MV Tools

PDF conversion

PDF to Markdown Converter

Convert text PDFs and scanned PDFs into Markdown with optional PaddleOCR text recognition.

Auto mode uses the existing PDF text layer when available and falls back to PaddleOCR for scanned pages. Files are temporary and cleaned up automatically.

Convert PDF to Markdown with OCR Fallback

Turn normal PDFs and scanned PDFs into Markdown files, with optional PaddleOCR recognition when the PDF has no usable text layer.

What This Tool Does

Upload a PDF, choose automatic OCR, forced OCR, or text-layer-only conversion, and MV Tools creates a Markdown file plus TXT and structured JSON downloads. Normal PDFs use embedded text for speed, while scanned PDFs can be rendered and recognized with PaddleOCR.

Common Use Cases

  • Converting PDF reports, manuals, notes, and documentation into Markdown for editing
  • Preparing PDF content for static sites, knowledge bases, Git repositories, or AI workflows
  • Extracting text from scanned PDF pages when a normal text layer is missing

How Data Is Handled

Uploaded PDFs, rendered page images, Markdown files, TXT files, and JSON results are processed temporarily on the server and are cleaned up automatically after the retention window.

FAQ

Does this work with scanned PDFs?

Yes. Auto mode falls back to PaddleOCR when the PDF does not contain enough extractable text.

Will the Markdown keep the exact PDF layout?

No. The first version focuses on readable text, page sections, paragraphs, simple headings, and lists. Complex tables and multi-column layouts may need manual cleanup.

Can I avoid OCR for private text PDFs?

Yes. Choose text-layer-only mode to extract embedded text without rendering pages for OCR.

Related Tools

Scanned PDF OCRAdvanced Image OCRPDF to Image