4 Ways to Convert Markdown to PDF on Windows, Mac, and Linux

Markdown is one of the most popular markup languages. While it simplifies the process of writing important documents for users, in certain cases, you may need to convert MD files to PDF for better sharing.

In the following article, we introduce the 4 easy ways to turn Markdown into PDF documents on Windows, Mac, Linux, and even Ubuntu.

Convert Markdown to PDF Online for Free

If you don’t want to download any software, you can choose a dedicated online PDF converter to handle this job, for example, using MarkdowntoPDF.

It is designed with a simple page. You just need to upload the Markdown file or paste the content, then it will automatically convert data between Markdown and PDF.

You can check the below steps to learn how to convert Markdown to PDF Online.

Step 1. Visit the website of MarkdowntoPD.

Step 2. Copy and paste your Markdown into the left text box > Then it will be converted to PDF automatically and quickly. You can also create a Markdown file directly with its editor.

Step 3. Click Download PDF to save the converted PDF on your computer.

Manually Convert Markdown to PDF for Free

If you have higher conversion and editing needs, such as identifying pictures, adjusting content formats, adding content, etc., then you must not miss this method.

You can first use the powerful online converter Dillinger to identify the Markdown file, then copy and paste the obtained content into a Word document for editing, and finally convert it to a PDF file, with the desired document formatting.

With this method, you can not only create the PDF file without formatting losses, but also customize your content conveniently. You can refer to the steps below to use this easy way.

Step 1. Copy and paste Markdown into Dillinger. Dillinger supports you in converting Markdown to PDF with images.

Step 2. Copy text from th Preview tab > Paste it into a Microsoft Word document.

Step 3. Now manually fix formatting issues if occurred. You can edit Markdown before converting to PDF according to your needs.

Step 4. To convert Microsoft Word to PDF without losing formatting, you can use the professional PDF converter PDFgear > Install PDFgear on your computer and open it.

Step 5. On the Hot Tools > Choose the Word to PDF button > Tap Add Files to upload the desired Word documents > Then click Convert to start the conversion.

Save Markdown Files as Pin VSCode with Extension

If you are already working with VSCode, you can use its plugins to help you convert PDFs. VSCode has a variety of functional extensions, including Markdown to PDF converter. No network connection is required, and you can process the documents you need anytime, anywhere.

However, this method may be a bit complicated for beginners. But don’t worry, you can follow the detailed steps below.

Step 1. Go to the Markdown PDF extension page, and click the Install button to get the extension for VSCode. If you haven’t installed VSCode already, you can install it from Microsoft.

Step 2. Then press Ctrl + O on the keyboard to open the Markdown file that you want to convert.

Step 3. Select the content and right-click on it > From the menu, choose Markdown PDF: Export (pdf) to get the PDF format.

Convert Markdown to PDF Using Command-Line Tools

You can also use command-line tools to convert Markdown files, this method is applicable on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Ubuntu. We take Pandoc as an example, this tool utilizes command-line functionality to convert files.

In addition to converting Markdown to PDF, it also can convert Markdown to LaTeX. Then you can use LaTeX editors to process your complicated documents, especially with powerful features for processing mathematical formulas, references, and indexes.

Step 1. Download and install Pandoc on the computer.

Step 2. After you have opened Pandoc software > Open your command line interface.

Tips:

• On Windows: Press Win + R > Input cmd > Enter.
• On Mac: hold Command + Space > Input Terminal > Enter.
• On Linux and Ubuntu: Find and open Terminal to open it.

Step 3. Then write the command pandoc input.md -o output.pdf to finish the conversion.

FAQs

What is a Markdown file?

A Markdown file, or an MD file is a text file that uses Markdown, a lightweight markup language, to format its content. It supports various formatting options and is widely used for documentation, notes, and web content creation.

Does PDF support Markdown?

No, PDF itself does not natively support Markdown syntax. PDF is a binary format while Markdown is a markup language. To view Markdown in PDF form, you need to convert it first using one of the methods mentioned.

How do I convert Markdown to PDF with syntax highlighting?

Some Markdown to PDF converters like Pandoc and md2pdf support syntax highlighting in code blocks.

How do I convert Markdown to PDF with a custom CSS style?

When converting Markdown to PDF, you can provide a custom CSS stylesheet to control the formatting. With Pandoc you can specify a stylesheet.