Save image as base64

By default, ConvertOptions uses ExportImagesAsBase64Strategy, which embeds images as Base64 data URIs directly in the Markdown output. This keeps the output self-contained in a single file with no external image dependencies.

Using static method

from groupdocs.markdown import MarkdownConverter

def base64_static():
    """Convert a PDF to Markdown with images embedded as Base64 (default behavior)."""

    # Step 1: Convert the document -- images are embedded as Base64 by default
    markdown = MarkdownConverter.to_markdown("business-plan.pdf")

    # Step 2: Print the self-contained Markdown output
    print(markdown)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    base64_static()

business-plan.pdf is sample file used in this example. Click here to download it.

![](data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wBDAAEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQH/2wBDAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQH/wAARCAHyAqYDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAHQAAAgMBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAAABQYABAcIAwEJAv/EAGoQAAACBAoGBwMHBQkNBQYFBQEDAAQFERMhMUFRYXGBofAGFJGxweEHFSMkMzTRQ0TxAhYlNVJUghJFVWR0JjZCU2NldYSiCBciMkZWYmaFkpSy4naGlbTCc5akpcXSN7XE1eZyprbG1P/EABwBAAMAAwEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAEBQEDBgIHCP/EAD8RAAIAA
...

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![](data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wBDAAEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQH/2wBDAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQH/wAARCAHyAqYDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAHQAAAgMBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAAABQYABAcIAwEJAv/EAGoQAAACBAoGBwMHBQkNBQYFBQEDAAQFERMhMUFRYXGBofAGFJGxweEHFSMkMzTRQ0TxAhYlNVJUghJFVWR0JjZCU2NldYSiCBciMkZWYmaFkpSy4naGlbTCc5akpcXSN7XE1eZyprbG1P/EABwBAAMAAwEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAEBQEDBgIHCP/EAD8RAAIAA
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Specifying the strategy explicitly

If you want to be explicit, set image_export_strategy to a new ExportImagesAsBase64Strategy:

from groupdocs.markdown import MarkdownConverter, ConvertOptions, ExportImagesAsBase64Strategy

def base64_explicit():
    """Explicitly set the Base64 image strategy and convert using the instance API."""

    # Step 1: Explicitly configure the Base64 image export strategy
    options = ConvertOptions()
    options.image_export_strategy = ExportImagesAsBase64Strategy()

    # Step 2: Open the document with a context manager
    with MarkdownConverter("business-plan.pdf") as converter:
        # Step 3: Convert using keyword argument for options
        converter.convert("base64-explicit.md", convert_options=options)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    base64_explicit()

business-plan.pdf is sample file used in this example. Click here to download it.

![](data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wBDAAEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQH/2wBDAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQH/wAARCAHyAqYDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAHQAAAgMBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAAABQYABAcIAwEJAv/EAGoQAAACBAoGBwMHBQkNBQYFBQEDAAQFERMhMUFRYXGBofAGFJGxweEHFSMkMzTRQ0TxAhYlNVJUghJFVWR0JjZCU2NldYSiCBciMkZWYmaFkpSy4naGlbTCc5akpcXSN7XE1eZyprbG1P/EABwBAAMAAwEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAEBQEDBgIHCP/EAD8RAAIAA
...

Download full output

![](data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wBDAAEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQH/2wBDAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQH/wAARCAHyAqYDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAHQAAAgMBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAAABQYABAcIAwEJAv/EAGoQAAACBAoGBwMHBQkNBQYFBQEDAAQFERMhMUFRYXGBofAGFJGxweEHFSMkMzTRQ0TxAhYlNVJUghJFVWR0JjZCU2NldYSiCBciMkZWYmaFkpSy4naGlbTCc5akpcXSN7XE1eZyprbG1P/EABwBAAMAAwEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAEBQEDBgIHCP/EAD8RAAIAA
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