Convert a PDF into Markdown you can paste straight into a README, a wiki, a notes app, or a static site. PDFPeach reads the text in your PDF along with how it is laid out, then rebuilds the structure: larger type becomes headings, bulleted and numbered lines become Markdown lists, monospaced blocks become fenced code, and paragraphs that wrapped across several lines are joined back into one.
Once it converts you can read the Markdown, preview it as formatted text, copy it to the clipboard, or download a .md file. Nothing is uploaded — the PDF is read on your device.
Only need the raw words with no formatting? Try Extract Text from PDF for a plain TXT file instead.
How to convert PDF to Markdown
- Drop a PDF into the uploader.
- Choose whether to detect headings, keep links, and how to separate pages.
- Click Convert to Markdown, then copy the result or download the
.mdfile.
Why convert to Markdown on PDFPeach
- Structure, not just text. Headings, lists, and code blocks come across as Markdown instead of a flat wall of words.
- Paragraphs get repaired. Lines that only broke because the page ran out of room are joined back together, including hyphenated words.
- Links stay clickable. Link targets in the PDF are written as
[text](url). - Read it before you use it. Preview the Markdown as formatted text, copy it in one click, or download the file.
- Private and free. The PDF never leaves your browser.
When to use PDF to Markdown
- Move an old PDF handbook or spec into a wiki, README, or docs site.
- Get quotable, editable text out of a report without retyping it.
- Feed clean structured text into a notes app or a static site generator.
- Prepare document text for a tool that expects Markdown rather than PDF.
What gets detected
| In the PDF | In the Markdown |
|---|---|
| Larger or bold type on its own line | #, ##, ### headings |
| Lines starting with a bullet character | - list items, indented for sub-levels |
Lines starting with 1. or 1) |
Numbered list items |
| Monospaced blocks | Fenced code blocks |
| Links | [text](url) |
| Paragraphs split across lines | One joined paragraph |
Options
- Headings — detect them from text size, or keep everything as plain paragraphs when a document's type sizes are inconsistent.
- Links — keep link targets as Markdown links, or output the text on its own.
- Between pages — separate pages with a blank line, or with a
---rule when you want the page boundaries visible.
Limits
This tool reads text that is already selectable in the PDF. A scanned page is a picture of text, so there is nothing to convert — you will get little or nothing back from a pure scan.
Tables are read row by row as text rather than rebuilt as Markdown tables, and images are not carried into the output. Heavily designed documents — magazine layouts, multi-column reports, slide decks — convert less cleanly than plain documents, so expect to tidy those up afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Is this PDF to Markdown converter free?
Yes. Every PDFPeach tool is free to use, with no account required.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The PDF is read in your browser and the Markdown is produced on your device.
Does it work on scanned PDFs?
Only if the PDF already has selectable text. A pure image scan has no text to read, so the result will be empty or nearly empty.
How are headings detected?
By comparing text sizes across the whole document. The most common size is treated as body text, and anything noticeably larger becomes a heading — the biggest type becomes #, the next size down ##, and so on. You can switch this off if it guesses wrong.
Are tables converted?
Table text comes through in reading order, but it is not rebuilt as a Markdown table. Wide or complex tables usually need manual cleanup.
Can I copy the result instead of downloading it?
Yes. Use Copy to put the whole Markdown on your clipboard, or Preview as HTML to see how it will look formatted first.
What happens to images in the PDF?
They are not included in the Markdown. To save them separately, use the Extract Images tool.
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