How to use the markdown to text converter
- Paste or type your markdown into the Markdown input box.
- The tool automatically converts it to plain text as you type.
- Review the output to ensure all formatting has been stripped correctly.
- Copy the resulting text using your system clipboard shortcut.
Supported Markdown Subset
This converter handles a practical subset of CommonMark rather than attempting full specification compliance. The supported elements include:
- ATX headings (
# H1through###### H6) - Strong emphasis (
**text**and__text__) - Italic emphasis (
*text*and_text_) - Inline code (
`code`) - Fenced code blocks (triple backticks)
- Links (
[text](url)) - Images (
) - Unordered lists (
-,*,+) - Ordered lists (
1.,2., etc.) - Blockquotes (
>) - Horizontal rules (
---,***,___) - Simple pipe tables
Raw HTML is not interpreted: tags stay in the text exactly as you typed them.
How the Conversion Works
The input is parsed with CommonMark rules into blocks (headings, paragraphs, lists, quotes, code, tables) and inline nodes, and only the text of those nodes is written out. Block-level elements like headings, list items, blockquotes and horizontal rules are identified first. For example, a line starting with ### is recognized as a level-three heading, and the prefix is removed to leave only the text content.
Inline markup is then resolved by the parser, so a link becomes its label and emphasis markers disappear. A link formatted as [Example](https://example.com) is reduced to just Example. Emphasis markers like asterisks and underscores surrounding words are deleted. Inline code backticks are removed while keeping the enclosed text intact.
Consider this input: **Important:** Read the [docs](/help). The converter removes the strong markers around "Important", keeps the colon, extracts "docs" from the link syntax, and discards the URL. The final result is Important: Read the docs.
Why Convert Markdown to Plain Text
There are several practical reasons to strip markdown formatting. When pasting content into applications that do not support markdown, such as basic email clients, SMS messages or legacy database fields, the raw syntax characters become visual noise. Converting to plain text ensures readability everywhere.
Another common use case is preparing data for natural language processing or word counting. Tools like the word counter work best with clean text free of markup symbols. Removing markdown prevents asterisks, brackets and hash marks from skewing character counts or confusing text analysis algorithms.
If you need to go the other direction, converting existing plain text or web pages into markdown, you might use an html to markdown tool first, then edit the result before sharing it.
Handling Edge Cases
Markdown parsing can be ambiguous, especially when dealing with nested formatting or incomplete syntax. This converter takes a conservative approach. Unclosed emphasis markers, such as a single asterisk without a matching pair, are left in the text rather than guessing the author's intent.
Fenced code blocks are handled by tracking state: once a line with three or more backticks is encountered, all subsequent lines are treated as literal text until a closing fence appears. This prevents inline stripping rules from accidentally modifying code examples.
Tables are simplified by removing the delimiter rows (the ones containing only hyphens and pipes) and stripping the leading and trailing pipes from data rows. Cell contents are separated by spaces. Complex tables with merged cells or nested markdown inside cells may not render perfectly, but the textual content will always be preserved.
Worked examples
| Example | Input | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Headings and emphasis | Markdown input: # Title / ## Subtitle / This is **bold** and *italic* text. | Title / Subtitle / This is bold and italic text. |
| Links and images | Markdown input: Visit [Xerobit](https://xerobit.dev) for tools. /  | Visit Xerobit for tools. / Logo |
| Lists and blockquotes | Markdown input: - Apples / - Oranges / 1. First / 2. Second / > A wise quote. | Apples / Oranges / First / Second / A wise quote. |
| Code and table | Markdown input: Inline `code` here. / ``` / block code / ``` / | Name | Age | / | --- | --- | / | Alice | 30 | | Inline code here. / block code / Name Age / Alice 30 |
FAQ
Does this tool upload my markdown to a server?
No. The entire markdown to text conversion happens locally in your browser using JavaScript. Your content never leaves your device.
What happens to images in the markdown?
Image syntax like  is converted to just the alt text. The URL and markdown brackets are removed, leaving only the descriptive text behind.
Are HTML tags inside the markdown preserved?
No. No. Raw HTML is not rendered or removed: tags stay in the text exactly as typed, and characters such as < and & are never converted to entities.
Can I convert large markdown documents?
Yes. Because the processing runs locally and uses straightforward string operations, it handles large documents quickly without network delays or size limits imposed by a server.
Does it support GitHub Flavored Markdown tables?
It supports simple pipe tables commonly used in GitHub Flavored Markdown. The delimiter row is removed, and cell contents are joined with spaces to form plain text lines.
Will nested formatting like bold inside italics work?
Yes. Yes. The parser resolves nested emphasis with the CommonMark rules, so combinations like ***bold and italic*** are reduced to plain text correctly.