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PDF to Markdown Converter — Clean Markdown, Even from a Scanned PDF

Looking for a PDF to Markdown converter that doesn't hand back an empty file when the PDF is a scan? Linnk reads each page with AI models, so a scanned report, a photographed handout or an ordinary digital PDF comes back as Markdown with its headings, lists and tables intact. Paste it into an LLM prompt, index it for retrieval, drop it into an Obsidian vault or commit it to a docs repo.
Output format
You'll also get Plain text · Word · Searchable PDF
Output language
Encrypted & private 154 languages & dialects Tables kept as tables Files deleted after 72h

How do you convert PDF to Markdown, including scanned PDFs?

To convert PDF to Markdown, a tool has to work out the document's structure (which line is a heading, which lines form a list, where a table's rows and columns sit) and write that structure in Markdown syntax. Most PDF to Markdown converters get there by reading the text layer stored inside the file. That works for a digital PDF, but a scanned PDF is only a picture of each page, so a text-layer tool returns an empty file or a few stray characters. Linnk reads the page image itself. AI models (Linnk uses ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini models) look at each page, rebuild it as structured text and write the Markdown file from that, which is why scans, phone photos and digital PDFs all convert the same way. Headings, lists and tables come through, the tables as Markdown tables. Numbers, IDs, dates and amounts are copied digit for digit; a digit that can't be read is marked with a question mark and an unreadable passage is marked [illegible], rather than guessed. The document stays in its own language by default. The same run also gives you plain text and a searchable PDF, and a Word file can be built on request. A clean, straight, well-lit page usually converts best; a faint or curled scan may need a quick check.

Headings, lists, tableskept as Markdown
Scans and photosread from the page image
PDF, JPG, PNG, HEICupload formats
Freepreview, no account needed

Last updated: October 2026

How to convert PDF to Markdown

From a PDF, scanned or digital, to a .md file in three steps.

1

Upload the PDF or photo

Drop a PDF, scanned or digital, or a JPG, PNG, WEBP or HEIC photo of a page. A photo is read as a one-page scan. Markdown is already selected, and the output language is set to Keep original.

2

Check the preview

Conversion usually takes under a minute per page, often about half a minute on a typical scan, and the page shows an estimate while it works. Copying the recognised text is free. Look out for a question mark or [illegible], which flag the spots the page didn't show clearly.

3

Download the Markdown file

Sign in with a free account to download the .md file. Plain text and a searchable PDF come from the same run, and you can ask for a Word file, which takes a few extra minutes to build.

What this PDF to Markdown converter does

Built for text you plan to reuse: in prompts, notes, docs and sites.

Scans convert, not just digital PDFs

Text-layer converters need text stored inside the PDF. A scanned contract, a photocopied chapter or a photo of a printed handout has none, so those tools come back empty. Linnk reads the page image, so scans and photos go through the same way digital files do.

Headings, lists and tables kept as structure

Section titles become Markdown headings, bullet and numbered points become lists, and tables become Markdown tables you can paste into a README or a note. The structure is rebuilt from what the page shows, not from the order the PDF happened to store its text in.

Numbers copied, not guessed

Version numbers, dates, amounts and IDs are copied digit for digit. A digit too faint to read is marked with a question mark and an unreadable passage is marked [illegible], so neither a reader nor a model downstream gets fed a confident guess.

Markdown that suits LLMs and RAG

Markdown is compact, and its headings give a chunker natural places to split, which is why it's a common input for LLM prompts and retrieval pipelines. Do the PDF to Markdown step once, then paste the result into a chat, split it by heading or index it.

Keep the language, or translate it

Keep the original language, or translate in the same run. A Japanese manual stays in Japanese by default, and Arabic, Hebrew, Chinese and Korean documents are read too, so the Markdown matches the source you'll quote from.

More than one format per upload

The same conversion gives you plain text and a searchable PDF rebuilt as real text, and a Word file can be built on request. If the document has tables, a spreadsheet and CSV files are available from the same run as well.

PDF to Markdown conversion facts

What to expect before you upload a PDF, a scan or a photo.

Input

Scanned PDFs
Read from the page image
Digital PDFs
Read the same way
Photos
JPG, PNG, WEBP, HEIC, HEIF
Each photo
Read as a one-page scan

Output

Markdown (.md)
Headings, lists and text
Tables
Written as Markdown tables
Plain text, searchable PDF
From the same run
Word (DOCX)
Built on request

Accuracy

Numbers and dates
Copied digit for digit
Unreadable digits
Marked with a question mark
Unreadable passages
Marked [illegible]
Tables across pages
Not joined; one table per page

Access

Preview
Free, no account
Copy text
Always free
Download
Free account
Longer documents
Paid plans, see linnk.ai/pricing

PDF to Markdown options compared

How Linnk compares with the usual ways of getting Markdown out of a PDF.

FeatureLinnk PDF to MarkdownOpen-source PDF-to-Markdown librariesCopy and pasteOnline PDF converters
SetupUpload in the browser, nothing to installInstall and run locally; easy to script for batchesNoneUpload in the browser
Scanned PDFs and photosRead from the page image by AI modelsSome offer an OCR mode; results depend on setupNothing to copy from a scanVaries; many read only the text layer
Headings and listsRebuilt as Markdown headings and listsVaries by libraryPasted as plain linesVaries
TablesMarkdown tablesVaries by libraryUsually pasted as loose textVaries
Unreadable digits and passagesMarked with a question mark or [illegible]VariesNot applicable; text is copied as storedVaries
Where your file goesUploaded; converted files deleted after 72 hoursStays on your machineStays on your machineUploaded or processed in the browser, depending on the site
Other outputs from the same uploadPlain text, searchable PDF; Word on requestDepends on the libraryNoneSometimes other formats

Comparison as of September 2026. Features of other tools vary and change often; check each one for its current options.

Who converts PDF to Markdown

People who want a document's text in a form they can edit, search and pass to other tools.

Developers building LLM and RAG apps

Turn scanned manuals and vendor PDFs into Markdown before chunking and embedding them, so a spec table arrives as rows and columns instead of a jumble of words.

Researchers and students

Convert papers, book chapters and photocopied readings into Markdown notes for Obsidian or Logseq, with the section headings in place for linking and outlining.

Technical writers

Move a legacy PDF manual into a Git-based docs repo or a static site generator such as MkDocs or Hugo, then edit and review it like any other page.

Writers and editors

Get an old article, a manuscript or a scanned typescript back as editable Markdown for a writing app, without retyping it page by page.

Teams keeping a wiki

Import a scanned policy or a supplier's PDF handbook into Notion or a team wiki as Markdown, so the headings and tables stay editable instead of sitting in an attachment.

Analysts working across languages

Convert a Chinese, Arabic or German report to Markdown in its own language, so quotes and figures match the source, then search it or compare versions with a diff.

PDF to Markdown FAQ

How do I convert PDF to Markdown?
Upload the PDF, scanned or digital, or a photo of a page. Markdown is preselected, so Linnk reads each page, shows a free preview and lets you download the .md file once you sign in with a free account. It usually takes under a minute per page.
Can I convert a scanned PDF to Markdown?
Yes, and that's the main reason to use this converter. A scanned PDF holds a picture of each page rather than text, so tools that read the PDF's text layer return an empty file or a few stray characters. Linnk's AI models read the page image instead, so the scan comes back with its headings, lists and tables. A straight, well-lit scan usually reads best; a faint or curled page may need a quick check.
Why use Linnk for PDF to Markdown instead of an open-source library?
If your PDFs are digital and you're comfortable running Python, a local library is quick, scriptable and keeps files on your machine. Linnk earns its place when the PDF is a scan or a phone photo, when the tables matter, or when you'd rather not install anything: upload, check the preview, download. Digits it can't read are marked instead of guessed, so you know where to look.
What does the Markdown file contain?
The document's text with its structure: headings as Markdown headings, bullet and numbered points as lists, and tables as Markdown tables. A table that runs across two pages comes out as two tables, one per page, because the parts aren't joined.
Is the Markdown suitable for ChatGPT, Claude or a RAG pipeline?
It's a good fit. Markdown keeps the structure a model uses to follow a document, usually takes fewer tokens than the same text as HTML, and its headings give a chunker natural places to split. Because unreadable digits are marked with a question mark and unreadable passages with [illegible], you can review or filter them before the text goes into an index.
Can I convert an image to Markdown?
Yes. JPG, PNG, WEBP, HEIC and HEIF images are accepted, and each one is read as a one-page scan. A photo of a printed page or a screenshot of a document converts the same way a scanned PDF does.
Which files can I upload?
PDFs, scanned or digital, and JPG, PNG, WEBP, HEIC and HEIF images, so iPhone photos work without converting them first. Word, PowerPoint and Excel files aren't accepted here because they already contain their text.
Which languages does it read?
The most widely used languages and scripts, including right-to-left Arabic and Hebrew, and Chinese, Japanese and Korean. The output language is set to Keep original, so the Markdown stays in the document's language. If you want it in another language, switch the setting to Translate to… before you start.
How long does it take?
Usually under a minute per page, and about half a minute on a typical scan. The page shows an estimate in minutes while it works. A Word file, if you ask for one, takes a few extra minutes because it's built after the conversion.
Is the PDF to Markdown converter free?
The preview is free without an account, the first pages of a document are converted for free, and copying the recognised text is always free. Downloading the Markdown file needs a free account. Longer documents are covered by the paid plans; see linnk.ai/pricing for the current options.
What happens to my files after the conversion?
Converted files are deleted automatically after 72 hours, and the result page says so, so download what you need before then. If a document is confidential, check your organisation's rules on online tools before you upload it.

Convert your PDF to Markdown

Drop a scan, a photo or a digital PDF and check the preview before you download.

Convert PDF to MarkdownView pricing