Convert PDF to Markdown without uploading your file
Open a PDF, review the converted text and save it as a .md file. Everything happens inside your browser: your document never leaves your computer.
- Free, no sign-up
- Your file is never uploaded
- Searchable PDF viewer
How to convert a PDF to Markdown
Markdown is a simple text format that editors, wikis, code repositories and AI tools understand. Converting a PDF to Markdown lets you reuse its content without copying and pasting page by page.
Open your PDF
Drag it onto the tool or use the open button. You can read it in the PDF tab and search for text inside the document.
Review the result
The Markdown tab shows a preview. Adjust the options and edit the text if something did not come out as you expected.
Copy or save
Copy the Markdown to the clipboard or save it as a .md file named after your PDF.
What PDF Ligero includes
Local conversion
Your browser does all the work. There are no accounts, queues or file uploads.
Searchable viewer
Search inside the PDF with Ctrl+F, jump between matches and find "acción" even if you type "accion".
Structure detection
It detects headings, lists, simple tables, code blocks and links from the size and style of the text.
Automatic cleanup
It joins broken lines, repairs words split by hyphens and can remove repeated headers and footers.
Preview and source
Switch between the preview and the raw Markdown, which you can edit before saving.
Free, no sign-up
It works in a current browser on Windows, macOS, Linux or mobile. Nothing to install.
Your file never leaves your browser
The PDF is read in your browser's memory and the Markdown is generated right there. The tool's code does not send the contents of your documents to any server, so we cannot see, store or use them.
Check it yourself
- Open your browser's developer tools (press F12) and go to the Network tab.
- Open a PDF and convert it: you will not see any request that carries the file.
- Turn off your internet connection after opening a first PDF and convert another one. It should keep working, because the engine is already in your browser.
Limits worth knowing
- Scanned PDFs. If every page is an image, the tool detects it and offers to recognize the text with OCR (Spanish and English), also in your browser. The result is approximate: it depends on the scan quality, takes a few seconds per page, and should be reviewed. The first time, about 8 MB are loaded from the site itself.
- Tables. Simple tables with well-aligned columns are recognized. Complex ones, with merged cells or no clear structure, may end up as running text.
- Multiple columns. It tries to respect the reading order, but irregular layouts can mix up the text.
- Images and formulas. Images and charts are not exported, and math formulas may lose their formatting.
The conversion is automatic, so always review the result before using it, especially with documents that have a complex layout.
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion runs in your browser and the file is never sent to a server. You can check it in the Network tab of your browser's developer tools.
Does it work with scanned PDFs?
Yes, with OCR. If the PDF is an image, the Markdown tab offers "Recognize text (OCR)" in Spanish, English or both. Recognition runs in your browser, without sending the file to any server. It is approximate, takes several seconds per page, and the result should be reviewed.
How well does it handle tables and multiple columns?
It makes a reasonable effort: it recognizes simple tables and orders the text of columns, but complex layouts can come out with errors. Always review the Markdown before using it.
Is it free? Is there a size limit?
It is free and needs no sign-up. The site does not limit file size or page count, but your own computer does the work, so very large documents take longer and need more memory.
Can I search for text inside the PDF?
Yes. The viewer includes Ctrl+F search, a match counter and options to match case, search whole words and ignore accents.
Does it work with password-protected PDFs?
Yes, if you know the password: the viewer asks for it when you open the file.
Which browsers are supported?
Recent versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari. If your browser is too old, the tool tells you to update it.