Extract Text From HTML
Intelligently extract readable text from HTML while preserving headings, lists, links, and paragraph structure.
Extracted text will appear here...About Extract Text From HTML
Extract Text From HTML is a free online tool that converts an HTML document into structured plain text while keeping the outline of the content intact. Rather than deleting every tag blindly, it walks the DOM tree and understands each element's role: headings become Markdown-style markers (# H1, ## H2, and so on), unordered lists become dashes, ordered lists become numbered lines, and block-level elements like paragraphs and sections are separated by blank lines. The result reads like a clean outline of the original page rather than a wall of merged words.
Five extraction options let you control exactly what makes it into the output. Toggle "Preserve headings" to keep or drop the # markers, "Preserve lists" to format bullet and numbered items, "Show link URLs" to append href values in parentheses, "Preserve paragraphs" to maintain blank-line separation between blocks, and "Include image alt text" to surface the text inside alt attributes as bracketed labels. A live stats bar shows character count, word count, and paragraph count immediately after extraction.
All processing happens entirely in your browser via the native DOMParser API. No HTML is uploaded, logged, or sent to any external server, so you can safely paste confidential documents, internal wiki pages, or proprietary CMS exports. The tool is free with no rate limits and no account required.
Key Features
Structure-aware extraction
Headings are converted to Markdown # markers, unordered lists to dashes, and ordered lists to numbered lines — so the hierarchy of the document survives in the output.
Five configurable options
Toggle headings, lists, link URLs, paragraph spacing, and image alt text independently to shape the output for your exact use case without running the extraction twice.
Image alt text extraction
When enabled, img alt attributes are surfaced as bracketed labels in the text stream, making the output useful for accessibility audits and content inventories.
Link URL surfacing
Optionally append each anchor's href in parentheses after the link text, so you can audit all outbound or internal links in the page without opening a browser.
Live character, word, and paragraph stats
A stats bar below the output updates immediately after extraction, giving you word count and paragraph count without needing a separate counter tool.
100% client-side and private
The DOMParser API runs locally in your browser tab. Nothing is uploaded, making it safe for internal documents, staging pages, and content behind authentication.
How to Use
Paste Your HTML
Copy your raw HTML source code and paste it into the left editor pane.
Configure Options
Use the Options panel to choose which structural elements to preserve — headings, lists, links, paragraphs, and image alt text.
Extract & Copy
Click "Extract" to generate clean text, then use the copy button to grab the result.
Example
Headings become # markers, lists keep their bullet format, and paragraphs are separated by blank lines. Link URLs are hidden by default; enabling "Show link URLs" would add the href in parentheses.
<article>
<h1>Web Performance Tips</h1>
<p>Speed improvements that make a real difference:</p>
<ul>
<li>Compress images with <a href="/tools/image-compressor">this compressor</a></li>
<li>Defer non-critical JavaScript</li>
<li>Use a CDN for static assets</li>
</ul>
<h2>Measuring Impact</h2>
<p>Run a Lighthouse audit before and after each change.</p>
</article> # Web Performance Tips
Speed improvements that make a real difference:
- Compress images with this compressor
- Defer non-critical JavaScript
- Use a CDN for static assets
## Measuring Impact
Run a Lighthouse audit before and after each change. Common Use Cases
- arrow_circle_right
Building a structured content inventory
When auditing a site for a redesign or migration, paste each page's HTML to get a headed outline of the content hierarchy — headings and list items only — without manually reading through markup.
- arrow_circle_right
Feeding structured text to language models
LLMs produce better summaries and classifications when headings and list structure are preserved. Extracting with # markers and bullet points intact gives the model richer context than raw stripped text.
- arrow_circle_right
Accessibility and alt text auditing
Enable "Include image alt text" and extract the page to see every image's alt value in line with the surrounding text, making it easy to spot missing or unhelpful alt attributes.
- arrow_circle_right
Scraping anchor hrefs for link analysis
Toggle "Show link URLs" and run the extraction to get every visible link label alongside its href in a scannable plain-text format, without writing a scraper or opening DevTools.
- arrow_circle_right
Copying documentation pages for offline editing
Save a docs page as HTML, extract the structured text, and paste it into a Notion doc or Markdown file. The heading hierarchy and numbered steps land intact rather than collapsing into a single block of text.