Start
Quickstart
Convert a first file in a few minutes. You need an account and an API key.
Step 1 of 3
Get an API key
Sign in to convert.dev with GitHub or Google. A new account gets $2 of conversions, good for 90 days.
Open API keys in the dashboard and create a key. It starts with cv_sk_ and is shown only once, so copy it then and set it in your shell.
$ export CV_API_KEY=cv_sk_…Set your key once. Every cv command reads it.
Step 2 of 3
Convert a file
cv convert uploads the file, runs the conversion and saves the result. The extension of the output names the format, or pass --to.
cv is not released yet. Until it is, the curl, Python and TypeScript examples do the same through the API: upload the file, start a job, then download its output.A job that takes longer than 30 seconds answers 202 while it runs. See Waiting and retries.
$ cv convert lease.docx lease.pdfstderrlease.pdf (21480 bytes) -> lease.pdfStep 3 of 3
Read it as text
cv read prints a file as Markdown, so you or an agent can read it in one step. In the API, convert it to md and fetch the output.
$ cv read lease.docxstdout# Lease agreement (Draft)20 lines
# Lease agreement (Draft) ## Rent The tenant pays the rent every month. Rent is paid to the port office by the fifth day. | **Due** | **Amount** | **Paid to** ||---|---|---|| Rent | 1,300 | Port office || Deposit | 2,600 | Port office | Late payments carry a fee of 2% a month. ## Term The lease runs for two years from 1 March 2026. Either party can end it with three months' notice.Next
- Read a file covers spreadsheets, decks, data and scanned pages.
- Edit a file changes parts of
lease.docxand keeps the rest. - Pricing and limits says what a job costs.
Updated 3 November 2026