Word is great for writing with other humans. Markdown is great for putting content into Git, docs sites, and anything “text-first.” If you have a DOCX you want to reuse in a README or a static site, converting it to Markdown gets you out of the Word ecosystem.

TL;DR

  • Use TinyUtils Document Converter to convert DOCX to Markdown.
  • Headings, lists, bold/italic, links, and simple tables usually convert cleanly.
  • Images may be extracted and referenced from the Markdown output.
  • If your DOCX has Track Changes, accept changes first for a “clean” export.

Why convert Word to Markdown?

  • Git-friendly — Track changes with version control
  • Static sites — Hugo, Jekyll, Docusaurus, Astro
  • Documentation — docs-as-code workflows
  • Collaboration — Markdown works in GitHub, GitLab, Notion
  • Future-proof — Plain text never becomes obsolete

How to convert DOCX to Markdown

  1. Open TinyUtils Document Converter.
  2. Upload your .docx file.
  3. Select Markdown as output.
  4. Click convert.
  5. Download the Markdown file (with any extracted images).

What's preserved

  • Headings — H1 through H6 become # through ######
  • Lists — Bullets and numbered lists (nested lists may need a quick check)
  • Formatting — Bold and italic
  • Links — Hyperlinks preserved as [text](url)
  • Tables — Converted to Markdown tables
  • Images — Extracted and linked as ![alt](path)
  • Code blocks — If styled as monospace/code
  • Blockquotes — Preserved as > syntax

What about Track Changes?

Track Changes is where conversions get messy. If you want a clean Markdown export, accept changes and remove comments first (in Word, that’s “Accept All Changes” + delete comments). Then convert. If you need help with that cleanup step, see how to clean a document with Track Changes.

What doesn't convert

  • Headers/Footers — Not part of Markdown
  • Page layouts — Columns, page breaks
  • Fonts/Colors — Markdown is content, not presentation
  • Comments — Dropped (content only)
  • Complex tables — Merged cells may break

A quick cleanup pass (worth doing)

Treat the Markdown as a draft. A five‑minute cleanup pass gets you from “technically converted” to “pleasant to edit”:

  • Headings: make sure the hierarchy makes sense (it’s common for everything to become H2).
  • Lists: check nested lists — one extra space can change the structure.
  • Tables: if the table is wide, consider rewriting it as a short list or splitting it.
  • Line breaks: remove hard wraps inside paragraphs if they appeared.
  • Links: click a couple to confirm they didn’t get mangled.

If you’re converting for a docs site, this is also the moment to add frontmatter (title, description) if your system uses it.

How images are handled

Embedded images in your DOCX are extracted and saved separately. The Markdown references them with relative paths: 

![Chart showing sales data](media/image1.png)

Depending on the converter and output, you may receive the Markdown plus a folder (or ZIP) containing the extracted images.

Footnotes, endnotes, and “Word magic”

Word has features Markdown doesn’t really have a native home for: footnotes, endnotes, tracked comments, and rich cross-references. Different converters handle these differently.

  • Footnotes: might become Markdown footnote syntax ([^1]) or get inlined at the end.
  • Cross-references: often turn into plain text (“see section 3”) without a clickable link.
  • Comments: usually dropped (content-only export).

If those features matter, do a quick test on a short sample before you convert a 40-page document.

And if you’re publishing to a platform like GitHub or a docs site, preview the Markdown there — not just in your editor.

Markdown flavor

Output aims for a GitHub‑flavored style of Markdown (GFM‑ish):

  • Fenced code blocks with ```
  • Tables with | pipes |
  • Strikethrough with ~~text~~

Batch conversion

Got a folder of Word documents? Upload them all. TinyUtils converts each one and provides a ZIP with all the Markdown files.

Other output formats

Need something other than Markdown? TinyUtils also converts DOCX to:

  • PDF
  • HTML
  • Plain text
  • ODT (LibreOffice)

FAQ

What about .doc files (old Word format)?

The converter works best with .docx. For old .doc files, open in Word and save as .docx first.

Can I convert back from Markdown to Word?

Yes! TinyUtils supports Markdown to DOCX as well.

How's the table conversion?

Simple tables convert well. Complex tables with merged cells or nested content may need manual cleanup. Markdown tables are inherently limited.

Next steps

If you want a Markdown version of your DOCX, open TinyUtils Document Converter, upload your file, and convert. Afterward, skim headings, lists, and tables — those are the usual trouble spots.