What is a .rtf file?
Rich Text Format · Document · Microsoft · 1987
RTF is a lightweight document format that keeps basic formatting like bold, italics and fonts while staying readable across almost every word processor. It is a handy middle ground between plain TXT and a full DOCX.
What is a .rtf file used for?
RTF stores text plus simple formatting using plain-text control codes, so it is more portable than a proprietary word file yet richer than a bare TXT.
Nearly every word processor on every platform opens RTF, which makes it a safe choice when you are not sure what software the recipient has.
It does not handle complex layouts, advanced tables or macros, which is actually part of why it is considered safer than DOCX.
What opens a .rtf file?
The .rtf format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list.
Windows
- WordPad
- Word
- LibreOffice
macOS
- TextEdit
- Word
- Pages
Linux
- LibreOffice
- AbiWord
Web
- Google Docs (import)
Open a .rtf file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .rtf. Drop it into the WhatFileType identifier, which reads its signature in your browser without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with WordPad or Word.
- On Mac, use TextEdit or Word.
- On Linux, try LibreOffice or AbiWord.
- Still stuck? Convert the .rtf to DOCX, which opens more widely.
Why can't I open my .rtf file?
Almost always because no installed app understands RTF. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads. If double-clicking opens the wrong program instead of nothing at all, the file association is set to the wrong app rather than the file being broken.
The other possibility is that the file is not really a .rtf at all. Drop it into the file identifier to check it by its bytes instead of its name. Nothing is uploaded.
How to convert a .rtf file
You can convert a .rtf file to DOCX, PDF, TXT using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
What is the .rtf file signature (magic bytes)?
A .rtf file starts with the hex bytes 7B 5C 72 74 66 31, which read as {\rtf1 in ASCII. Programs identify RTF by those bytes, not by the filename, so a renamed file still gives itself away.
These are the documented signatures for RTF. For a full breakdown, see the RTF file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | ASCII | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7B 5C 72 74 66 31 | 0 | {\rtf1 | '{\rtf1' |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .rtf file?
RTF is a lightweight document format that keeps basic formatting like bold, italics and fonts while staying readable across almost every word processor. It is a handy middle ground between plain TXT and a full DOCX.
Is RTF better than DOCX?
RTF is more portable and cannot hold macros, but DOCX supports far richer formatting. Use RTF for simple, universally readable documents.