diff --git a/daemon.py b/daemon.py
index e5e050d3b..f50ca9d85 100644
--- a/daemon.py
+++ b/daemon.py
@@ -3315,7 +3315,7 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                 return
 
             linksFilename = baseDir + '/accounts/links.txt'
-            aboutFilename = baseDir + '/accounts/about.txt'
+            aboutFilename = baseDir + '/accounts/about.md'
             TOSFilename = baseDir + '/accounts/tos.md'
 
             # extract all of the text fields into a dict
diff --git a/webapp_about.py b/webapp_about.py
index 9493c1b59..d7a9c35cb 100644
--- a/webapp_about.py
+++ b/webapp_about.py
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ def htmlAbout(cssCache: {}, baseDir: str, httpPrefix: str,
     """Show the about screen
     """
     adminNickname = getConfigParam(baseDir, 'admin')
-    if not os.path.isfile(baseDir + '/accounts/about.txt'):
-        copyfile(baseDir + '/default_about.txt',
-                 baseDir + '/accounts/about.txt')
+    if not os.path.isfile(baseDir + '/accounts/about.md'):
+        copyfile(baseDir + '/default_about.md',
+                 baseDir + '/accounts/about.md')
 
     if os.path.isfile(baseDir + '/accounts/login-background-custom.jpg'):
         if not os.path.isfile(baseDir + '/accounts/login-background.jpg'):
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ def htmlAbout(cssCache: {}, baseDir: str, httpPrefix: str,
                      baseDir + '/accounts/login-background.jpg')
 
     aboutText = 'Information about this instance goes here.'
-    if os.path.isfile(baseDir + '/accounts/about.txt'):
-        with open(baseDir + '/accounts/about.txt', 'r') as aboutFile:
+    if os.path.isfile(baseDir + '/accounts/about.md'):
+        with open(baseDir + '/accounts/about.md', 'r') as aboutFile:
             aboutText = aboutFile.read()
 
     aboutForm = ''
diff --git a/webapp_column_left.py b/webapp_column_left.py
index c2fc8da78..a7d143102 100644
--- a/webapp_column_left.py
+++ b/webapp_column_left.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ from webapp_utils import headerButtonsFrontScreen
 from webapp_utils import htmlHeaderWithExternalStyle
 from webapp_utils import htmlFooter
 from webapp_utils import getBannerFile
+from webapp_utils import markdownToHtml
 
 
 def _linksExist(baseDir: str) -> bool:
@@ -411,11 +412,11 @@ def htmlEditLinks(cssCache: {}, translate: {}, baseDir: str, path: str,
     adminNickname = getConfigParam(baseDir, 'admin')
     if adminNickname:
         if nickname == adminNickname:
-            aboutFilename = baseDir + '/accounts/about.txt'
+            aboutFilename = baseDir + '/accounts/about.md'
             aboutStr = ''
             if os.path.isfile(aboutFilename):
                 with open(aboutFilename, 'r') as fp:
-                    aboutStr = fp.read()
+                    aboutStr = markdownToHtml(fp.read())
 
             editLinksForm += \
                 '<div class="container">'