About converting PDF to Markdown
Markdown is plain text with a few simple marks for structure: # for headings, - for list items and | for table columns. It is used for notes, documentation, wikis, README files and for giving documents to AI tools, which read structured text better than a PDF. This tool reads the text of every page and rebuilds the structure from how it is laid out. Lines set in a clearly larger size become headings, with the largest as a level one heading. Lines that follow each other closely are joined into paragraphs, and words split with a hyphen at the end of a line are joined again. Lines starting with a bullet or a number become lists, and text set out in aligned columns becomes a table. Lone page numbers at the top or bottom of pages are left out. Characters that mean something in Markdown, such as asterisks, are escaped so they appear as written. A PDF keeps its look, not its structure, so complex layouts such as several columns, footnotes or merged table cells may need some tidying afterwards. Pictures are not included. Scanned pages contain no text: run OCR PDF first, then convert the result.
Limits: one PDF per task, up to 25 MB with a free account, 200 MB on Pro and 500 MB on Business. Browser tools have no daily task limit.
Before you sign in, files can be up to 25 MB. A free account raises this to 25 MB.
Privacy: this tool runs entirely in your browser; the file never leaves your device. Nothing is uploaded, so we have nothing to store or delete.
How to use the PDF tools: Step-by-step help with every tool, limits and your files.
PDF to Markdown: frequently asked questions
How are headings recognised?
By size. Lines set clearly larger than the main text become headings, and the biggest sizes become the top heading levels.
Are tables converted?
Simple tables, where text sits in aligned columns, become Markdown tables. Tables with merged cells may come out as plain lines.
Why does it say my PDF has no text?
The pages are images, usually from a scanner. Run the PDF through OCR PDF to add text, then convert it to Markdown.
Are images included?
No. Markdown output contains the text and its structure only.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The text is read and converted in your browser, so the file never leaves your device.