HTML to Markdown

HTML to Markdown conversion turns verbose markup into the lightweight, readable plain text that Markdown was designed for. Instead of nested tags, you get headings, links, lists, and emphasis written in a syntax that is easy to read, easy to version-control, and portable across almost every documentation platform.

This converter uses the Turndown library, a well-known HTML-to-Markdown engine that runs directly in the browser. It produces ATX-style headings such as # Heading, fenced code blocks wrapped in triple backticks, emphasis using asterisks, and bullet lists prefixed with a dash, following common Markdown conventions.

The conversion happens entirely on the client side. Your HTML is parsed in the page and is never uploaded, logged, or stored, which makes the tool safe for content that includes private drafts, internal notes, or proprietary copy. You simply paste, read the result, and copy or download it.

The interface is deliberately simple: an HTML panel on the left, a Markdown output panel on the right, and buttons for copy, download, loading an example, and clearing the editor. Live character, line, and size statistics help you keep an eye on how large the content is before you move it somewhere else.

Key Concepts

• Turndown engine — the conversion is performed by the Turndown library running in your browser.
• ATX headings — heading levels become hash-prefixed lines such as # Heading.
• Fenced code blocks — preformatted code is wrapped in triple backtick fences.
• Asterisk emphasis — emphasis is written with asterisks rather than HTML tags.
• Dash bullets — unordered list items are prefixed with a dash.
• Client-side privacy — the HTML never leaves your browser during conversion.

1. Paste HTML on the left panel and see the Markdown output update in real-time on the right.
2. Review the output and watch the live character, line, and size statistics as you edit.
3. Copy the generated Markdown using the Copy Markdown button.
4. Download the Markdown as an output.md file when you want to keep it.
5. Click Example to load a sample HTML document, or use Clear to reset and start fresh.

Markdown is the default format for documentation, README files, and many content systems, so converting existing HTML into it is a frequent task. These are some common situations.

1. Documentation migration — move legacy HTML pages into a Markdown-based docs site.
2. README files — turn exported HTML content into clean Markdown for a project README.
3. CMS and blog content — convert rich-text HTML from an editor into Markdown for a static site generator.
4. Email or newsletter copy — strip formatting down to portable Markdown text.
5. Note taking — capture web content as Markdown for personal knowledge bases.
6. Version control — store readable, diff-friendly Markdown instead of bulky HTML.