How to open a .txt file
Quick, free ways to open TXT on any system.
A .txt file is a Plain Text File. If double-clicking does nothing, your computer simply does not have an app that reads TXT yet. Here is how to fix that on each operating system, using free software wherever possible.
Open a .txt file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .txt. Drop it into the WhatFileType file identifier, which reads its signature without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with Notepad or Notepad++.
- On Mac, use TextEdit or any editor.
- On Linux, try gedit or nano.
- Still stuck? Convert the .txt to PDF, which opens more widely.
Best apps to open .txt files
Windows
- Notepad
- Notepad++
- any editor
macOS
- TextEdit
- any editor
Linux
- gedit
- nano
- any editor
Web
- Every browser
!
Before you open it: Completely safe. A plain text file cannot execute anything on its own.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I open my .txt file?
Almost always because no installed app understands TXT. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads.
Why does my TXT file show strange characters?
It was likely saved in a different text encoding. Reopen it and choose UTF-8, or the encoding it was created with.