Zero Snippet

HTML to Markdown converter — paste markup, get GitHub-flavored Markdown for docs and CMS migration

This free HTML to Markdown converter online turns snippets and articles into clean GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM): headings, emphasis, links, images, lists, blockquotes, fenced code, tables, and task lists when your source HTML includes them. Everything runs locally in your browser, so exports from wikis, legacy blogs, and email builders stay private. Use it alongside our Markdown to HTML converter when you need to round-trip content or preview how authors’ Markdown will render as markup.

Options

Uses Turndown with GFM (tables, strikethrough, task lists). Arbitrary layout and inline styles may flatten to plain text—review before publishing.

Why convert HTML to Markdown?

Teams move to Markdown because it diffs cleanly in Git, reads well in code review, and powers static site generators (Hugo, Eleventy, Astro), GitHub wikis, and many headless CMS workflows. When your legacy content only exists as HTML—exported from WordPress, Confluence, or old landing pages—an HTML to MD converter jump-starts migration: you get editable prose instead of hand-typing hundreds of pages. Expect to spot-check tables and nested lists; HTML layout divs do not always map to idiomatic Markdown.

If you are standardizing on JSON or YAML for config while prose stays in Markdown, keep our JSON formatter & validator and YAML to JSON converter nearby for the non-Markdown pieces of your stack.

HTML to Markdown for SEO and content operations

Search engines consume rendered HTML, not your authoring format—but Markdown-first workflows often produce tighter, reviewable content and faster iteration in Git. After you convert, paste final HTML through publishing pipelines or use SSG-native Markdown. When you audit live pages, our meta tags extractor and canonical tag checker help confirm titles, descriptions, and duplication controls on the HTML you actually ship.

How to use this HTML to Markdown tool (step by step)

  1. Paste HTML into HTML input. You can use a fragment (for example an article block) or a larger export; remove navigation chrome if you only want the body copy.
  2. Under Options, choose ATX headings (# H1) or setext headings for H1/H2, pick a bullet character, and decide between fenced and indented code blocks to match your style guide.
  3. Click Convert to Markdown and read the Markdown output panel. Tables and task lists appear when the GFM plugin can recognize the source structure.
  4. Use Copy Markdown to paste into your repo, CMS, or notes app. Use Load sample anytime to see a full example with headings, lists, code, and a table.

Preparing HTML for a cleaner Markdown result

Messy or deeply nested HTML can produce noisy Markdown. Run important templates through our HTML formatter & minifier first to normalize structure, then trim wrapper elements you do not need. For strict XML-style documents, validate with the XML formatter & validator before converting compatible fragments.

Limitations and when to keep HTML

Markdown is not a drop-in replacement for every HTML pattern: arbitrary div layouts, inline style attributes, custom web components, and script-driven widgets usually flatten or disappear in conversion. For interactive marketing sections, keep HTML partials or adopt MDX. Scripts and most head metadata are not meaningful in Markdown and are omitted by design.

Reverse direction: Markdown to HTML

Authors who write in Markdown but need raw markup for email or CMS fields can use the Markdown to HTML converter on this site. Together, the two tools help you test round trips and compare how structural changes in HTML affect your Markdown source.

Related developer tools

Browse the full code & developer tools section on the home page, or open a focused utility below.

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  • JSON to YAML Converter — Convert JSON to readable YAML for configs and Kubernetes—copy or download the result.
  • CSV to JSON Converter — Paste or upload CSV and get structured JSON with header-aware typing for APIs and apps.
  • YAML to JSON Converter — Parse YAML to valid JSON with clear errors—ideal for CI configs and cloud templates.
  • XML Formatter & Validator — Beautify and validate XML with structure insight and actionable parse errors.
  • Regex Tester & Debugger — Test patterns live with highlights, capture groups, and flags—debug regex without leaving the browser.
  • SQL Formatter — Pretty-print SQL with indentation and keyword casing for readable queries and code review.
  • HTML Formatter & Minifier — Beautify or minify HTML and compare raw markup with a quick rendered preview.
  • CSS Formatter & Minifier — Format messy stylesheets or minify CSS for faster loads—keep design tokens consistent.
  • JavaScript Formatter & Minifier — Pretty-print or minify JavaScript for debugging locally and shipping smaller bundles.
  • Markdown to HTML Converter — Turn Markdown into HTML with a live preview—handy for emails, blogs, and static pages.
  • Code Diff Checker — Compare two code blocks side by side with clear add/remove highlighting for reviews.
  • JWT Decoder — Decode JWT header and payload and check expiry—signature verification not included, client-side safe.

Frequently asked questions

What does this HTML to Markdown converter do?
You paste HTML (a fragment or a full document), and the tool outputs GitHub-flavored Markdown: headings, lists, links, images, blockquotes, fenced code blocks, tables, task lists, and strikethrough when present. Conversion runs in your browser so snippets stay on your machine.
Is my HTML uploaded to a server?
No. Turndown parses your HTML locally in the tab. Nothing is sent to our backend for conversion, which is appropriate for proprietary templates, email HTML, or CMS exports you do not want to share.
Will the Markdown match my CMS or static site generator exactly?
Markdown allows several equivalent styles (bullet characters, heading syntax, link reference forms). Output follows common GFM conventions; you may still tweak spacing or switch to reference-style links for your pipeline. Pair with our Markdown to HTML converter to round-trip a sample before bulk migration.
Why does complex HTML simplify or look different in Markdown?
Markdown is intentionally limited: arbitrary div layouts, inline styles, and custom components do not have a single standard Markdown equivalent. Those regions often become plain text or simplified blocks. For rich layouts, keep HTML or use MDX where your toolchain supports it.
Can I convert a full page including head and scripts?
You can paste a full document; the converter focuses on content-like tags. Script, style, and most metadata in head are typically dropped or reduced because they are not representable as useful Markdown. Strip chrome with our HTML formatter first if you only need the body structure.
How do I get cleaner HTML before converting?
Run messy markup through our HTML formatter and minifier to normalize indentation and structure, then paste the fragment you care about into this tool. That makes lists and headings easier for the parser to interpret consistently.
Does this validate HTML?
It uses an HTML parser like the browser: broken tags may be repaired silently. For strict XML-shaped content, use our XML formatter and validator, then convert only the parts that are valid HTML fragments.
How do I go from Markdown back to HTML?
Use the Markdown to HTML converter on this site for a quick preview and raw markup copy. For production, prefer your framework’s Markdown pipeline so plugins, sanitization, and shortcodes match your app.