Convert Markdown, Word, EPUB and HTML in your browser
Drop a file in, pick a format, download the result. Nothing is uploaded — the conversion runs on your own machine, in this tab.
Every other online converter works the same way: you hand them your file, their server does the work, and you trust them to delete it. For a recipe that is fine. For a contract, a manuscript or a client's document it is a real problem. Recto reads the file in the page using the browser's own file and compression APIs, so there is nothing to upload and nothing to delete afterwards.
What converts to what
Markdown is the hub format, so anything it reads can become anything it writes.
| Format | Read | Write | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Markdown (.md) | Yes | Yes | CommonMark-style, with tables, task lists and footnotes |
| Word (.docx) | Yes | Yes | Real heading styles, tables and clickable links |
| EPUB (.epub) | Yes | Yes | Valid EPUB 3 with chapters and a generated contents page |
| HTML | Yes | Yes | Standalone styled page, or clean semantic markup |
| Plain text (.txt) | Yes | Yes | Syntax stripped, structure kept readable |
| Not yet | Via print | Print to PDF from the editor |
Markdown to Word
The most common thing people need, and the one most converters do badly. Headings become genuine Word heading styles rather than big bold text, so the navigation pane and automatic contents work. Tables become real Word tables with a column grid. Links stay live. The file you get is one you can keep editing, not a flattened rendering.
Markdown to EPUB
Choose EPUB and the converter builds a valid EPUB 3: chapters split at the heading level you pick, a generated navigation document, title and author metadata, and readable default typography. It is enough to sideload onto an e-reader or submit to a store.
Word or EPUB back to Markdown
Going the other way is just as useful. Drop in a .docx and get clean Markdown — headings, bold and italic, lists, links, tables and code all survive. Useful for moving old documents into a plain-text workflow, or for getting a manuscript out of a format you no longer want to be locked into.
Questions
Is this document converter free?
Yes, with no account and no file size tier. The conversion happens in your browser, so there is no server cost to pass on.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No, and this is the main reason to use it. Every other online converter sends your document to their machine to process it. Recto reads the file in the page using the browser's own APIs, so the file never leaves your computer.
Which formats can it convert?
It reads Markdown, HTML, plain text, Word (.docx) and EPUB, and writes Markdown, HTML, plain text, Word (.docx) and EPUB. Markdown is the hub, so any input can become any output.
Can I convert Markdown to Word?
Yes. Paste or drop your Markdown, choose Word, and convert. Headings become real Word heading styles, tables become real Word tables, and links stay clickable, so the result is editable rather than a flat dump of text.
Can I turn Markdown into an ebook?
Yes. Choose EPUB and the converter builds a valid EPUB 3 file, splitting chapters on your chosen heading level and generating the table of contents, title and author metadata.
Does it handle large documents?
It handles book-length documents comfortably. Because the work happens on your own machine, speed depends on your computer rather than on a queue shared with other users.
Can I convert a PDF?
Not yet. PDF carries layout rather than structure, and extracting reliable headings and tables from one needs a different approach. Every other listed format is supported in both directions.
The other tools
Markdown reader and editor
Open a .md file and read it typeset, or write with source and page side by side, both editable. Tables, task lists, footnotes, find and replace, six colour schemes.
Open the editor →Book formatter
Turn a manuscript into a typeset book: real pages at your trim size, running heads, a contents page with page numbers, and a print-ready PDF or EPUB.
Format a book →Markdown to slides
Write a talk in Markdown, split slides with a rule, and present full screen with speaker notes, or save the deck as a PDF or a single HTML file.
Make slides →Document compare
See exactly what changed between two versions of a document, word by word, as a redline. Works with Markdown, Word, EPUB and plain text.
Compare documents →Readability checker
Reading grade, Flesch score and five more measures, with long sentences, passive voice and padding highlighted in your own text.
Check readability →Table editor
Paste CSV, a spreadsheet range or a Markdown table, edit it as a grid, and copy it out as Markdown, CSV, HTML or JSON. Opens .xlsx files too.
Edit a table →CV typesetter
Write your CV in Markdown and get a clean, print-ready A4 or Letter page in one of four styles, with a fit-to-one-page control.
Typeset a CV →Code viewer and formatter
Open any source file with highlighting and line numbers. Format or minify JSON, XML and CSS, find syntax errors, print it, or copy it with colours.
View code →