MinerU

What is MinerU?

Okay, let's break it down simply. MinerU is your go-to digital helper when you're stuck with PDFs or images full of text that you desperately need to use – like edit, reformat, or repurpose. Think of that research paper you scanned, a downloaded report, or even a screenshot of some notes. MinerU uses smart AI to peek inside those files, understand the text and structure, and then magically converts it all into clean, flexible Markdown format. It's basically giving your static documents a new, editable life. Perfect for students wrestling with lecture slides, researchers managing papers, writers compiling sources, or anyone who just hates being locked into a PDF!

Key Features

Here’s why MinerU feels like such a win:

• PDF & Image Powerhouse: Throw practically any PDF or image (like JPG, PNG) at it. Scanned documents? Yep. Screenshots? Absolutely. It digs in and finds the text. • Markdown Mastery: It doesn't just dump text; it converts it into beautifully structured Markdown. That means you get headings, lists, links, and even basic tables formatted correctly and ready for your favorite Markdown editor. • Structure Smarts: MinerU isn't dumb OCR. It actually understands the layout. Headings become proper # Headings, bullet points turn into neat lists, and it tries its best to preserve the original document's flow and organization. Seriously, it's like magic for messy scans. • Accuracy Focus: While no tool is perfect, MinerU is built with AI models trained to be highly accurate, especially with clear documents. You won't be spending hours fixing gibberish. • Speed Demon: Need that document converted now? MinerU works fast, getting you your editable Markdown content in a flash, so you can move on to actually using it. • Effortless Workflow: The whole point is simplicity. Upload, convert, get Markdown. Done. It removes the friction from dealing with locked-in content.

How to use MinerU?

Using MinerU is super straightforward – it's designed to be hassle-free:

1. Gather Your Files: Find the PDF or image file(s) you want to convert on your computer. Maybe it's that chapter you scanned from a library book, or a report someone emailed you.
2. Upload to MinerU: Head over to MinerU and upload your file(s). It's usually just a drag-and-drop or a simple "browse" button click.
3. Let the AI Work: Sit back for a moment! MinerU's AI will process your file, analyzing the text and structure. You'll see it working its magic.
4. Download Your Markdown: Once processing is complete (which is usually quick!), you'll be presented with the clean Markdown output. Simply download it as a .md file.
5. Edit and Use: Open your shiny new Markdown file in any text editor or dedicated Markdown app (like Obsidian, Typora, or even VS Code). Now you can edit, reformat, integrate into your notes, or share it easily. Boom! Your static content is now dynamic.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly does MinerU convert? MinerU converts the text content and basic structure (headings, lists, paragraphs, simple tables) from your PDFs or image files into Markdown format. It focuses on extracting and structuring the readable information.

Does it work with scanned documents or just digital PDFs? It works great with both! Whether it's a digitally created PDF (like one exported from Word) or a scanned image of a physical document (like a book page or printed report), MinerU's AI is trained to handle them.

How accurate is the conversion? Accuracy is generally very high, especially with clear, well-scanned documents or standard digital PDFs. Complex layouts, very low-quality scans, or heavily stylized fonts might pose more of a challenge, but it usually does a remarkably good job.

What about complex elements like tables or images within my PDF? MinerU excels at text and structure. It will convert simple tables into Markdown table syntax. However, embedded images within the PDF won't be extracted or included in the Markdown output – it's focused purely on the text content.

My converted Markdown looks a bit messy. What can I do? While MinerU aims for clean output, sometimes complex original layouts can cause minor formatting quirks. The beauty of Markdown is that it's plain text! You can easily open the .md file and tweak any headings, lists, or spacing in seconds using any text editor.

Is there a limit to the file size I can upload? There might be practical limits based on processing, but MinerU is built to handle reasonably sized documents typical for research papers, articles, or chapters. Very large files (like entire books) might take longer or require splitting.

Can I convert multiple files at once? Yes! MinerU typically allows you to upload and process multiple PDFs or images in one go, saving you time if you have a batch of documents to convert.

What can I actually do with the Markdown output? The possibilities are huge! Edit the content freely, integrate it into your note-taking system (like Obsidian or Notion), reformat it for a blog post, share it easily (Markdown files are tiny!), or use it as a base for further writing and research. It liberates your content!