What Is Rich Text Format (RTF) & How to Open It on Windows 10

An Overview of Rich Text Format (RTF)

What is rtf? The RTF, short for rich text format, was released by Microsoft in 1987. The purpose of creating the rtf file is to make the cross-platform document interchanging as reality. The majority of word process programs that are applied at present can read this format without any issues.

Since, it is a cross-platform document, it allows you to open am rtf file on other operating systems besides the one that you build the file. For instance, you build a rtf file on Windows OS, but you can open this file on a MacOS, or Linux device after you sends it to the device. It is also widely used in many other kinds of applications like email clients.

What makes the rtf format different from other text formats? MiniTool will show you in the following content.

You can only store the plain text with a normal text file, while you are allowed to store different formatting such as italics, bold, fonts, sizes, and images with a rtf file. This feature makes rtf unique over other text formats.

The rtf even becomes the default format for Microsoft WordPad. In addition, rtf files were used as the basis of Windows help files before they were replaced by HTML files. However, Microsoft stopped updating rtf since 2008.

Even so, this text format is still supported by applications on almost every operating system. So, you can continue running your rtf files on older or other platforms. If you lose or delete this sort of files, you can recover them easily with MiniTool Power Data Recovery Software.

How to Open RTF Files on Windows 10

It is rather easy to open rtf files. Here are multiple ways to open rtf files on Windows 10 or on other operating systems. The first method you can try is to simply double-click or tap on mobile to open your rtf files.

If you have any built-in or installed applications like WordPad on your operating system, you can use them to open rtf files on your device. Certainly, you can also open rtf files with other text editors or word processors.

For instance, you can use LibreOffice, OpenOffice, AbleWord, WPS Office and SoftMaker FreeOffice to open the rtf file. Most file syncing services like Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive allow you open your rtf files through their built-in viewers. But you cannot edit rtf files with these services.

If you would like to edit and open rtf file online, Google Docs and Zoho Docs can be of great help.  

How to Convert RTF Files to Other File Formats

Though rtf files are supported by plenty of applications and operating systems, you may still want to convert them to other text forms. One of the most common conversions is rtf file to pdf. You can convert rtf file to any formats that are used by your word processor.

The conversion requires you convert the file truly so you can’t simply change its file extension to do that. The easiest and most simply way convert rtf file is to open the file in an app, and then save the file in the target format via the application.

Alternatively, you can also convert your rtf files via an online RTF converter like FileZigZag. This converter enables you to convert your rtf file to a DOC, PDF, TXT, ODT, or HTMLfile. There are some other rtf converters for you like Zamzar and Doxillion.

These converters can help you convert your rtf files to different text formats. In a word, the rtf file can be converted to other text formats easily. You can pick one based on your demand.

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The Bottom Line

What is rich text format? How to open rtf file? How to convert rtf format file to other formats? Read here, you may have answers to these questions. In fact, you will have a comprehensive understanding of rtf files after reading the post. If you are going to convert your rtf files, you can do that job easily with the programs given in this post.