A Markdown file may refer to an image without containing that image's data. Copying the text file alone can therefore leave a document that reads well but has empty spaces where its diagrams should be.
PDF Craft downloads Markdown results as ZIP archives. Extract the complete archive before editing or moving its Markdown document; opening only a preview inside the ZIP can hide the relationship with accompanying images.
Identify the document and its dependencies
Download the ZIP from the completed PDF-to-Markdown task and extract it into a dedicated folder. The package contains the Markdown document and, when image resources are produced, their accompanying folder. Export naming can differ: the document may use the source name or a name such as document.md, and resources may be under images/ or assets/. Open the .md file in a text editor and follow its actual links rather than renaming folders to match an example. Keep the original ZIP as your untouched copy.
A reference can point to a relative file, an absolute local path, or a remote URL. Those forms have different portability. A relative file needs its neighboring resource preserved; a remote URL needs network access and continued availability at that address.
Captions and figure numbers may appear as selectable body text or be embedded directly within images. When organizing your files, examine the image, caption, and in-text references together to identify any labels that require transcribing or translating. The guide to checking images and captions explains how these elements map to one another.
Read a relative path from the Markdown file's location
The key relationship is a Markdown file next to its resource folder. Here is a simplified example using placeholder document and image names; inspect your download for its actual names:
paper/
├── notes.md
└── images/
└── figure-1.png
The corresponding Markdown could contain:
The editor looks for images/figure-1.png relative to notes.md. Move the whole paper folder and the relationship can remain intact. Move only notes.md and the image may no longer be where the link expects it.
Filename case, spaces, extensions, and encoded characters can matter on different systems. An image visible on one computer may fail after transfer if the actual filename and referenced name do not match.
Move a complete working folder
Keep the original download untouched. Create a working copy containing the Markdown and every local resource it uses, preserving the structure first. Reorganize only after you have verified that the original arrangement opens correctly.
If you rename a resource folder, update the corresponding links and test several figures. Avoid combining multiple documents' generic filenames into one folder without a naming plan. Two separate image1.png files can overwrite or be confused with each other.
When importing into a note-taking app, check whether attachments are copied into your vault or kept in their original locations, then confirm that images open properly in your notes. The Obsidian import guide explains how to organize files and attachments so moving or sharing complete notes is straightforward.
Share the files, not just the preview
If another person needs a portable local copy, include the document and its necessary resources, for example in a folder archive created with your file manager. Test the shared copy from a separate location rather than relying on paths left on your own computer.
If you publish Markdown on a website, follow that site's resource-upload and URL rules. A file:/// path pointing to your device will not give a remote reader access. Do not upload private source figures to a public host merely to repair a broken preview.
Confirm permission to share the document and illustrations. A converted image remains part of its source work; conversion does not make it a new freely reusable asset.
Diagnose a broken image in a fixed order
- Read the link in the Markdown source.
- Decide whether it expects a local file or a remote URL.
- Check whether that file exists at the expected path, or whether the remote address is accessible.
- Compare the filename, case, and extension.
- Open the image itself to rule out an incomplete or unsupported file.
- Reopen the Markdown in the intended reader and inspect the caption and context.
If the resource is absent from the download, compare with the source PDF and record the omission. Do not replace a technical diagram with a generated approximation. Retain a clearly identified source-page reference while resolving the missing content.
Once paths work, preserve source title, edition, and figure locations with your research notes. A portable document needs both usable links and a way to establish where the images came from.