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Convert an HTML table to Markdown, CSV or JSON without writing code

By Dehumanize14 November 20262 min read

Tables on web pages are built from nested HTML elements. Copy and paste often flattens them into a jumble of lines, or pulls in hidden cells and styling. The fix is to convert the table, not to copy it. First decide which format you need.

Which format for which job

• Markdown. Best for AI chats, notes and documentation. Small, readable, and models understand it well.
• CSV or TSV. Best for spreadsheets and data tools. TSV pastes cleanly into Excel and Google Sheets because tabs do not clash with commas in the data.
• JSON. Best when a script or an API will read the data. Each row becomes an object with the column names as keys.
• HTML. Best when you want to put the table in another web page and keep its structure.
• Excel file. Best when you want to open it, filter it and send it on.

Where manual copying goes wrong

• Merged cells shift columns.
• Numbers with thousand separators or currency signs turn into text.
• Hidden rows and sort arrows get copied along.
• Long tables are split across pages, so you have to repeat the work.

Doing it in one step

Tables for AI finds every table on the page, lets you pick the one you want, and copies it as Markdown, CSV, TSV, JSON or HTML. Pro adds export to an Excel file and a collection where you can gather several tables before exporting. The conversion happens in your browser, so the table content is not sent anywhere.

A quick check after converting

Look at the header row and the first and last row. If the column count matches the page, the rest is almost always right. For tables with merged cells, check the rows under the merged part.

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