Convert Markdown to PDF on Mac
Select the Markdown files in Finder, press ⌥ F, choose PDF and press Return. FileFlip saves each PDF next to its original and works without an internet connection.
How to convert Markdown to PDF with FileFlip
Select the Markdown files
In Finder or on the Desktop. One file, or a whole folder with ⌘ A.
Press ⌥ F
FileFlip opens next to the selection and lists the formats it can make from Markdown. Type “PDF” to jump to it.
Choose PDF and press Return
The PDF files appear next to the originals with the same names. The Markdown files stay as they are.
Markdown and PDF
People who don’t use Markdown see the raw # and * marks instead of formatting. A PDF looks the same on every device and is the safest way to send something to be read or printed.
What changes when you convert
- A PDF looks the same on every device but is hard to edit, so keep the Markdown if you’ll need to make changes.
- Markdown is plain text with formatting marks; the converted file is for readers who don’t use Markdown.
| Property | Markdown | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Markdown | Portable Document Format |
| Made by | John Gruber | Adobe; an ISO standard since 2008 |
| Introduced | 2004 | 1993 |
| Best for | Notes, documentation and README files | Sharing, printing and archiving documents |
| Opens in | Any text editor; note apps and GitHub show it formatted | Every browser, Preview, Acrobat and every phone |
| File extension | .md, .markdown | |
| In FileFlip | Opens | Opens and saves |
Other ways on a Mac
Here’s what you can do with what’s already on your Mac.
No built-in converter
macOS doesn’t include a Markdown converter. TextEdit opens .md files as plain text, so the # and * marks stay as typed.
Questions about Markdown and PDF
Can I convert many Markdown files at once?
Yes. Select them all in Finder, press ⌥ F and choose PDF. Progress moves to the menu bar, so you can close the panel and keep working.
Where is the PDF file saved?
Next to the original, with the same name and the .pdf extension. The Markdown file isn’t changed. In Settings you can choose a different folder instead.
Can I convert PDF back to Markdown?
No. FileFlip opens Markdown files but doesn’t save them.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. FileFlip converts files on your Mac and works with the internet turned off.
Convert a folder of documents at once
FileFlip also handles images, camera raw files, video, audio, PDFs and data files. Requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
Coming soon for Mac