What happens when you convert TeX to MD
- The LaTeX is read by pandoc, the open-source document converter, on our conversion server, which understands sections, lists, emphasis, tables, footnotes, maths and the macros defined in the file itself, and written as GitHub-flavoured Markdown.
- LaTeX is read, not typeset: \input and \include of other files are not followed, and commands from packages pandoc does not know are dropped.
- Simple equations are written with italics and superscripts, such as E = mc²; complex ones may not read well outside LaTeX. The title block, bibliography and cross-reference numbers are not generated.
- 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 TeX to MD online
- Press "Choose TeX 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 MD". 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 MD with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your TeX and the MD by then.
Why convert TeX to MD?
TeX files usually come from scientific papers, theses and maths-heavy documents. 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, TeX 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. TeX shows as plain text in browsers; LaTeX, Overleaf and TeX editors typeset it, while MD shows as plain text in browsers; editors such as Obsidian, Typora and VS Code render it.
How to convert TeX to MD on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your TeX 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 TeX 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 TeX 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 TeX 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 TeX to MD
There are no settings: pandoc writes standard, tidy MD that any editor reads.
If something is missing, check whether it depended on a file outside the TeX; the converter reads the file alone.
TeX vs MD: the differences
| TeX | MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | LaTeX document | Markdown |
| Type | document | document |
| Created by | Leslie Lamport, on Donald Knuth's TeX | John Gruber |
| First released | 1984 | 2004 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | text with commands for structure, maths, references and layout | plain text with simple symbols for headings, lists, links and emphasis |
| In a browser | shows as plain text in browsers; LaTeX, Overleaf and TeX editors typeset it | shows as plain text in browsers; editors such as Obsidian, Typora and VS Code render it |
| Common uses | scientific papers, theses and maths-heavy documents | documentation, README files, notes and blogging tools |
| MIME type | application/x-tex | text/markdown |
About TeX and MD files
What is a TeX file?
A .tex file is the source of a document, not the finished pages: commands such as \section and \begin{equation} are typeset into a PDF by LaTeX. It is the standard for papers in mathematics, physics and computer science.
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.
TeX to MD 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 TeX format." The converter checks every file before it runs anything, so a file of another format renamed to .tex is refused. Choose the page for its real format.
Convert TeX to MD from the command line
pandoc does the same on your own computer:
pandoc input.tex -t gfm -o output.mdConverting 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.
TeX to MD converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting TeX to MD?
The words are kept exactly; only the markup around them changes.
Why is the MD a different size from the TeX?
About the same as the TeX, or smaller: the words are identical and only the markup changes.
Are my TeX files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful TeX to MD 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 MD as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several TeX 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 TeX to MD 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 TeX to MD 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 MD is saved to your Downloads folder.