Scanned PDF to Markdown OCR

Convert scanned PDF
to Markdown

Use OCR to recover searchable Markdown from PDFs that contain page images instead of selectable text.

Format-specific converter

What this converter does

A scanned PDF is a container of page images. The converter renders and processes those pages with OCR, then combines the recognized content into Markdown while marking page boundaries.

Input and output

  • Input: Image-based or scanned PDF
  • Output: Searchable Markdown with page-boundary comments
  • Method: Page rendering followed by OCR

Before-and-after example

This example shows the kind of structure the converter attempts to recover. Actual output depends on the source file.

Source document
[Scanned page 1]
Safety inspection
Date: 11 July 2026
Markdown result

# Safety inspection

**Date:** 11 July 2026

Formatting behavior

ElementBehavior
Page boundariesPreserved as Markdown comments
Printed headingsMapped when visual hierarchy is detectable
TablesRecovered when grid and cell structure are clear
Selectable textParsed directly when present; OCR covers image pages

Known limitations

File lifecycle and privacy

The source file is processed in a request-scoped temporary directory and deleted when the request ends. Generated Markdown is stored in the service database so it can be delivered after account verification; there is not yet an automatic time-based deletion policy. Read the privacy notice or request deletion before uploading sensitive material.

Local and online alternatives

Use a local OCR stack such as OCRmyPDF plus a Markdown converter when data cannot leave your machine or when you need a repeatable batch pipeline. Use this route for an immediate browser workflow and mixed scanned/digital PDFs.

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