Convert PDF to Markdown
Drop in a PDF and get clean Markdown back in a few seconds. The text, headings, lists and tables come through ready to paste into ChatGPT, Claude, or any AI tool, or to feed your RAG pipeline. It runs in your browser, so the file stays on your device.
How to convert a PDF to Markdown
- 1
Add your PDF
Drag a PDF onto the box above, or click to pick one from your computer.
- 2
Let it convert
The tool reads the PDF’s text layer in your browser and turns it into Markdown. Most files are done in a few seconds.
- 3
Copy or download
Copy the Markdown with one click, or download a .md file, then paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, or any AI tool.
Why convert a PDF before sending it to AI
A PDF is built for printing, not for reading by a model. Inside, it stores fonts, character positions and other layout data that an AI has to read through, and you pay for every token of it. Converting to Markdown drops that overhead and leaves plain, structured text. The same document usually shrinks 30 to 40 percent in token count, which means a lower bill and more room in the context window.
Scanned PDFs will not work
This converter reads the text layer of a PDF. If your file is a scan or a photo of a page, there is no text to read and the result comes back empty. There is no OCR here. Quick test: if you can select and copy the words in your PDF viewer, the file will convert.
PDF to Markdown questions
Is it free?
Yes. No account, no limits, no cost. Convert as many PDFs as you want.
Do my PDFs get uploaded?
No. The conversion runs in your browser, so the file stays on your device and its contents are never sent to a server.
Why is my converted PDF empty?
Your PDF is probably a scan or an image with no text layer. The tool reads text, it does not run OCR, so a scanned page has nothing to pull out. If you cannot select the text in a PDF viewer, it will not convert here.
Will tables and headings survive?
Most of the time, yes. Headings, bullet lists and simple tables come through as Markdown. Very complex layouts, multi-column pages, or tables with merged cells can come out messy, because a PDF does not really store that structure.
What can I do with the Markdown?
Paste it straight into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot, or load it into a RAG pipeline, a vector database, or a notes app. Markdown is the format these tools handle best.
How big a PDF can I convert?
Up to 15 MB. Larger files can run your browser out of memory, so the tool stops before that happens. For a very large PDF, splitting it first usually works.