What happens when you convert HTM to TXT
- The page is read by pandoc, the open-source document converter, on our conversion server and written as UTF-8 plain text: headings, paragraphs and list items keep their own lines, lines are wrapped at 72 characters, tables are drawn with spaces and dashes, and images are replaced by their descriptions in brackets.
- Bold, italic, links, colours and CSS styling are dropped, because plain text has none; scripts and forms are ignored.
- This conversion runs on our server: the file is uploaded, converted, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result has been sent back to you. Nothing is kept. Files up to 25 MB are accepted.
How to convert HTM to TXT online
- Press "Choose HTM files" and select one or more files, or drag them onto the box. Files up to 25 MB each can be converted.
- There are no settings to choose: the converter keeps everything the target format can hold.
- Press "Convert to TXT". The file is uploaded to our conversion server, converted in a few seconds, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result is sent back.
- Save each TXT with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your HTM and the TXT by then.
Why convert HTM to TXT?
HTM files usually come from web pages saved from Word, Outlook and older Windows programs. People convert them to TXT because plain text opens everywhere and is easy to search, copy, edit and paste into other tools.
In short, HTM is good at what it was made for, and TXT is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. HTM opens in every web browser, while TXT opens in every browser, text editor and phone.
How to convert HTM to TXT on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your HTM files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each TXT is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the HTM files from Finder onto the drop zone and the TXT files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose HTM files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted TXT appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose HTM files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The TXT is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for HTM to TXT
There are no settings: pandoc writes standard, tidy UTF-8 text that any editor reads.
If something is missing, check whether it depended on a file outside the HTM; the converter reads the file alone.
HTM vs TXT: the differences
| HTM | TXT | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | HyperText Markup Language | Plain text |
| Type | document | document |
| Created by | Tim Berners-Lee | no single author |
| First released | 1993 | 1963 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | text with tags for headings, lists, links, tables and images | characters only, with no formatting |
| In a browser | opens in every web browser | opens in every browser, text editor and phone |
| Common uses | web pages saved from Word, Outlook and older Windows programs | notes, logs, extracted text and anything that must open everywhere |
| MIME type | text/html | text/plain |
About HTM and TXT files
What is an HTM file?
HTM and HTML are the same format. The three-letter extension dates from old Windows systems that only allowed three characters after the dot, and Word and Outlook still save web pages as .htm.
What is a TXT file?
A TXT file holds nothing but characters: no fonts, images or layout. Modern text files are usually UTF-8, which covers every language.
HTM to TXT not working? Common problems
- "Files up to 25 MB can be converted." Server conversions have a size limit. Compress the images inside the file, or split it, and try again.
- "The conversion took too long and was stopped." Very long or complex files can pass the 90 second limit. Split the file and convert the parts.
- "This file is not really in HTM format." The converter checks every file before it runs anything, so a file of another format renamed to .htm is refused. Choose the page for its real format.
Convert HTM to TXT from the command line
pandoc does the same on your own computer:
pandoc input.htm -t plain -o output.txtConverting on your own computer keeps the file entirely local, which is worth it for very large or very sensitive documents. For everything else, the converter on this page does it without installing anything.
HTM to TXT converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting HTM to TXT?
The words are kept exactly; only the markup around them changes.
Why is the TXT a different size from the HTM?
Much smaller than the HTM, because tags, styles and scripts are removed and only the words remain.
Are my HTM files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful HTM to TXT conversion needs pandoc, the open-source document converter, which cannot run in a browser. The file travels over an encrypted connection, is converted in a private temporary folder, and is deleted together with the TXT as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several HTM files to TXT at once?
Yes. Select or drop as many files as you like; they are converted one after another and each gets its own download button.
How do I open a TXT file?
TXT opens in every browser, text editor and phone. TXT is common for notes, logs, extracted text and anything that must open everywhere.
Is this HTM to TXT converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Because this conversion uses our server, there is a fair-use limit of 25 MB per file and a number of files per hour, which stops the service being overloaded.
Can I convert HTM to TXT on my phone?
Yes. It works in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome on Android. The conversion happens on our server, so it is as fast on a phone as on a computer; the TXT is saved to your Downloads folder.