┌─ FILE ANALYSIS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┐
│ DEVELOPER : Microsoft
│ CATEGORY : Document
│ MIME TYPE : application/rtf
│ MAGIC BYTES : 7B5C727466
└ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┘
What is an RTF file?
RTF (Rich Text Format) is a document format developed by Microsoft in 1987 for cross-platform document exchange. Unlike plain text, RTF supports basic formatting (bold, italic, fonts, colors, tables) while remaining readable by most word processors across different operating systems.
How to open RTF files
- WordPad (Windows) — Built-in
- TextEdit (macOS) — Built-in
- Microsoft Word (Windows, macOS) — Full support
- LibreOffice Writer (Windows, macOS, Linux) — Free
- Google Docs (Web) — Free, online
Technical specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Format | Tagged text (ASCII-based) |
| Formatting | Bold, italic, fonts, colors, tables |
| Images | Supported (embedded) |
| Encoding | ASCII with escape sequences |
| Cross-platform | Yes — Windows, macOS, Linux |
Programs that open RTF files
- WordPad — Built-in Windows editor
- Microsoft Word — Full editing
- LibreOffice Writer — Free alternative
- TextEdit — macOS built-in
- Google Docs — Online editing
Common use cases
- Cross-platform documents: Share formatted text across OS
- Email drafts: Formatted text without full document overhead
- Legal documents: Simple formatted documents
- Legacy compatibility: Interchange between word processors