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PDFinish

Convert PDF to Markdown

Add your PDF and get a Markdown (.md) file.

Drop area for your PDF

or drop it here. PDF files up to 50 MB

Your file stays on your device. Nothing is uploaded unless you choose Email it to me.

  • 2 free uses in total, no account needed
  • No ads
  • Nothing to install

How it works

  1. 1. Add your PDF

    Choose your PDF from your device or drop it on the page.

  2. 2. Choose the options

    Choose whether to keep pictures, then press Convert to Markdown.

  3. 3. Copy or download it

    Copy the Markdown, or save the .md file, and read through it once.

What you can do in this tool

  • Structure rebuilt

    Headings, paragraphs, lists, bold and italic, links and simple tables are rebuilt from the text.

  • Pictures if you want them

    Tick the box and you get a zip with the .md file and an images folder, linked with relative paths.

  • Copy or download

    Copy the Markdown from the result, or save the .md file.

  • Stays on your device

    Your PDF is read and converted in your browser. The file is not sent to our servers.

  • Works on any device

    Runs in your browser on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android or a Chromebook. Nothing to install.

Good to know

  • Your PDF is read in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, so the text in it stays private.
  • The tool rebuilds the structure of the text: headings from larger or bolder type, paragraphs, bulleted and numbered lists, bold and italic, links, and simple tables. It is not a copy of the page layout, so columns, colours and fonts are not kept.
  • Pictures are left out unless you tick the box. Then you get a zip with the .md file and an images folder, linked with relative paths. A scanned page has no text to read and points you to OCR PDF.

Common questions

How do I convert a PDF to Markdown?

Add the PDF to PDF to Markdown and press Convert to Markdown. The tool reads the text, works out headings, paragraphs, lists, links and tables, and writes a .md file. You can copy the text or download it. The conversion happens in your browser.

What does PDF to MD mean?

MD is the file ending for Markdown, so PDF to MD and PDF to Markdown are the same job. Markdown is plain text with simple marks, such as # for a heading and - for a list item, that apps like GitHub, Obsidian and Notion read and show formatted.

What is kept, and what is not?

Headings, paragraphs, lists, bold, italic, web links, email links and simple tables are rebuilt. Columns, colours, fonts, page numbers' position and exact spacing are not kept, and neither are footnotes or forms. Pictures are left out unless you tick the box to include them.

Why are some headings wrong?

A PDF does not store headings. The tool guesses them from type that is larger than the body text, and from bold lines. A bold label in body size can come out as plain text, and a large pull quote can come out as a heading. Edit those lines in the .md file.

Why is my converted file empty?

A scanned page or a photo of a page holds a picture of words, not the words themselves, so there is nothing to read. Run the file through OCR PDF first, which reads English, then convert the result. Text turned sideways on the page is also left out.

Is my file uploaded when I use PDF to Markdown?

No. The pages are read and the Markdown is written in your browser. The file is not sent to our servers.

Is PDF to Markdown free, and are there limits?

You can use it free. You get 2 free uses in total, no account needed. Free files can be up to 50 MB. Pro has no limit on uses and allows files up to 500 MB. We check the limits before a use starts, so a finished file is never held back.

Can I use PDF to Markdown on a Windows PC?

Yes. Open this page in Chrome or Edge on your PC, add your file and download the result. Nothing to install, and your file stays on your device.

More about this tool

How to convert a PDF to Markdown in 3 steps

To convert a PDF to Markdown (PDF to MD), add the file and press Convert to Markdown. You get a .md file with headings, lists, links and tables rebuilt from the text, and your PDF stays on your device.

  1. 1

    Add your PDF

    Drop the file onto the tool, or choose it from your device. A PDF with a password needs to be unlocked first.

  2. 2

    Choose the options

    Tick the box to keep pictures as files in a zip, and choose whether pages run together or a line is drawn between them. Then press Convert to Markdown.

  3. 3

    Copy or download it

    Copy the Markdown from the result, or save the .md file (or the zip, if you kept pictures). Read through it once, since headings and lists are worked out from the type and spacing.

The PDFinish PDF to Markdown tool with a sample PDF loaded, ready to convert to a .md file
A sample PDF loaded, ready to convert to Markdown.

How do I convert PDF to Markdown for free?

Add your file to PDF to Markdown and press Convert to Markdown. You get 2 free uses in total with no account, and one finished conversion counts as one use. Free files can be up to 50 MB. Your PDF is read in your browser and is not uploaded.

How do I convert a PDF to MD?

Add the PDF to PDF to Markdown and press Convert to Markdown, then save the .md file. MD is the ending Markdown files use. The tool rebuilds headings, lists, links and tables as plain text with Markdown marks. It runs in your browser, so the PDF never leaves your device.

Can I copy the Markdown instead of downloading it?

Yes. After the conversion, the result shows the Markdown text with a copy button, so you can paste it straight into GitHub, Obsidian, Notion or a code editor. If you chose to keep pictures, the download is a zip, but the text on screen is still the .md content.

How do I keep the images when converting PDF to Markdown?

Tick the box to include pictures before you convert. You get a zip with the .md file and an images folder, and the Markdown links to each picture with a relative path, so the zip works wherever you unpack it. Without the box, pictures are left out and the tool says so.

Does PDF to Markdown keep tables and links?

Yes, simple ones. A table found from drawn lines or from rows that line up in columns becomes a Markdown table, with the first row as the header. Web and email links are kept as Markdown links. Merged cells and cells that wrap onto a second line may need tidying.

Can I convert a scanned PDF to Markdown?

Not directly. A scan is a picture of a page, so it has no text for the tool to read. Run it through OCR PDF first to make the text selectable, then convert the result. Check the text afterwards, since reading a scan can misread letters and numbers.

Is it safe to convert PDF to Markdown online?

With PDF to Markdown your file never leaves your device. The pages are read and the Markdown is written inside your browser tab, so nothing is sent to our servers and there is nothing for us to delete. You can check the browser's network tab, which shows no upload.

What is the difference between PDF to Markdown and PDF to Text?

PDF to Text gives plain words in reading order, with no marks. PDF to Markdown also works out headings, lists, bold, italic, links and tables and writes them with Markdown marks. Pick text to read or search the words, and Markdown to edit them in a notes app or a repository.

How do I turn Markdown back into a PDF?

Use Markdown to PDF. Add a .md file or paste Markdown, preview it, choose a font and page size, and download the PDF. It also runs in your browser. Converting a PDF to Markdown and back is a handy way to tidy a document you only have as a PDF.

Does PDF to Markdown work on my phone?

Yes. It runs in the browser on a phone or tablet, with no app to install. Add the PDF from your files, press Convert to Markdown, then copy the text or save the file. Very long documents take longer on a phone, since the pages are read on the device itself.

Key facts

  • Privacy: We don't sell your data. This tool runs in your browser, so your files stay on your device and are never uploaded.
  • Ads: none. No third-party ads and no ad cookies.
  • Limits: 2 free uses in total, no account needed, and no limit on uses with Pro. Files up to 50 MB free, 500 MB with Pro. Limits are checked before a use starts, never after.
  • Price: free to start. Pro is $2.99 a month or $24 a year. Lifetime is $50 for the first 500 founders. Pro cancels in one click.
  • Works on: Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android. Nothing to install.
  • Your PDF is read in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, so the text in it stays private.
  • The tool rebuilds the structure of the text: headings from larger or bolder type, paragraphs, bulleted and numbered lists, bold and italic, links, and simple tables. It is not a copy of the page layout, so columns, colours and fonts are not kept.
  • Pictures are left out unless you tick the box. Then you get a zip with the .md file and an images folder, linked with relative paths. A scanned page has no text to read and points you to OCR PDF.

Last updated:

By the PDFinish editorial team · Reviewed