What happens when you convert MD to RST
- The Markdown is read by pandoc, the open-source document converter, on our conversion server: headings, lists, tables, links, emphasis, code blocks, quotes and footnotes, and written as reStructuredText, with underlined headings and RST tables.
- The converter reads nothing but the file itself, so images linked from it are left out; only images embedded in the file as data URIs are kept. Raw HTML inside the file is dropped.
- 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 MD to RST online
- Press "Choose MD 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 RST". 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 RST with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your MD and the RST by then.
Why convert MD to RST?
MD files usually come from documentation, README files, notes and blogging tools. People convert them to RST because reStructuredText is what Sphinx and Python documentation are written in.
In short, MD is good at what it was made for, and RST is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. MD shows as plain text in browsers; editors such as Obsidian, Typora and VS Code render it, while RST shows as plain text in browsers; Sphinx, GitHub and many code editors render it.
How to convert MD to RST on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your MD files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each RST is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the MD files from Finder onto the drop zone and the RST files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose MD files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted RST appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose MD files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The RST is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for MD to RST
There are no settings: pandoc writes standard, tidy RST that any editor reads.
If something is missing, check whether it depended on a file outside the MD; the converter reads the file alone.
MD vs RST: the differences
| MD | RST | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Markdown | reStructuredText |
| Type | document | document |
| Created by | John Gruber | David Goodger and the Docutils project |
| First released | 2004 | 2002 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | plain text with simple symbols for headings, lists, links and emphasis | plain text with underlined headings, lists, tables and directives |
| In a browser | shows as plain text in browsers; editors such as Obsidian, Typora and VS Code render it | shows as plain text in browsers; Sphinx, GitHub and many code editors render it |
| Common uses | documentation, README files, notes and blogging tools | Python documentation, Sphinx sites and README files |
| MIME type | text/markdown | text/x-rst |
About MD and RST files
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.
What is an RST file?
reStructuredText is the plain-text markup of the Python world: headings are underlined with = or - characters, and directives add notes, images and code. Sphinx builds the documentation of Python itself, and of thousands of other projects, from RST files.
MD to RST 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 MD format." The converter checks every file before it runs anything, so a file of another format renamed to .md is refused. Choose the page for its real format.
Convert MD to RST from the command line
pandoc does the same on your own computer:
pandoc input.md -o output.rstConverting 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.
MD to RST converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting MD to RST?
The words are kept exactly; only the markup around them changes.
Why is the RST a different size from the MD?
About the same as the MD, or smaller: the words are identical and only the markup changes.
Are my MD files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful MD to RST 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 RST as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several MD files to RST 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 RST file?
RST shows as plain text in browsers; Sphinx, GitHub and many code editors render it. RST is common for Python documentation, Sphinx sites and README files.
Is this MD to RST 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 MD to RST 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 RST is saved to your Downloads folder.