change (network volumes, some editors'
+/// save strategies). Off while Source Edit shows: the session owns the disk.
+struct ReloadDocumentCommand: View {
+    @FocusedValue(\.reloadDocumentAction) var reloadDocumentAction
+    @FocusedValue(\.sourceEditState) var sourceEditState
+
+    var body: some View {
+        Button("Reload") {
+            reloadDocumentAction?()
+        }
+        .keyboardShortcut("r", modifiers: .command)
+        .disabled(reloadDocumentAction == nil || sourceEditState?.isEditing == true)
+    }
+}
+
 struct OpenInExternalEditorCommand: View {
     @FocusedValue(\.openInExternalEditorAction) var openInExternalEditorAction
     @FocusedValue(\.sourceEditState) var sourceEditState

QuickMD/QuickMD/Views/ChromeButtons.swift

@@ -319,6 +319,22 @@ struct CopySourceButton: View {
     }
 }
 
+// MARK: - Reload Button
+
+/// Top-right button: re-read the document from disk (⌘R).
+struct ReloadDocumentButton: View {
+    let theme: MarkdownTheme
+    let action: () -> Void
+
+    var body: some View {
+        ChromePill(theme: theme, title: "Reload", help: "Reload from disk (⌘R)", action: action) {
+            Image(systemName: "arrow.clockwise")
+                .font(.system(size: 11))
+        }
+        .accessibilityIdentifier("reload-document")
+    }
+}
+
 // MARK: - Edit Source Button
 
 /// Top-right pencil button — fixes the source in place (Source Edit, ⌥⌘E).

README.md

@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ Perfect for developers, writers, students, and anyone who works with Markdown da
 
 ### Works with Your Editor
 - **Auto-reload** — the document refreshes the moment another app saves it. Turn on auto-save in VS Code, Cursor or Zed, or let an AI agent write the file, and QuickMD is a live preview
+- **Reload (`⌘R`)** — re-read the file on demand, for the rare change auto-reload misses (network volumes, unusual save strategies)
 - **Open in External Editor (`⌘E`)** — for longer writing sessions: hands the file to your editor (auto-detected, configurable in Settings). VS Code, BBEdit, TextMate and Nova open at the line you are reading
 
 ### Complete Markdown Support