pdfpix

Turn a PDF into Markdown

or drop one here
Choose a PDF first.

Turn a native-text PDF into a checked Markdown file without uploading it. The tool reads the native text layer, rebuilds lines in reading order and infers simple headings, lists and code. Keep a marker for each page or let the text flow continuously, and remove repeated headers and footers. The generated Markdown is compared with the text kept from the PDF. Image-only scans need OCR first.

How to turn a PDF into Markdown

  1. Choose a PDF

    Press Choose a PDF, or drop one on the page. The file is opened in this browser tab.

  2. Choose the structure

    Keep a marker for each PDF page or let the text flow continuously. Repeated headers and footers can be removed.

  3. Convert the text

    The tool reads the native text layer, rebuilds lines in reading order and infers simple headings, lists and code.

  4. Check and download

    The generated Markdown is read back and compared with the text kept from the PDF. A failed check does not produce a download.

What the conversion can preserve

A PDF records text at positions on pages. Markdown records a reading order and a small set of structures. This tool groups the native text into lines, keeps page boundaries when asked, and uses font size and font information to infer simple headings, lists and code. It does not claim to reproduce columns, complex tables, footnotes or visual placement exactly.

An image-only scan has no text layer to extract. The tool refuses that file instead of making an empty Markdown download. OCR is separate work because guessed text needs its own accuracy measure and review. The download is a plain text file with an md extension, so any Markdown editor opens it.

Questions

Does PDF to Markdown upload my file?
No. The PDF is opened, converted, checked and previewed in this browser tab.
Does this work on a scanned PDF?
Not yet. This version requires selectable text. An image-only scan needs OCR before it can become Markdown.
Will the Markdown look exactly like the PDF?
No. PDF stores positioned page content, while Markdown stores a reading order and simple structure. The tool preserves text and infers headings, lists and code where the PDF gives enough evidence.
What do page markers look like?
Each page starts with a Markdown comment such as Page 3. The comment keeps the page boundary without appearing as visible content in most Markdown viewers.
What happens to repeated headers and footers?
When the same short line appears near the same page edge on most pages, the tool can leave it out. The receipt says how many lines were removed.
Can the preview run links or HTML?
No. The Markdown preview is shown as plain text. It does not render HTML, follow links or load images.
What does the text check prove?
The tool reads the Markdown bytes back and compares their visible non-space character count with the PDF text it kept. At least 98% must remain, and replacement characters are refused.

The other pdfpix tools

All 30 of them run in a browser tab like this one. Each reads its own output back and checks it before offering the download, and none of them needs an account.

Where to go next