Documents conversion
Convert ODT to Markdown
Updated Jul 2026
ODT is the document format used by free office suites, with full formatting, styles, and embedded images. Markdown is a plain text format that uses simple symbols for headings, bold, and lists, the format most docs sites and READMEs expect. Converting it on your own computer turns the ODT into Markdown without uploading the file anywhere.
- Extension
- .odt
- Type
- Documents
- Typically
- LibreOffice / OpenOffice
- Extension
- .md
- Type
- Documents
- Typically
- Docs, READMEs, notes
Convert ODT to Markdown on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert ODT to Markdown
- Open Morphjet and drag in the ODT file, or a whole folder of them, to convert several at once.
- Choose Markdown as the output format.
- Convert. The Markdown file is written next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
ODT vs Markdown: what actually changes
| ODT | Markdown | |
|---|---|---|
| Opens everywhere | No, needs a free office suite or a compatible word processor | Yes, any text editor, code editor, or browser can read it |
| File size | Larger, a zipped bundle of XML, styles, and any embedded images | Much smaller, plain text |
| Formatting kept | Full, fonts, colors, page layout, footnotes, track changes | Basic only, headings, bold, italic, lists, links, simple tables |
| Editing | Requires a word processor | Any plain text or code editor |
| Works well with version control | No, a binary-like file, diffs aren't readable | Yes, plain text, diffs line by line |
| Document metadata (author, revision history) | Yes, stored in the file | No, plain text has no metadata field |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert ODT to Markdown when you're moving a document into a wiki, a README, a static site, or anywhere that expects plain text markup instead of a word-processor file.
Keep the ODT if the document relies on precise formatting, like a resume, a formal letter, or a report with footnotes and page layout, since Markdown can't reproduce any of that.
Why not just use an online converter?
Documents written in a free office suite often hold drafts, comments, or business details you'd rather not hand to an unknown web service. Many online converters require uploading the file to their servers to do the conversion, then sending back a Markdown copy. Converting on your own computer skips that step, the document never leaves your machine.
Questions
Does converting ODT to Markdown lose formatting?
Yes, some of it. Headings, bold, italic, lists, links, and simple tables carry over, but fonts, colors, page layout, footnotes, and track changes don't, since Markdown has no way to represent them.
Will comments or revision history survive the conversion?
No. Markdown is plain text with no concept of comments, track changes, or document metadata, so all of that is dropped in the conversion.
Can I convert a whole folder of ODT files at once?
Yes, Morphjet can convert a batch of files in one go, which is useful if you're moving a folder of notes or documents into Markdown.
Can I convert ODT to Markdown without uploading it anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so it never has to travel over the internet.
Morphjet converts ODT, Markdown, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.