PDF PDF-MD

Native macOS SwiftUI app

PDF-MD

Turn difficult PDFs, slides, and images into clean Markdown.

PDF-MD is a native macOS SwiftUI app for fast, smooth document extraction with file preview, routing, Markdown review, LaTeX normalization, and direct .md export.

Requirement note

PDF-MD processes selected files locally on your Mac.

MarkEdit is recommended for opening exported Markdown files.

Key features

  • Native macOS SwiftUI interface
  • Smooth source file preview popup
  • Import and route files with control
  • Fast Text, Hybrid, and Heavy Audit extraction modes
  • Beautiful Markdown preview window
  • LaTeX normalization for math-heavy content
  • Export to clean Markdown
PDF-MD document control workspace. PDF-MD source preview for difficult documents. PDF-MD in-app source preview popup. PDF-MD routing, OCR normalization, preview, and export workflow. PDF-MD final Markdown preview.

Sample

Source lecture PDF Auditory transduction excerpt with embedded-label diagrams. Markdown output Generated by PDF-MD with visible OCR uncertainty notes. Audit JSON Route, OCR, timing, uncertainty, label groups, and semantic candidates. Heavy Audit report OCR overlays, crop assets, probable label groups, and chart or diagram candidates.
Embedded-label auditory transduction slide used in the PDF-MD sample export.

Image-embedded labels

The slide text is selectable, while many anatomy labels are pixels inside the figures. PDF-MD routes these slides through Hybrid OCR so useful labels become visible in Markdown. Heavy Audit adds OCR confidence overlays, probable label groups, and chart or diagram candidates. The caveat is visible too: spatial relationships are exposed for review, not perfectly reconstructed. 

### Page 8

> OCR note: diagram or chart labels were extracted. Spatial relationships were not reconstructed.

TRAVELING
PRESSURE WAVES
SCALA VESTIBULI PRESSURE INCREASE
PRESSURE WAVES DISPLACE THE REISSNER'S AND THE BASILAR MEMBRANE

#### Image OCR

Malleus Incus
Stapes vibrating Helicotrema
Cochlea
in oval window
Sound waves
Perilymph
tympani
External auditory
canal
Spiral organ
(organ of Corti)
Tectorial membrane
Vestibular membrane
Cochlear duct
Tympanic
(contains endolymph)
Secondary tympanic
membrane vibrating
in round window
Middle ear Auditory tube
Middle ear
Auditory tube
Download sample files Go to purchase and support

System behavior

Technical Specification

Platform

OS
macOS 14 or later recommended
App type
Native macOS app
Framework
SwiftUI
Processing
Local document processing
Hardware
Apple Silicon Mac recommended

Supported input

  • PDF: .pdf
  • Images: .png, .jpg, .jpeg, .tif, .tiff, .heic
  • Presentations: .ppt, .pptx, .pptm, .pps, .ppsx, .odp

Core workflow

  1. User imports PDFs, images, or presentation files.
  2. Files are previewed, routed, and assigned to destinations.
  3. User selects Fast Text, Hybrid, or Heavy Audit mode.
  4. PDF-MD extracts text, applies OCR where the selected mode requires it, and rebuilds Markdown.
  5. Optional LaTeX normalization can be applied.
  6. Final Markdown and any selected audit output are exported to the chosen destination.

Extraction modes

  • Fast Text: direct text extraction only.
  • Hybrid: direct text first, OCR where needed.
  • Heavy Audit: full extraction with audit output.

OCR

  • macOS Vision-based OCR
  • Page-aware processing
  • Image-region OCR
  • Geometry-aware text ordering
  • Multi-column layout handling
  • Conservative cleanup fallback

Markdown output

  • Clean .md export
  • Structured text extraction
  • Preserved headings where possible
  • Bullet and paragraph reconstruction
  • Markdown preview before export

LaTeX normalization

  • Converts OCR-damaged mathematical text toward Markdown-safe LaTeX
  • Normalizes common symbols, subscripts, superscripts, and equation fragments
  • Designed for readable academic Markdown

File management

  • Multi-file import
  • Drag-and-drop workflow
  • Destination routing
  • Per-file export control
  • Custom page or slide range support

Audit output

  • Markdown output
  • Audit JSON
  • Audit HTML
  • Rendered page assets
  • OCR-region assets
  • Extraction diagnostics

External dependency

Presentation fallback conversion may use LibreOffice when installed.

PDF and image workflows run natively on macOS.

Purchase and help

Sales & Support

Get PDF-MD

PDF-MD is available as a paid macOS app.

Inspect the sample export first, then decide whether the workflow fits your documents.

View on App Store Buy direct

Requirements before purchase

  • macOS 14 or later recommended
  • Apple Silicon Mac recommended
  • Local files you are authorized to process
  • LibreOffice optional for some presentation fallback workflows
  • MarkEdit recommended for opening exported Markdown files

License & legal

View Terms View Privacy Policy View EULA

Technical support

For setup issues, difficult files, extraction errors, or export failures:

Open the support site

Email support

When contacting support, include:

  • macOS version
  • Mac model or chip
  • PDF-MD version
  • file type and extraction mode used
  • screenshot or exact error message
  • whether LibreOffice or MarkEdit is installed, if relevant

Common setup issues

Issue Check
Presentation fallback fails Install LibreOffice and retry the presentation workflow.
Exported Markdown does not open Install MarkEdit or open the .md file in another Markdown editor.
OCR output looks wrong Try Hybrid or Heavy Audit mode and review the source preview.
Only part of a file exports Check the selected page or slide range before export.
Large files feel slow Use a smaller page range or a lighter extraction mode first.