What happens when you convert TXT to MD
- Plain text is already close to Markdown. Characters Markdown would read as formatting, such as asterisks and a # at the start of a line, are escaped, and single line breaks are kept as hard breaks, so the text renders exactly as written.
How to convert TXT to MD online
- Press "Choose TXT 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 TXT to MD?
TXT files usually come from notes, logs, extracted text and anything that must open everywhere. 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, TXT 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. TXT opens in every browser, text editor and phone, while MD shows as plain text in browsers; editors such as Obsidian, Typora and VS Code render it.
How to convert TXT to MD on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your TXT 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 TXT 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 TXT 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 TXT 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 TXT to MD
There are no settings: the TXT is read and written as Markdown text.
The output is UTF-8, so accented letters and other alphabets are kept exactly.
TXT vs MD: the differences
| TXT | MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Plain text | Markdown |
| Type | document | document |
| Created by | no single author | John Gruber |
| First released | 1963 | 2004 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | characters only, with no formatting | plain text with simple symbols for headings, lists, links and emphasis |
| In a browser | opens in every browser, text editor and phone | shows as plain text in browsers; editors such as Obsidian, Typora and VS Code render it |
| Common uses | notes, logs, extracted text and anything that must open everywhere | documentation, README files, notes and blogging tools |
| MIME type | text/plain | text/markdown |
About TXT and MD files
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.
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.
TXT 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 TXT to MD from the command line
Pandoc converts between document formats on the command line:
pandoc input.txt -o output.mdThe converter on this page does the same job in your browser, without installing anything.
TXT to MD converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting TXT to MD?
No. Every word is kept exactly; only the way it is marked up changes.
Why is the MD a different size from the TXT?
About the same size as the TXT: the words are identical and only the markup around them changes.
Are my TXT 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 TXT 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 TXT 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 TXT 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.