Skip to content
ocrtomarkdown
Menu
For the notes you actually keep

Your PDFs, as notes you would have written yourself.

Drop in a PDF, a scanned handout or a book chapter. You get Markdown with real headings, lists and tables, and every paragraph joined back together, ready to paste or import into the app where you keep your notes.

Turn a PDF into notes in three steps

  1. 1Dropyour PDF
  2. 2Chooseyour notes app
  3. 3Copyor download
1

Drop your PDF

No PDF handy? Try a sample:

2

Choose your notes app

Which app are the notes for?

Pick a PDF first, or load a sample.

3

Copy or download

Your note will appear here, ready to copy or save as a .md file.

What is ocrtomarkdown?

ocrtomarkdown turns a PDF, a scan or a set of lecture slides into a Markdown note that is already tidied for the app you keep your notes in.

Most PDF converters hand you the text exactly as it sat on the page: a line break at the end of every printed row, the page header repeated every few screens, bullets made of odd symbols. Then you spend an evening cleaning it up. ocrtomarkdown does that cleaning for you.

It joins hard-wrapped lines back into paragraphs, keeps one title and a clear order of headings, turns every kind of bullet and numbering into a proper list, keeps tables as tables, and removes the page numbers and running headers that repeat page after page. Then it formats the result for Notion, Obsidian, Evernote, OneNote, Apple Notes or Logseq.

  • Paragraphs joined back together, with no line break every 80 characters
  • One title, then headings in a sensible order
  • Bullets and numbers turned into real lists
  • Tables kept as Markdown tables
  • Page numbers and running headers removed when they repeat page after page

How it works, in four steps

The converter at the top of this page is the whole product. There is nothing to install and nothing to sign up for.

  1. Drop your PDFDrag it in or choose it from your computer or phone. Scanned pages are fine. Files can be up to 25 MB.
  2. Choose your appPick Notion, Obsidian, Evernote, OneNote, Apple Notes or Logseq. Each one gets the flavour of Markdown it handles best.
  3. Check the resultFlip between the Markdown and a preview. If you change your mind about the app, pick another one and the note is re-formatted on the spot, without uploading again.
  4. Copy or downloadCopy the Markdown, copy it as formatted text, or download a .md file, then bring it into your app.

What changes between the PDF and your note

These are the fixes you would otherwise make by hand, one paragraph at a time.

Paragraphs, not rows

A line is joined to the next one when it stops mid-sentence. Blank-line paragraph breaks stay exactly where they were.

One title, tidy headings

The first heading becomes the title. The others follow in order, with no skipped levels.

Real lists

Bullets like • and ◦, dashes, and numbers written as 1) all become proper Markdown lists, nested the way the page was.

Tables stay tables

Tables come through as Markdown tables, with missing cells filled so every row lines up.

No running headers

A line that repeats page after page, such as a course name or Page 3 of 12, is removed once it shows up three or more times. A paragraph that was cut by a page break is stitched back together.

Made for your app

Obsidian gets a properties block. Logseq gets an outline. Notion, Evernote and Apple Notes stop at three heading levels. OneNote and older Apple Notes get a formatted copy to paste.

Retyping, generic OCR, or ocrtomarkdown?

There are three ways to get a PDF into your notes. Here is how they compare for a typical ten-page handout.

Compared onRetyping by handGeneric OCRocrtomarkdown
TimeHours of typingQuick to convert, then a long clean-upConvert, then skim
ParagraphsTyped as you read themUsually one line break per printed lineJoined back into paragraphs
HeadingsYou choose themOften plain text, or every heading at the same levelOne title, then headings in order
ListsRetyped with your own bulletsOdd symbols and numbers left as typedReal lists, nested like the page
TablesRebuilt cell by cellOften flattened into rows of textKept as Markdown tables
Page numbers and headersYou skip themLeft in the middle of your textRemoved when they repeat page after page
Fits your appYes, you type it thereThe same text for every appFormatted for the app you pick
CostYour timeVaries by toolFree for 3 files a day. Pro is $6 a month.

The middle column describes what a plain text converter usually does, not any one product.

How each app takes the result

Every app reads Markdown a little differently. Here is the short version, with the full story on the app pages.

AppHow it comes in
NotionSettings, Import, Text & Markdown, or paste into a page.
ObsidianDrop the .md file into your vault. Title, source and date become properties.
EvernotePaste into a note. Evernote converts pasted Markdown into formatting.
OneNoteOneNote does not read Markdown. Use Copy formatted and paste rich text.
Apple NotesImports .md on macOS, iOS and iPadOS 26 and later. Older versions: Copy formatted.
LogseqSave into your graph’s pages folder. Every paragraph becomes a bullet.

A tick means the app reads Markdown. A tilde means it needs the formatted-text route or a recent system version.

Questions people ask before they drop in a PDF

Is it really free?

Yes. You can convert 3 files a day, up to 10 pages each, without an account. If you need more, Pro is $6 a month for 150 files a month, files up to 150 pages.

What kind of PDF works?

Both kinds: PDFs with text you can select, and scanned PDFs that are only pictures of pages. Scans are read with OCR, so a sharp, straight scan gives a better note than a blurry one. Files can be up to 25 MB.

Can I use photos of my notebook or whiteboard?

Turn the photos into a PDF first. On an iPhone, the Notes app can scan documents to PDF; on Android, the Google Drive app can scan to PDF.

Printed text reads well. Handwriting is hit and miss, so we do not promise it.

What happens to my files?

Your file is processed in memory and deleted after conversion. Pages that need a second look may be sent to Google’s Gemini API for a vision check, which Google may keep for up to 55 days under its own terms. Your uploads are not used to train anything.

The privacy page lists every service involved.

How do you decide what counts as one paragraph?

A line is joined to the next one when it does not end with sentence punctuation, or when the next line starts with a lowercase letter. Blank lines between paragraphs are kept. Nothing is joined inside lists, tables, headings or code.

If a line ends a sentence and the next line starts a new one, we leave the break alone, unless the text is clearly wrapped at a fixed column.

Why does my note start with a single title?

Notes read better with one top-level heading. The first heading in your PDF becomes that title, and the rest are placed under it in order, with no skipped levels.

What if my notes app is not on the list?

Any app that reads Markdown will take the Notion or Evernote format, which is plain Markdown with no front matter. We have not tested every app, so check the headings and tables after your first import.

Are pictures, diagrams and equations included?

Pictures, charts and diagrams are not carried over, so you get the text and tables around them. If an equation cannot be read, you will see [equation not read] where it was, so you know to check that page.

Can I convert several files at once?

Not yet. Batches of up to 12 files are planned for Pro and marked as coming soon. For now you convert one file at a time.

Do I need an account?

No. The free allowance is counted for your device, so there is nothing to sign up for.

Pick your starting point