How do I open a .RTF file on Windows or Mac?

You can open .RTF files using Microsoft Word, WordPad, Apple TextEdit, LibreOffice Writer. If you do not have native software installed, you can use OpenAnyFile's free File Identifier or convert .RTF to a standard format in your browser.

Is a .RTF file safe to open?

This format carries a safety rating of Low Risk. RTF files do not support native macros, but can contain embedded OLE objects

Can I convert a .RTF file to other formats?

Yes! .RTF can be converted to formats such as .PDF, .DOCX, .TXT directly in your web browser.

What should I do if a .RTF file is corrupted or won't open?

If your .RTF file displays an invalid header or signature error, check its magic bytes hex header (Varies) using OpenAnyFile's Magic Byte Detector or follow our step-by-step file repair guide.

How do I open .RTF files?

You can open .RTF files using Microsoft Word, WordPad, Apple TextEdit, LibreOffice Writer.

Documents • MIME: application/rtf

.RTF – RTF File Format

Q: What is a .RTF file?

A .RTF file is a RTF File Format associated with Documents. RTF is a cross-platform formatted text format created by Microsoft in 1987 to facilitate inter-application document exchange across Mac and Windows.

RTF is a cross-platform formatted text format created by Microsoft in 1987 to facilitate inter-application document exchange across Mac and Windows.

Primary Category Documents

MIME Type application/rtf

Magic Bytes Signature Varies

Security Risk Rating Low Risk

Recommended Software to Open .RTF

Microsoft Word

windows, mac, linux • Free

WordPad

windows, mac, linux • Free

Apple TextEdit

windows, mac, linux • Free

LibreOffice Writer

windows, mac, linux • Free