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MarkItDown

MarkItDown is an MCP server for converting files into Markdown. Its connected implementation exposes 1 tool for extracting readable content from documents.

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Install MarkItDown

Choose a harness. These instructions start the same local MCP server shown on this page.

Claude Code

Run this in your terminal. It adds a user-scoped server; use --scope project instead if it should apply only to the current project.

terminal 
claude mcp add --scope user --transport stdio markitdown -- uvx markitdown-mcp

What it does

MarkItDown MCP turns source files into Markdown that an agent can read. It is for PDFs, Office files, HTML and other formats that should be converted before the actual task begins.

  • Convert supported files to Markdown.
  • Extract text from PDFs and Office documents.
  • Read HTML and other document formats through one server.
  • Pass a file path or supported input explicitly.
  • Keep conversion local when the document should not leave the machine.

Available functions

convert_to_markdown Convert a resource described by an http:, https:, file: or data: URI to markdown

Arguments

uri required
string

Questions people ask

Can MarkItDown MCP convert PDFs?

Yes. PDF conversion is one of the intended use cases. The live function schema shows the exact input and options supported by this integrated version.

Can MarkItDown MCP read Word and Excel files?

MarkItDown is designed to extract readable content from common Office formats. The actual formats available depend on the installed runtime and the functions returned by the server.

Can MarkItDown MCP run in Docker?

Yes, if the container has `uv`, can read the input files and includes any converters required by the formats you use. Keep document paths inside the container's intended mount.

How do I run MarkItDown MCP with npx?

This catalog entry requires `uv`, so use the resolved launch command shown for this server rather than assuming an npx package is equivalent.

Can MarkItDown MCP work in VS Code?

Yes, when VS Code starts the local MCP process with `uv` and gives it access to the document path. The editor does not change which formats the runtime can convert.

How do I use MarkItDown MCP in Cursor?

Add the local server to Cursor's MCP settings and point it at files the server can read. Keep conversion local when the document should not leave the machine.

How do I use MarkItDown MCP with Claude Code?

Add the `uv`-based server to Claude Code and give the process access to the source document. Claude Code can request Markdown conversion after the server connects.

Can MarkItDown MCP run with OpenCode?

OpenCode can use it when its MCP configuration can start the catalog launch command. The server still needs `uv` and filesystem access to the input file.

What does MarkItDown MCP need to run?

The catalog entry requires `uv`. Install that prerequisite and run the server on a machine that can read the documents.

Convert the file before asking about it.

Give the agent Markdown it can read instead of a document format it cannot inspect.

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