Free Tool
PDF to Markdown Converter
Convert PDF to Markdown on this page. The file never leaves your browser. Copy the draft or download a .md file, then clean up headings and tables.
Stays on your device
Drop a local PDF. Mozilla PDF.js runs in the tab. Nothing is uploaded or tracked.
Copy or download
Grab the Markdown draft, or save a .md file for GitHub, Obsidian, or any editor.
Honest limits
This is text extraction, not document reconstruction. Scans need OCR. Tables and columns often need cleanup.
Converter
Choose a PDF. The Markdown updates when extraction finishes.
Drop a PDF here, or choose a file
Stays in this browser. 20 MB max, first 50 pages.
What this converter can and cannot do
A PDF is a drawing of a page. Letters sit at coordinates. There is no reliable heading tree, list marker, or table grid unless the author also embedded a text layer. This tool reads that layer with Mozilla PDF.js (loaded from cdnjs only after you pick a file), then guesses line breaks and a few headings from font size.
That is enough for a contract, essay, or single-column report. It is not Marker, Adobe, or an LLM layout model. If you need those, use them. If you need a private first draft, start here and fix the Markdown.
After you have a draft, the headings guide and tables guide cover the syntax most exports get wrong. To turn the Markdown into HTML next, use the Markdown to HTML converter.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I convert a PDF to Markdown?
- Drop a PDF onto the converter or choose a file. The tool reads the embedded text layer in your browser and writes a Markdown draft you can copy or download as a .md file.
- Does this PDF to Markdown converter upload my file?
- No. Parsing happens in your browser with Mozilla PDF.js. The PDF is not sent to our servers, stored, or logged.
- Why is the Markdown messy after I convert a PDF?
- A PDF stores glyphs on a page, not headings, lists, or tables. This converter guesses structure from position and font size. Multi-column layouts, footnotes, and pipe tables usually need a pass by hand.
- Can I convert a scanned PDF to Markdown?
- Not with this tool. A scan is an image with no text layer, so extraction comes back empty. Run OCR first, then convert the searchable PDF.
- Is there a file size or page limit?
- Yes. Files must be 20 MB or smaller. Only the first 50 pages are converted so a large document cannot freeze the tab.
- Can I convert a password-protected PDF?
- Yes, if you know the password. Unlock happens locally. We never see the password or the file.