Ebooks conversion
Convert AZW3 to Markdown
Updated Jul 2026
AZW3 is Kindle's ebook format, and Markdown is a plain-text format used for notes, docs, and READMEs. To convert AZW3 to Markdown, open the file in a converter and export the text as .md, with headings and formatting reduced to plain markup. Doing this on your own computer keeps the ebook off other people's servers.
- Extension
- .azw3
- Type
- Ebooks
- Typically
- Kindle
- Extension
- .md
- Type
- Documents
- Typically
- Docs, READMEs, notes
Convert AZW3 to Markdown on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert AZW3 to Markdown
- Open Morphjet and drag in the AZW3 file, or a whole folder of ebooks, at once.
- Choose Markdown as the output format.
- Convert. The .md file is written next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
AZW3 vs Markdown: what actually changes
| AZW3 | Markdown | |
|---|---|---|
| Opens everywhere | No, needs a Kindle app or e-reader | Yes, any text editor, note app, or code editor opens it |
| File size | Larger, bundles fonts, images, and layout data | Much smaller, plain text |
| Formatting fidelity | High, preserves page layout, fonts, and images | Basic, headings, bold, italic, and lists only |
| Images | Embedded in the book | Extracted as separate image files, linked from the text |
| Keeps book metadata (title, author, cover) | Yes | No, not by default |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert AZW3 to Markdown when you want to pull the text out of an ebook, personal document, or manual so you can edit it, search it as plain text, or drop it into a notes app or a code repository.
Keep the AZW3 if you plan to actually read the book on a Kindle or in a reading app, since Markdown drops the original page layout, fonts, and embedded images.
Why not just use an online converter?
Ebook files can contain personal library data, and some are tied to your Amazon account. Uploading one to an online converter sends that file, and whatever it reveals about what you read, to a server you don't control. Converting on your own computer keeps the ebook and its contents entirely on your machine.
Questions
Does converting AZW3 to Markdown lose formatting?
Yes, some. Markdown only supports headings, bold, italic, lists, and links, so page layout, fonts, and precise spacing from the original ebook don't carry over. The text itself stays intact.
What happens to images in the ebook?
They're pulled out as separate image files and linked from the Markdown text, rather than staying embedded the way they are in AZW3.
Can I convert a Kindle book I bought from Amazon?
Only if it's free of DRM protection. Amazon applies DRM to most purchased books, which blocks conversion until it's removed. Personal documents and DRM-free AZW3 files convert without issue.
Will the Markdown file keep the book's title, author, and cover?
Not by default. Markdown has no built-in metadata fields, so that information doesn't automatically transfer, though you can add it back as plain text at the top of the file.
Can I convert AZW3 to Markdown without uploading it anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file locally, so it never travels over the internet, even with your wifi off.
Morphjet converts AZW3, Markdown, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.