Markdown to Word with LaTeX

How LaTeX syntax becomes a native Word equation

Word does not store equations as LaTeX and it does not store them as images. It stores them in OMML, Office Math Markup Language, inside the same document.xml that holds your paragraphs. An equation is an <m:oMath> element whose children describe structure: a fraction is <m:f> with a numerator and a denominator, a superscript is <m:sSup>, an integral with limits is an <m:nary> node. Because the structure is explicit, Word can re-flow it, resize it with the surrounding text, and let you edit any piece with the built-in equation editor.

MDtoDOCX converts LaTeX to OMML in three passes. First a LaTeX parser reads the source between your delimiters and builds a syntax tree; it understands the command set most people actually use in Markdown: \frac, \sqrt, ^ and _, \int, \sum, \prod, \lim, Greek letters, \left( and \right), \text{}, \mathbf, \mathbb, and the matrix, cases and aligned environments. Second, that tree is written as MathML. Third, the MathML is transformed into OMML with the same mapping Word itself uses when you paste MathML into a document. The result opens as an equation, not as text that resembles one.

Which delimiters are recognised

Single dollar signs mark inline math and double dollar signs mark display math, the convention used by Pandoc, Obsidian, Jupyter and most AI chat interfaces. The LaTeX-native forms \(…\) and \[…\] are also accepted. A dollar sign followed by a digit and a space, as in $5 each, is treated as currency, and \$ always prints a literal dollar sign. Display equations are written as an <m:oMathPara> paragraph, centred on its own line; inline equations sit in a run inside the surrounding paragraph and wrap with the text.

What you see in Word

Open the file and click an equation. The Equation tab appears in the ribbon, exactly as if you had inserted it with Alt+=. You can switch between Professional and Linear form, convert it to plain text, change to inline or display, or type new LaTeX into it because Word 365 has accepted LaTeX input since 2017. Equations use the Cambria Math font regardless of the body font you chose, which is Word's own behaviour and the reason equations look consistent across machines. Track Changes, comments and the accessibility checker all treat the equation as content, not as a picture.

The free path and the Pro path

Equations are exported as native Word math objects. Free users get the full preview so they can confirm every symbol before deciding; Pro unlocks the download with OMML inside. A free download still contains the equation, but as the original LaTeX source in a monospace paragraph, so nothing is lost and you can convert it later. Pro also removes the footer credit and enables the numbered equations workflow with cross-references.

Limits worth knowing

Macros defined with \newcommand are expanded only when they are defined in the same document. TikZ, \includegraphics and other drawing packages are not equations and are left as code. If you need a specific symbol, the symbol coverage table lists every operator, accent and structure we map. For chemistry or finance written inside sentences, see inline formulas in Word, which covers line-height behaviour in detail. The same LaTeX pipeline also drives Markdown to PDF with LaTeX.

Frequently asked questions