FormatDrop
Document Format

RTF

Rich Text Format

RTF (Rich Text Format) is Microsoft's older document format that predates both DOC and DOCX. Unlike those formats, RTF is designed for cross-platform compatibility — virtually every word processor on every operating system can open it. It's the document equivalent of a lossless audio format: slightly larger than necessary, but universally readable.

What is RTF?

RTF was developed by Microsoft in 1987, released publicly as an open specification, and has been updated through version 1.9.1 (2008). It's a plain-text format that uses control words and groups to encode text formatting — font choices, sizes, bold, italic, colors, paragraph spacing, tables, and embedded images. Because RTF is built on ASCII text (not binary like old DOC), it can be opened in a text editor and the formatting codes are visible and human-readable. RTF is supported by: Microsoft Word (all versions since Word 2.0), Apple Pages, Google Docs (via upload), LibreOffice Writer, OpenOffice Writer, TextEdit on Mac, WordPad on Windows, and virtually every word processor made in the past 30 years. The format does have limitations compared to DOCX: it doesn't support tracked changes as robustly, has limited support for advanced Word features (headers/footers, styles hierarchies, complex tables), and doesn't handle embedded objects well. File sizes are typically larger than DOCX for the same content because RTF's text-based encoding is less efficient than DOCX's compressed XML.

RTF pros and cons

Advantages

  • Universally compatible — opens in every word processor on every OS
  • Open specification — not controlled by any single vendor
  • Good backward compatibility — works in software from the 1990s to now
  • Human-readable format (text-based encoding)
  • Suitable for basic formatted text across platforms

Limitations

  • Larger file sizes than DOCX for equivalent content
  • Less feature-rich than DOCX (limited tracked changes, styles, etc.)
  • Outdated — DOCX has replaced it as the modern standard
  • Some advanced Word features don't survive round-tripping through RTF
  • Not suitable for complex documents, long publications, or advanced formatting

When should you convert RTF files?

Convert RTF to DOCX when you need to collaborate in Microsoft Word with full feature support. Convert RTF to PDF when sharing a finished document that must look identical for all recipients. Keep RTF when you need to send formatted text to someone using an unknown or old word processor and compatibility is the top priority. Convert to RTF from DOCX or PDF when the recipient specifically needs RTF — this is increasingly rare but occurs in some legal and government document systems.

Convert RTF files

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RTF FAQ

What opens RTF files?
Almost everything: Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, Google Docs (upload it), LibreOffice, OpenOffice, WordPad (built into Windows — just right-click → Open with → WordPad), TextEdit (Mac — opens in rich text mode). RTF is one of the most universally supported document formats.
Is RTF the same as Word format?
No — Word's native format is DOC (binary, pre-2007) or DOCX (XML, 2007+). RTF is an older, simpler format that Word can open and save. When you save a Word document as RTF, some Word-specific features may be lost or simplified. RTF is an interchange format — good for passing formatted text between applications — not for working with all Word features.
Is RTF safe to open?
RTF has historically been a vector for malware through embedded objects and format vulnerabilities (several Microsoft Word RTF exploits have been patched over the years). Opening RTF files from unknown sources carries some risk. For documents from trusted sources: RTF is fine. For unknown files claiming to be RTF documents: scan with antivirus first or convert to PDF in a sandboxed environment. Modern, patched versions of Word handle RTF safely.

More formats

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