Markup symbols are removed
Headings became plain lines, and the marks for bold, italic and inline code disappeared. In our notes file the count of # fell from 13 to 0, of * from 6 to 0 and of backticks from 8 to 0.
MD to TXT Converter
You get a plain text file with the Markdown symbols removed, ready to paste into an email, a form or a word processor.
To convert md to txt, add the Markdown file, keep TXT as the output format and download the result. The # and * marks, backticks and table pipes are removed, and the words stay. Not everything is cleaned: in our test link addresses were dropped and ~~ strikethrough marks were kept. Other files will differ, and the sections below list what happens to each element.
Transfers use HTTPS, and files converted on the free tier are deleted after 24 hours, so the result is not a long-term archive. Quality depends on the source file, so open the TXT file once before you share it.
FromMDLossless
MD (Markdown)
A plain-text file where headings, lists, links, tables and code are marked with ordinary punctuation such as # and *. It has no page size, fonts or page breaks, so a reader or converter decides how it looks. Markdown is a family of dialects rather than one standard: CommonMark and GitHub Flavored Markdown are the best known.
ToTXTLossless
TXT (Plain Text)
A file of plain characters with no fonts, bold or links. In our test the TXT from indox was valid UTF-8 with no byte order mark and LF line endings, and its lines were never longer than 72 characters.
Two Markdown test files we wrote (939 and 453 bytes), converted anonymously on indox.org
- MD, notes fileour test file: 57 lines, 13 # marks, 6 *, 8 backticks, 16 pipes
- 939 bytes
- TXT, notes filefrom indox, 50 lines, none of those marks left, ~~ kept 4 of 4
- 748 bytes
- MD, table filea 6-column, 5-row table with 49 pipes
- 453 bytes
- TXT, table filefrom indox, 15 lines, no pipes, columns aligned with spaces
- 424 bytes
Why use indox to convert MD to TXT?
Link text stays, link addresses go
A link written as [link to indox](https://indox.org/en-US) came out as the words link to indox. The web address was dropped. A bare address written in the text stayed as it was.
Tables become aligned text
Pipe tables turned into columns lined up with spaces and a dashed rule under the header row. A 6-column, 5-row table stayed aligned, with no line longer than 66 characters.
Persian, Japanese and accented text survive
In our test the Persian, Japanese and accented Latin lines came out character for character the same. The 2 extra non-ASCII characters in the output were the task-list box symbols.
Code and quotes keep their shape
Code fences and the language name were removed and the code was indented by 4 spaces. A block quote lost its > mark and was indented by 2 spaces.
What happens to your Markdown
Stays
- The wording and the order of the text
- Persian, Japanese and accented characters, exactly as written
- List bullets, numbers and nesting
- Your original .md file, which is not touched
Changes
- The #, *, backtick and pipe marks are removed
- Link addresses and image addresses are dropped, and only the words stay
- Paragraphs are re-wrapped at 72 characters and consecutive lines are merged
- Front matter is dropped, and task list items become ☒ and ☐
- Tables become space-aligned columns
How do I convert MD to TXT online?
- 1
Add your Markdown file
Drop the .md file on the box or choose it from your device. The original is not changed, so you can run it again with edits.
- 2
Confirm TXT, then start the conversion
Check that TXT is the output format, then start the conversion and wait for Completed. In our test a 939-byte file took 3.3 seconds from the click to Completed.
- 3
Download the TXT and read it through
Open the file in a text editor and look at links, tables and any HTML you wrote. If a web address matters, copy it from the Markdown first, because it will not be in the TXT.
What do I get from indox's MD to TXT converter?
You hand over a Markdown file and take away plain text, with nothing installed on your computer. The page tells you up front what is removed, what is kept and what is left half-cleaned, and every number on it comes from a file we converted ourselves.
- Plain text with the Markdown symbols removed
- A browser is all you need, with nothing to install
- Non-Latin text kept as written
- A plain list of what stays uncleaned: link addresses, ~~ and raw HTML
What are the limits for MD to TXT?
Size
The upload box shows the live size limit before you add a file. Signing in raises it; a paid plan does not change it.
Formats
MD in, TXT out. Pick another output on the converter if you need a different format.
Privacy
Files are encrypted in transit over HTTPS and processed on indox infrastructure.
Deletion
Free-tier files are kept for 24 hours after the job finishes, then deleted automatically.
Limits worth knowing
- Link addresses are not kept. If you need the URLs, copy them out of the Markdown first or write them as bare addresses in the text, which stayed in our test.
- ~~ strikethrough marks stay in the text as typed. Raw HTML is only partly removed, so leftover tags such as </div> can remain.
- Wrapping at 72 characters and merging of consecutive lines happen on every file. We saw no option to turn them off, and you cannot choose the line width, the encoding or the line endings.
- The file is read as Pandoc Markdown. Constructs that exist only in GitHub Flavored Markdown may come out differently, and we did not test them.
- The result is text, not a spreadsheet. A table with very wide cells may wrap, and a table you want in Excel is better exported to CSV from the source.
- We converted two small files, 939 and 453 bytes. We did not test large files, so we cannot say where a size limit sits.
When the result is not what you expected
| What you see | Why | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The link addresses are missing | Only the link text is kept | Copy the addresses from the Markdown first, or write them as bare URLs in the text |
| Tildes ~~ are still in the text | Strikethrough marks are not removed | Find and replace ~~ in a text editor |
| Tags like </div> or <b> are left over | Raw HTML is only partly removed | Delete the HTML from the source, or clean the TXT by hand |
| Lines have run together into one paragraph | Consecutive lines are merged into one paragraph | Put a blank line between the lines you want kept apart |
| You need fonts, bold or a page layout | A TXT cannot hold them | Use MD to PDF or MD to DOCX instead |
What do the free and paid plans add?
Free
- All converters
- Daily credit refresh
- Email support
Basic
- Access to all features
- AI Extract
- Priority conversions
- Email support
Highest priority
Premium
- Everything in Basic
- Highest priority queue
- Priority support
Pay-As-You-Go
- No subscription
- Credits never expire
- Opt-in auto-refill
- Access to all features
Which conversions are close to MD to TXT?
MD vs TXT: what is the difference?
| Compared on | MD | TXT |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Plain text with punctuation that marks headings, lists, links and code | Plain characters only |
| Headings and emphasis | Written as # and * marks that a viewer turns into styling | No styling, so the marks are removed and the words remain |
| Links and images | Hold a web address next to the label or alt text | Keep the label or alt text, and in our test no address |
| Tables | Pipe-separated rows | Columns aligned with spaces |
| Registered type | text/markdown, defined in RFC 7763 | text/plain |
Who can use a MD to TXT converter?
When to use it
- Pasting the text of a README or notes file into an email without # and * marks.
- Getting a plain text version of Markdown notes to count words or feed to a tool that reads only text.
- Reading a Markdown table as aligned columns in a plain text editor.
- Archiving notes that contain Persian, Japanese or accented text as UTF-8 plain text.
- Producing a text-only copy for a form field or a CMS box that shows symbols literally.
Where can I read more about converting files?
Sources
- Media Type text/markdown (RFC 7763)IETF
- CommonMark Spec, version 0.31.2CommonMark
- Pandoc User's GuidePandoc
Facts checked on November 4, 2026
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MD to TXT FAQs
How do I convert md to txt?
Add the .md file to the converter in your browser, keep TXT as the output format and download the result. Nothing is installed. Open the TXT in a text editor to check links and tables.
Do the # and * symbols disappear, or only the file extension?
The symbols disappear. In our notes file the # count fell from 13 to 0, * from 6 to 0, backticks from 8 to 0 and table pipes from 16 to 0. The exceptions are ~~ strikethrough marks, which stayed, and raw HTML, which is only partly removed.
Can I just rename a .md file to .txt?
You can, and it opens in a text editor, but the file still contains every symbol. The # and * marks, the backticks and the pipes remain, because renaming changes the name and leaves the content alone.
What happens to links and their URLs?
The link text stays and the web address is dropped. [link to indox](https://indox.org/en-US) became the words link to indox. A bare address typed in the text stayed. If you need the addresses, copy them before converting.
What happens to tables?
A pipe table becomes columns aligned with spaces and a dashed rule under the header, with no pipes. In our test a 6-column, 5-row table stayed aligned. It is plain text, not CSV, so a spreadsheet will not split the cells for you.
What happens to images?
An image is replaced by its alt text. The picture and its address are not in the TXT, since a text file cannot hold an image.
Will Persian, Japanese or accented text survive?
In our test it did. We converted lines in Persian, Japanese and accented Latin, and they came out character for character the same, in a UTF-8 file with no byte order mark. We did not test every script, so open the result and check yours.
Can I keep my line breaks?
Not as typed. A single line break inside a paragraph is merged, and paragraphs are re-wrapped at 72 characters. A blank line between two paragraphs is kept, and list items stay on their own lines. We saw no option to change this.
Is there a size limit, and are my files stored?
In our test of two small files no limit, quota or paywall message appeared, but we did not try large files. The converter page states how long uploaded files are kept, so read it before you upload anything private.
Can I do this on my own computer instead?
Yes. Pandoc can write plain text, and some editors can copy Markdown as plain text. Its options differ from what this page runs, so the output may differ. This page is the quicker route for a file or two.