PDF to HTML Converter
Convert a text-based PDF into semantic HTML with real heading tags, lists and tables. The pdf-inspector engine extracts the text and Pandoc writes the markup — all locally in your browser.
Click to start converting
Go to the converter — PDF to HTML output selected (pdf-inspector engine)
Supported input formats
| Format | Extension | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Text-based PDF | Digital PDFs — web articles, reports, documentation, specifications | |
| Mixed PDF | Text pages convert; image-only pages are flagged for OCR | |
| Scanned PDF | No text layer — detected and flagged; use the OCR page instead | |
| Multi-column PDF | Reading order rebuilt so the HTML flows in a single linear column |
How PDF to HTML conversion works
The converter never copies the PDF's internal drawing commands. Instead it rebuilds meaning: the pdf-inspector parser reads the text layer, infers headings from font sizes, reconstructs table grids from ruling lines, and emits structured Markdown.
Pandoc's HTML writer then turns that Markdown into semantic HTML5 — h1 to h6 headings, paragraphs, ordered and unordered lists, blockquotes, code blocks and tables — so the result is a real web page rather than a wall of positioned boxes.
Output is standalone HTML you can save, host or paste into a CMS. Because parsing happens in WebAssembly inside your tab, the PDF is never uploaded.
When to use PDF to HTML
Structure comes first: heading hierarchy, lists, links, blockquotes and tables are all tagged correctly, which is exactly what search engines and screen readers need.
Publishers moving a PDF-only article onto the web, and documentation teams extracting content from a specification to seed a docs site, get an indexable, linkable, responsive page instead of a static file.
Text content is complete and selectable, but images embedded in the PDF are not extracted — this page is text-first, so pair it with the OCR page for image-heavy or scanned documents.
PDF to HTML FAQ
+Is the HTML semantic or just a table of text?
Semantic. Pandoc writes genuine HTML5 elements — headings, paragraphs, lists, tables and code blocks — not absolutely positioned divs, so the markup is meaningful to browsers, crawlers and assistive technology.
+Are images from the PDF included?
No. This converter is text-first: it rebuilds the document structure but does not export embedded images. Use the OCR page for image-heavy or scanned PDFs.
+Is the file uploaded anywhere?
Never. Both engines run locally via WebAssembly and the network panel stays empty during conversion.
+Can I get Word or Markdown instead?
Yes. The PDF to Word and PDF to Markdown pages run the very same pipeline — parse to Markdown first, then write the format you choose.
+Does it work on scanned PDFs?
No — they carry no text layer, so there is nothing to tag. The engine detects them and directs you to the OCR route.