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HTML to Markdown Converter

Convert HTML to clean Markdown instantly. Supports headings, links, tables, code blocks. Side-by-side preview. 100% browser-based.

HTML to Markdown Converter

Convert HTML code to clean Markdown syntax instantly

0 characters
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Structure

  • • H1-H6 headings
  • • Paragraphs
  • • Line breaks
  • • Horizontal rules

Formatting

  • • Bold & italic
  • • Links & images
  • • Code blocks
  • • Blockquotes

Lists & Tables

  • • Ordered lists
  • • Unordered lists
  • • Tables with headers
  • • Nested content
🔒 100% browser-based • No data sent to servers • Instant conversion

Free HTML to Markdown Converter – Convert HTML to MD Instantly

Transform HTML code into clean, readable Markdown with our free online converter. Supports headings, links, images, tables, code blocks, and more. Perfect for content migration, documentation, and blogging.

What Is HTML to Markdown Conversion?

HTML to Markdown conversion transforms web content written in HTML (HyperText Markup Language) into Markdown—a lightweight markup language designed for readability and simplicity. This process is essential for moving content between platforms, websites, and documentation systems.

Why Convert HTML to Markdown?

The shift toward Markdown has accelerated across numerous platforms and industries:

Content Management: Many modern CMS platforms, static site generators (Jekyll, Hugo, Next.js), and documentation tools (GitBook, Docusaurus) use Markdown as their primary format.

Version Control: Markdown files work beautifully with Git, enabling proper version control, diffing, and collaboration on documentation.

Platform Portability: Markdown content moves seamlessly between WordPress, Ghost, Medium, DEV.to, and countless other platforms.

Readability: Unlike HTML, Markdown is human-readable even in its raw form, making editing and reviewing easier.

How to Use This Converter

Step 1: Paste Your HTML

Copy HTML code from any source and paste it into the input area. We accept:

  • Full HTML documents
  • HTML snippets
  • Rich text copied from websites
  • CMS WYSIWYG output

Step 2: View Conversion

Markdown generates automatically in the output panel. Review the conversion for:

  • Proper heading hierarchy
  • Intact link URLs
  • Correct list formatting
  • Table structure preservation

Step 3: Preview (Optional)

Enable preview mode to see rendered Markdown, confirming visual accuracy before use.

Step 4: Copy or Download

Click "Copy" to add the Markdown to your clipboard, or "Download" to save as a .md file.

Supported Elements

Our converter handles all common HTML elements:

Structure Elements

HTMLMarkdown
<h1> to <h6># to ######
<p>Paragraph with blank lines
<br>Line break
<hr>---

Text Formatting

HTMLMarkdown
<strong>, <b>**bold**
<em>, <i>*italic*
<code>`code`
<pre><code>Code blocks

Links and Media

HTMLMarkdown
<a href="">[text](url)
<img src="" alt="">![alt](src)

Lists

HTMLMarkdown
<ul><li>- item
<ol><li>1. item

Block Elements

HTMLMarkdown
<blockquote>> quote
<pre><code>Fenced code blocks

Tables

HTML tables convert to GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) table syntax:

| Header 1 | Header 2 |
| --- | --- |
| Cell 1 | Cell 2 |

Use Cases

Blog Migration

Moving a WordPress blog to a static site generator requires converting posts to Markdown:

  1. Export blog posts as HTML
  2. Convert each post using our tool
  3. Import into Jekyll, Hugo, Gatsby, or Astro
  4. Publish on your new platform

Documentation Updates

Technical writers frequently convert legacy documentation:

  1. Copy HTML from existing docs
  2. Convert to Markdown
  3. Store in Git repositories
  4. Enable collaborative editing

Content Repurposing

Content marketers adapt existing HTML content:

  1. Convert web page content
  2. Edit in Markdown editor
  3. Publish across platforms
  4. Maintain source in Markdown

Email Templates

Some developers maintain email content in Markdown:

  1. Convert HTML emails to Markdown
  2. Edit content easily
  3. Convert back to HTML for sending
  4. Keep readable source files

Markdown Syntax Guide

Headings

# Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading 3
#### Heading 4

Text Formatting

**Bold text**
*Italic text*
***Bold and italic***
`Inline code`

Links and Images

[Link text](https://example.com)
![Alt text](image.jpg)
[Link with title](https://example.com "Title")

Lists

Unordered:
- Item 1
- Item 2
  - Nested item

Ordered:
1. First
2. Second
3. Third

Code Blocks

```javascript
const greeting = "Hello, World!";
console.log(greeting);
```

Blockquotes

> This is a blockquote.
> It can span multiple lines.

Best Practices

Cleaning Up Conversion

After conversion, review and clean:

  1. Remove excess whitespace from paragraph breaks
  2. Verify link URLs are complete and correct
  3. Check image paths for proper references
  4. Confirm code blocks have appropriate language tags
  5. Validate table alignment in rendered output

Handling Complex HTML

Some HTML elements have no direct Markdown equivalent:

HTMLRecommended Approach
<div>Remove or replace with paragraphs
<span>Remove styling spans
<iframe>Use raw HTML (supported in most parsers)
CSS stylingRemove (Markdown has no styling)
JavaScriptRemove entirely

Markdown Flavors

Different platforms use slightly different Markdown:

FlavorFeatures
CommonMarkStandard specification
GFMTables, strikethrough, task lists
MDXReact components in Markdown
PandocExtended academic features

Our converter outputs GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM), the most widely supported variant.

Technical Implementation

How Conversion Works

Our converter processes HTML through these steps:

  1. Parsing: HTML is analyzed for structure and elements
  2. Mapping: Each HTML tag maps to Markdown syntax
  3. Transformation: Content is converted while preserving hierarchy
  4. Cleaning: Excess whitespace and artifacts are removed
  5. Output: Clean Markdown is generated

Client-Side Processing

All conversion happens in your browser:

  • No server communication required
  • Your content stays private
  • Works offline after page load
  • Instant processing speed

Edge Case Handling

The converter manages:

  • Nested elements (bold within italic)
  • Deep list nesting
  • Tables with complex content
  • Mixed content types
  • Malformed HTML (best effort)

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it preserve all formatting?

Most common formatting converts accurately. Some HTML-specific styling (colors, fonts, complex layouts) has no Markdown equivalent and is stripped.

What about inline CSS?

CSS styles are removed since Markdown doesn't support styling. Structure (headers, lists) is preserved; appearance is not.

Can it handle malformed HTML?

The converter attempts best-effort conversion of imperfect HTML. Results vary based on the specific issues present.

Why do some elements disappear?

Elements like <div>, <span>, <script>, and <style> have no Markdown equivalent and are removed or converted to plain text.

Does it support tables?

Yes! Tables convert to GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM) table syntax, the most widely supported table format.

Can I convert Markdown back to HTML?

This tool converts HTML to Markdown. For the reverse, see our Markdown to HTML Converter.

Is there a size limit?

The tool handles large documents efficiently. Very large files (millions of characters) may cause browser slowdowns.

Does it preserve images?

Image tags convert to Markdown syntax. The image files themselves are not processed—only the reference syntax changes.

HTML vs Markdown Comparison

AspectHTMLMarkdown
Learning curveSteepGentle
ReadabilityLow (raw)High
FlexibilityTotalLimited
PortabilityUniversalPlatform-dependent
Version controlPoor diffsClean diffs
Editing speedSlowerFaster

When to Use Each Format

Use HTML When

  • Building web pages
  • Creating email templates
  • Needing precise styling control
  • Working with complex layouts

Use Markdown When

  • Writing documentation
  • Creating blog posts
  • Collaborating on content
  • Storing in version control
  • Prioritizing readability

Related Tools

Explore more conversion and content tools:

Tips for Clean Conversions

Before Converting

  1. Remove unnecessary <div> and <span> wrappers
  2. Ensure proper HTML structure
  3. Fix broken or malformed tags

After Converting

  1. Review heading hierarchy
  2. Check link integrity
  3. Verify list formatting
  4. Test in target platform

For Best Results

  • Use semantic HTML (proper tags)
  • Avoid inline styles
  • Keep structure simple
  • Minimize nesting depth

Paste your HTML above to convert to clean Markdown. Experience instant, accurate conversion with complete privacy.