Free HTML to Markdown Converter - Instant Online Conversion Tool

Free to Use Instant Conversion Live Preview GitHub Flavored Download Support No Registration
HTML Editor
Markdown Output
HTML
Markdown
Conversion Options
HTML Handling
Helps protect against malicious scripts in HTML input
Removes HTML tags that don't have Markdown equivalents
Converts HTML entities like   to actual characters
Markdown Options

How to Use the HTML to Markdown Converter

Step-by-Step Guide
  1. Input HTML: Type or paste your HTML code in the editor. You can also click "Sample HTML" to see an example.
  2. Configure Options: Select your preferred conversion settings:
    • HTML sanitization and tag stripping
    • GitHub Flavored Markdown support
    • Heading style preferences (ATX vs Setext)
    • List bullet style (asterisks vs dashes)
  3. Convert: Click "Convert HTML to Markdown" to process your code instantly.
  4. Review Output: Switch between tabs to view:
    • HTML: Your original HTML code
    • Markdown: The converted Markdown syntax
    • Preview: How the Markdown will render
    • Split View: Side-by-side comparison
  5. Export: Copy the Markdown to clipboard or download as a .md file.
Pro Tips
  • Batch Processing: Convert multiple HTML files by pasting them one after another
  • Clean HTML: Enable sanitization to remove potentially unsafe or unnecessary tags
  • GitHub Ready: Use GitHub Flavored Markdown for better compatibility with GitHub, GitLab, and similar platforms
  • Preview First: Always check the preview tab to ensure formatting looks correct
  • Save Settings: Your conversion preferences are remembered for future use
Keyboard Shortcuts
Ctrl + A Select all text in editor
Ctrl + C Copy selected text
Ctrl + V Paste text into editor
Ctrl + Z Undo last action
HTML to Markdown Conversion Examples
Basic Elements
<h1>Heading 1</h1> <h2>Heading 2</h2> <h3>Heading 3</h3>
# Heading 1 ## Heading 2 ### Heading 3
<p>This is a <strong>bold text</strong> and <em>italic text</em>.</p> <p>This is <s>strikethrough</s> text.</p>
This is a **bold text** and *italic text*. This is ~~strikethrough~~ text.
<a href="https://example.com">Link text</a> <img src="image.jpg" alt="Alt text">
[Link text](https://example.com) ![Alt text](image.jpg)
Lists and Blocks
<ul> <li>Item 1</li> <li>Item 2</li> <li>Item 3</li> </ul>
* Item 1 * Item 2 * Item 3
<ol> <li>First item</li> <li>Second item</li> <li>Third item</li> </ol>
1. First item 2. Second item 3. Third item
<blockquote> <p>This is a blockquote.</p> </blockquote> <pre><code>function hello() { console.log("Hello!"); }</code></pre>
> This is a blockquote. ``` function hello() { console.log("Hello!"); } ```
<table> <thead> <tr> <th>Header 1</th> <th>Header 2</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>Cell 1</td> <td>Cell 2</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Cell 3</td> <td>Cell 4</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
| Header 1 | Header 2 | | -------- | -------- | | Cell 1 | Cell 2 | | Cell 3 | Cell 4 |
Advanced Examples
<div class="code-example"> <h3>JavaScript Function</h3> <pre><code class="language-javascript"> function convertHtmlToMarkdown(html) { return parseHTML(html) .toMarkdown(); } </code></pre> </div>
### JavaScript Function ```javascript function convertHtmlToMarkdown(html) { return parseHTML(html) .toMarkdown(); } ```
<article> <h2>Why Use Markdown?</h2> <blockquote cite="https://example.com"> <p>Markdown is the future of documentation.</p> <footer>— Developer Quote</footer> </blockquote> <p>Learn more <a href="/guide">in our guide</a>.</p> </article>
## Why Use Markdown? > Markdown is the future of documentation. > — Developer Quote Learn more [in our guide](/guide).

Common Use Cases

Documentation Migration

Convert existing HTML documentation to Markdown for platforms like GitHub Pages, GitBook, or Notion. Perfect for creating README files, API documentation, and technical guides.

Best for: Developers, Technical Writers, Open Source Projects
Content Migration

Move blog posts and articles from HTML-based CMS platforms to Markdown-based static site generators like Jekyll, Hugo, or Gatsby.

Best for: Bloggers, Content Creators, Web Developers
GitHub Projects

Create and maintain README.md files, project documentation, and wiki pages. Convert HTML snippets from web pages into GitHub-compatible Markdown.

Best for: Software Developers, Project Managers, Open Source Contributors
Email Templates

Convert HTML email templates to Markdown for easier editing and version control. Great for newsletter templates and automated email content.

Best for: Email Marketers, Newsletter Creators, Automation Specialists
Educational Content

Convert course materials, tutorials, and educational resources from HTML to Markdown for better accessibility and cross-platform compatibility.

Best for: Educators, Course Creators, Training Specialists
Forum & Community

Convert HTML content for platforms that support Markdown like Discord, Slack, Reddit, and Stack Overflow. Perfect for community management and support.

Best for: Community Managers, Support Teams, Forum Moderators
Why Choose Markdown?
  • Lightweight and readable
  • Platform independent
  • Version control friendly
  • Easy to learn and write
  • Widely supported
  • Future-proof format
  • SEO friendly
  • Fast loading
  • Mobile responsive

Frequently Asked Questions

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is a markup language used to create web pages with complex formatting and styling. Markdown is a lightweight markup language that uses simple syntax to format text. Markdown is easier to read and write than HTML, making it popular for documentation, README files, and content creation. Our converter helps you transform complex HTML into clean, readable Markdown.

Yes! Our converter fully supports GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM), which includes features like tables, strikethrough text, task lists, and fenced code blocks. You can enable or disable GFM features in the conversion options to match your target platform's requirements.

Our tool can handle large HTML files efficiently. For multiple files, you can paste them one after another in the editor. The tool processes everything client-side, so there are no server limitations. For very large batch conversions, consider breaking them into smaller chunks for optimal performance.

Absolutely! All conversions happen entirely in your browser - no data is sent to our servers. Your HTML content never leaves your device, ensuring complete privacy and security. This also means the tool works offline once the page is loaded.

Our converter supports all common HTML elements including headings (h1-h6), paragraphs, links, images, lists (ordered and unordered), tables, blockquotes, code blocks, emphasis (bold, italic, strikethrough), and line breaks. Unsupported elements can either be stripped or preserved as HTML based on your settings.

Yes! The tool offers several customization options including heading styles (ATX vs Setext), list bullet types (asterisks vs dashes), HTML sanitization, entity decoding, and GitHub Flavored Markdown features. These options help you create Markdown that matches your specific requirements and target platform.

Markdown supports inline HTML, so complex formatting that doesn't have a Markdown equivalent can be preserved as HTML. You can disable the "Strip unsupported HTML tags" option to keep these elements. Alternatively, you can manually edit the converted Markdown to include the necessary HTML tags where needed.

Our converter supports batch processing multiple HTML files sequentially. Simply paste your first HTML file, convert it, copy the output, then repeat the process with additional files. For large-scale conversions, you can paste multiple HTML snippets one after another. The split-view mode makes it easy to process multiple files side-by-side. All conversions process instantly in your browser with no server limitations.

Yes! Once the page loads, all conversions happen entirely in your browser without requiring an internet connection. This means you can continue using the tool offline after the initial page load. There's no server dependency, no data transmission, and no connectivity required for conversions. This makes it perfect for processing sensitive documents or working in restricted network environments.

To convert WordPress content to Markdown for static site generators like Hugo, Jekyll, or Gatsby: 1) Export your WordPress content as HTML, 2) Use our converter with GitHub Flavored Markdown enabled for maximum compatibility, 3) Enable entity decoding for proper character rendering, 4) Use the split-view mode to verify conversions before saving, 5) Download converted files with .md extension, 6) Review the output for any custom formatting that may need manual adjustment. Our tool handles WordPress-generated HTML well, though some styling attributes may require manual post-processing.

Converting HTML to Markdown can significantly improve SEO through faster page load times, cleaner HTML output without unnecessary tags, better version control integration for tracking content changes, and compatibility with static site generators that produce highly optimized pages. Markdown-based content is also easier to maintain and update regularly, which helps with keeping content fresh and accurate—both important factors for SEO rankings. The simpler syntax also makes your content more portable across different platforms.

Absolutely! Our converter fully supports batch processing of multiple HTML files. You can paste different HTML files sequentially and process them one at a time. The split-view mode makes it especially easy to compare and verify each conversion side-by-side before downloading. All conversions happen instantly in your browser with no server limitations, upload delays, or restrictions on file sizes—perfect for processing entire documentation sets or website exports.

Absolutely! Our converter features full GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) support enabled by default. This includes proper conversion of HTML tables to GFM pipe-delimited table syntax, support for strikethrough formatting using tildes (~~text~~), task lists with checkboxes, and fenced code blocks with language-specific syntax highlighting. You can customize all these features in the conversion options to match your specific platform requirements.

No file size limits whatsoever! Since all conversion processing happens entirely in your browser, there are no server-side restrictions or limitations. You can safely convert very large HTML files or even complete website exports. Browser memory is the only practical constraint, but modern browsers are quite capable of handling very large documents without issues. This makes our tool perfect for large-scale documentation and content migrations.

What Our Users Say

Sarah Chen
Technical Writer

"This tool saved me hours when migrating our documentation from HTML to Markdown. The GitHub Flavored Markdown support is perfect for our needs!"

Mike Rodriguez
Software Developer

"Clean, fast, and reliable. I use this regularly for converting HTML snippets to Markdown for my README files. The live preview is incredibly helpful."

Emma Thompson
Content Creator

"Perfect for converting my blog posts from WordPress to Jekyll. The batch conversion feature and download option make it super convenient."

David Park
Project Manager

"Excellent tool for team documentation. The privacy aspect is crucial for our enterprise use - everything stays local. Highly recommended!"

Lisa Wang
Educator

"Great for converting course materials. The table conversion works flawlessly, and the customization options let me format content exactly how I need it."

Alex Johnson
Blogger

"Simple, effective, and free! I've been using this for months to convert HTML emails to Markdown for my newsletter templates. Never had any issues."

4.9/5
Average Rating
50,000+
Happy Users
1M+
Conversions

Complete Guide to HTML to Markdown Conversion

Our free online HTML to Markdown converter is a comprehensive solution designed to help developers, content creators, technical writers, and bloggers seamlessly convert HTML code into clean, readable Markdown format. Whether you're migrating content from legacy HTML-based systems, converting web pages for documentation, or preparing content for Markdown-based platforms like GitHub, GitLab, Notion, or static site generators, our HTML to Markdown conversion tool provides everything you need for efficient and accurate conversions. This instant HTML to Markdown online converter handles batch conversions, GitHub Flavored Markdown, and includes live preview functionality.

Understanding HTML to Markdown Conversion

Markdown is a lightweight markup language that has become the standard for documentation, README files, and content management across modern development platforms. Unlike HTML, which can be verbose and complex with numerous tags and attributes, Markdown uses simple, intuitive syntax that is both human-readable and machine-processable. Converting from HTML to Markdown helps reduce file size, improve readability, enhance version control compatibility, and simplify content management workflows. Learn more about Markdown best practices and how to optimize your documentation.

Why Convert HTML to Markdown?

There are numerous compelling reasons to convert HTML to Markdown. Markdown files are significantly more portable than HTML files, working seamlessly across any text editor and platform. They're inherently version-control friendly, making collaboration and change tracking much simpler with Git and similar systems. Markdown content loads faster than HTML-heavy pages, contributing to better web performance and Core Web Vitals scores. Additionally, Markdown is future-proof—the format has remained stable and consistent, ensuring your content remains readable and usable for years to come. For SEO purposes, Markdown-based content combined with static site generators like Hugo, Jekyll, and Gatsby often produces cleaner, faster-loading pages that rank better in search engines. Read our comprehensive conversion guide for more details.

Key Features of Our HTML to Markdown Converter

Our converter includes several advanced features to ensure accurate and customizable conversions. The live preview feature allows you to see exactly how your converted Markdown will render before downloading or copying. Full GitHub Flavored Markdown support enables you to use advanced features like tables, strikethrough text, task lists, and fenced code blocks. The tool processes conversions entirely in your browser, ensuring complete privacy and security without any data transmission to servers. You can customize conversion options to match specific platform requirements, handle unsupported HTML elements intelligently, and even batch process multiple HTML files. The split-view mode provides a convenient side-by-side comparison of your HTML input and Markdown output.

Common Challenges with HTML to Markdown Conversion

Converting HTML to Markdown presents several technical challenges. Some HTML elements don't have direct Markdown equivalents, requiring intelligent handling to either preserve as HTML or convert to closest Markdown syntax. Complex nested structures in HTML may not translate directly to Markdown's simpler structure. Entity encoding, special characters, and whitespace handling require careful consideration. Our converter addresses these challenges through intelligent processing, customizable options, and comprehensive support for various HTML element types and formatting scenarios.

Supported HTML Elements

Our HTML to Markdown converter supports comprehensive conversion of virtually all common HTML elements used in web content. This includes heading tags (H1 through H6) which convert to Markdown headings with ATX or Setext styles, paragraph tags that become standard paragraphs, emphasis tags (strong, b, em, i) that convert to bold and italic Markdown syntax, links (anchor tags) that become Markdown link syntax, images that convert to Markdown image format, lists (both ordered and unordered) with proper nesting support, tables for GitHub Flavored Markdown, code blocks and inline code, blockquotes, horizontal rules, and more. Our intelligent processing handles edge cases and nested structures to produce clean, readable Markdown output.

Use Cases and Applications

The HTML to Markdown converter serves diverse use cases across different industries and professional contexts. Documentation teams use it to migrate existing HTML documentation to Markdown for platforms like Read the Docs, GitBook, or MkDocs. Content creators and bloggers convert WordPress, Joomla, or other CMS-based HTML content to Markdown for migration to static site generators like Hugo, Jekyll, or Gatsby. Open source developers maintain README files and project documentation by converting HTML snippets to Markdown. Technical writers prepare content for multiple platforms by converting between formats. Educators and trainers convert course materials and tutorials from HTML to accessible Markdown format. Email marketers convert HTML email templates to Markdown for better version control and editing. API documentation teams use batch conversion to transform HTML-based API docs to Markdown format for better integration with developer portals. Learn more about documentation best practices to improve your project's content.

Technical Implementation

Our converter uses advanced client-side JavaScript processing to perform HTML to Markdown conversion without requiring server-side resources. This approach ensures instant conversion, complete privacy, offline functionality, and zero data transmission. The tool includes intelligent DOM parsing, comprehensive tag handling, entity decoding support, and customizable output formatting. All processing happens in your browser, making it both fast and secure for handling sensitive or confidential HTML content. The conversion engine is continuously updated to support emerging HTML5 features and latest Markdown specifications.

Note: This tool is designed to be simple, fast, and effective. Whether you are a professional developer, content creator, or someone who needs quick HTML to Markdown conversion, our free tool provides everything necessary for accurate and efficient conversions. We continuously update and improve our tool to ensure accuracy and provide the best user experience possible.

Related Articles & Resources

Complete HTML to Markdown Conversion Guide

Learn step-by-step how to convert HTML to Markdown with best practices and common pitfalls to avoid.

Markdown Best Practices for Documentation

Master Markdown syntax and discover professional techniques for creating clear, maintainable documentation.

Static Site Generators: Hugo, Jekyll & Gatsby

Explore the best static site generators for your Markdown-based documentation projects and websites.

GitHub Flavored Markdown: Complete Guide

Understand GitHub Flavored Markdown features including tables, checklists, and code highlighting.