What happens when you convert HTML to MD
- The page is converted with turndown, an open-source HTML to Markdown library: headings become # lines, lists become - and 1. items, links, images, bold, italic and code keep their Markdown form.
- Scripts, styles and the page head are removed. Layout, colours and anything without a Markdown equivalent, such as table styling, are dropped.
How to convert HTML to MD online
- Press "Choose HTML files" and select one or more files, or drag them onto the box. You can add files of any size your device can hold in memory.
- There are no settings to choose: the converter keeps everything the target format can hold.
- Press "Convert to MD". A small document library loads the first time; documents then convert in a second or two.
- Save each MD with its download button. Close the tab and every trace of the files is gone from memory.
Why convert HTML to MD?
HTML files usually come from web pages, emails and documents meant to be read in a browser. People convert them to MD because Markdown is readable as it is and fits wikis, documentation sites and note apps such as Obsidian.
In short, HTML is good at what it was made for, and MD is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. HTML opens in every web browser, while MD shows as plain text in browsers; editors such as Obsidian, Typora and VS Code render it.
How to convert HTML to MD on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your HTML files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each MD is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the HTML files from Finder onto the drop zone and the MD files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose HTML files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted MD appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose HTML files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The MD is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for HTML to MD
There are no settings: the HTML is read and written as Markdown text.
The output is UTF-8, so accented letters and other alphabets are kept exactly.
HTML vs MD: the differences
| HTML | MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | HyperText Markup Language | Markdown |
| Type | document | document |
| Created by | Tim Berners-Lee | John Gruber |
| First released | 1993 | 2004 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | text with tags for headings, lists, links, tables and images | plain text with simple symbols for headings, lists, links and emphasis |
| In a browser | opens in every web browser | shows as plain text in browsers; editors such as Obsidian, Typora and VS Code render it |
| Common uses | web pages, emails and documents meant to be read in a browser | documentation, README files, notes and blogging tools |
| MIME type | text/html | text/markdown |
About HTML and MD files
What is an HTML file?
HTML is the language of web pages. A converted document saved as HTML keeps its headings, lists, tables and links and opens in any browser.
What is an MD file?
Markdown marks formatting with plain characters: # for headings, * for lists and emphasis. It reads naturally as text and converts cleanly to HTML, which is why developers and note apps use it.
HTML to MD not working? Common problems
- The result is empty. For PDFs, this means the pages are images without a text layer; use OCR through JPG to TXT instead.
- Some formatting is missing. Plain text and simple HTML have no place for page layout, fonts or colours; only structure and words are kept.
- Characters show as boxes in the PDF. The embedded font does not cover that script, such as Chinese or Hindi.
Convert HTML to MD from the command line
Pandoc converts between document formats on the command line:
pandoc input.html -o output.mdThe converter on this page does the same job in your browser, without installing anything.
HTML to MD converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting HTML to MD?
The text and its structure are kept; the page layout of the HTML is not.
Why is the MD a different size from the HTML?
About the same size as the HTML: the words are identical and only the markup around them changes.
Are my HTML files uploaded anywhere?
No. The conversion runs inside this browser tab using open-source document libraries (mammoth.js, PDF.js and pdf-lib), so your files stay on your device. You can disconnect from the internet after the page and converter engine have loaded and it still works.
Can I convert several HTML files to MD 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 an MD file?
MD shows as plain text in browsers; editors such as Obsidian, Typora and VS Code render it. MD is common for documentation, README files, notes and blogging tools.
Is this HTML to MD converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many files you convert. The site is paid for by advertising, and because conversions run on your device there is no server cost per file.
Can I convert HTML to MD on my phone?
Yes. The converter works in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome on Android. Converted files are saved to the Downloads folder.