Importing and exporting files
You can import Word documents and Markdown files into Overleaf, and export your project to either of those formats or HTML.
Importing
Automatically import a document you've been working on elsewhere through the New project menu.
You can create a new Overleaf project from a .docx or .md file.
From the project dashboard, select New project.
Under the Import options select Word document (
.docx), Markdown document (.md) file.
Overleaf then imports the file, converts it to LaTeX (using Pandoc), and opens it as a new project.
Importing Equations
While styling might not pull through exactly, the equation conversion can be quite robust and save a lot of manual work. We recommend you review Pandoc's Math User Guide, but here's a simple example.
Word uses Office Math Markup Language (OMML) to create equations. Because of its rigidly defined rules, Pandoc can map this to LaTeX. For example:
const euler = new OfficeMath({
children: [
new MathSuperScript({ children: [new MathRun('e')], superScript: [new MathRun('iπ')] }),
new MathRun(' + 1 = 0')
]
});Pandoc converts to LaTeX :
\(e^{i\pi} + 1 = 0\)And displays like so in the PDF:
Pandoc expects Tex math notation from Markdown with the delimiter $_$ (for in-line math) or $$_$$ (for display style). For example:
Pandoc converts to LaTeX (and sets the compiler to LuaLaTeX to handle the pi symbol):
Renders to the PDF:
Exporting
You can export your project through the File menu. We use Pandoc to convert your LaTeX code to the nearest equivalent .docx, .md, or .html.
Export Options
In the editor, select File.
Select Download > Export as Word (.docx), Export as Markdown (.md), or Export as HTML (.html).
The file will be saved to your Downloads folder.
What conversions can and can't do
Pandoc is a general-purpose document converter. It understands document structure—headings, paragraphs, lists, figures, citations—but it does not recreate visual styling. Converting from LaTeX to Word, for example, produces a document with correct structure but without your LaTeX document class, custom packages, or typographic styling.
Think of conversion as a way to share your content with collaborators who don't use LaTeX, not as a way to produce a print-ready Word document.
Before you export: fix your LaTeX errors
The most common reason a conversion fails—especially export to Word—is that the project has unresolved LaTeX errors.
To check for errors, look for a red notification badge next to the Recompile button. If you see one, your project has compile errors that need to be fixed before a conversion will succeed.
To resolve errors:
Select the red badge to open the error log.
Select each error to jump to the relevant line in the Code Editor.
Fix the error, then recompile.
For help understanding specific error messages, see Fixing LaTeX errors and the LaTeX errors reference. Searching for the exact text of an error message online often finds helpful explanations.
Once all errors are resolved, try the conversion again.
Common issues and how to address them
Running into trouble? Check these FAQs.
If you're still stuck
If a conversion fails and none of the above steps resolve it, contact Overleaf Support. It helps to include:
The URL of your Overleaf project (if you're comfortable sharing it)
The full error message shown after the failed conversion
A description of what you were trying to do (export to Word, import from Markdown, etc.)
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