HTML to Markdown
Paste HTML source, or enter a URL to have it fetched; on complex pages add an XPath to extract just the article body, and the rule is remembered per domain.
Copying an article out of a web page drags in navigation, ads and styling markup. This tool converts HTML source or a whole URL into clean Markdown, and for complex pages you can use XPath to select exactly which part to extract.
Features
Code or URL input
Paste HTML source for a local conversion, or enter a URL to fetch and convert it. The second option is for when you do not have the source.
XPath targeting
Select the element to extract with XPath, leaving out navigation, sidebars and comment sections.
XPath rules saved per domain
Rules live in your browser storage, keyed by domain. Revisiting the same site reapplies your last XPath automatically.
Link handling options
Complete relative URLs to absolute ones, or strip all links and keep plain text only.
Configurable fetch proxy
URL fetching runs through a proxy channel you configure, with a settable URL and parameter name, for sites with strict cross-origin restrictions.
Use Cases
Archiving an article as Markdown
Convert pages you want to keep into Markdown for your own notes.
Migrating an old blog
Convert old blog pages to Markdown before importing into a new static site generator.
Gathering reference material
Strip a reference page to plain text, then work through it on your own terms.
How It Works
- 1Choose a modeCode mode if you have the source, URL mode if you do not.
- 2Enter the contentPaste the HTML, or enter the URL to fetch.
- 3Configure XPathIn URL mode, point XPath at the article body. The rule is saved automatically.
- 4Convert and copyConvert, review the output, copy the Markdown.
FAQ
Why does a URL fetch fail?
Usually the target site blocks script-based fetching or enforces cross-origin restrictions. In that case, configure your own proxy channel in the fetch proxy settings so the request is relayed.
Where are XPath rules stored? Lost in a different browser?
They are kept in your browser local storage, separated by domain, and never leave your machine. Switching browsers or clearing local data loses them — reconfigure them on the Settings page, which also lists every saved XPath and proxy entry you can remove one at a time.
Are links preserved?
By default yes, with relative paths resolved into clickable addresses. Enable the strip-links option for plain text only.
Can I fetch multiple pages at once?
Only one URL per run. For a batch, convert and save each one, then merge the results yourself.