A PDF page is a fixed rectangle. This makes long documents awkward on a phone and opaque to many web tools. PDF to HTML turns the document into a single web page file. Pages with a text layer become real text that fits the screen and can be searched and read aloud. Scanned pages are kept as images, so nothing is lost.
How to use PDF to HTML
- Add the PDF.
- Select Convert to HTML.
- Download the HTML file.
- Open it in a browser, or publish it on your website.
Text pages become real text
- Extracted as HTML: For every page with a text layer, VelloDoc extracts the text as HTML together with the images on that page, embedded directly in the file.
- It reflows and is searchable: The text reflows to fit the reader's screen, can be selected and searched, and is available to screen readers and search engines, which isn't true of a document published as pictures of pages.
- Page order is kept: Each page is wrapped in its own section, so the original page order is kept.
Scanned pages and layout
- Pages without a text layer, like scans, are included as page images at 110 DPI with a descriptive label, so the document stays complete.
- Run OCR first: Run OCR PDF first if you want those pages as text too.
- Readable content, not exact design: The HTML focuses on readable content instead of reproducing the exact page design, so columns, precise positioning, backgrounds and fonts are simplified.
- For pixel-faithful pages: For pixel-faithful pictures of pages, PDF to PNG is the better choice.
Publishing documents on the web
- Easier to read and find: An HTML version makes a document easier to read on phones and easier to find, since search engines index its text directly.
- Check before publishing: Check headings and reading order before publishing, give the page a proper title in your site's template, and keep the PDF available for people who want to print.
- For Markdown-based sites, PDF to Markdown fits better.
- Where to read more: The format guide covers when web pages and PDFs each serve readers best.
When people use PDF to HTML
Mobile-friendly documents
Give phone readers a document that reflows to the screen instead of a PDF they must pinch and zoom.
Publishing reports on a website
Put the text of a report on your site where search engines can index it, with the PDF as a download.
Accessible reading
Offer a version that screen readers, browser zoom and reader modes handle far better than a PDF.
Limitations to know
PDF to HTML simplifies layout, columns and fonts in favor of reflowing text, and multi-column pages may be reordered. Scanned pages are embedded as 110 DPI images without text unless OCR is applied first, and embedded images make the file larger.
PDF to HTML: common questions
Is the text in the HTML selectable?
Yes, for pages that have a text layer in the PDF. Scanned pages are included as images unless you run OCR PDF first.
Does the HTML look exactly like the PDF?
No. It prioritizes readable, reflowing text, so exact positioning, columns and fonts are simplified.
Are images kept?
Yes. Images on text pages are embedded in the HTML file, and scanned pages are embedded as page images, so the file works on its own.
Why is the HTML file large?
Images are embedded inside the file so it has no external dependencies. Documents with many photos or scanned pages produce larger files.