RTF (Rich Text Format) is one of the oldest document formats still in daily use. Microsoft introduced it in 1987 so documents could move between word processors, and it still does that job: TextEdit on a Mac saves rich text as RTF, WordPad used it on Windows for decades, and plenty of business software (medical, legal, accounting and email programs) exports letters and reports as RTF.
The catch is that RTF is not a good format to send to other people. It can look different in every app that opens it, and phones often show it as plain text or not at all. A PDF fixes the look. This converter opens your RTF on our server with LibreOffice and saves it as a PDF.
How to convert RTF to PDF
- Drop the .rtf file onto the box, or click to choose it.
- Click Convert to PDF and follow the progress bar through upload, queue and conversion.
- The PDF downloads on its own. If your browser blocks it, click Download PDF.
- Open it and compare it with the original: fonts, tables and the page count are the things to check.
What carries over from RTF
| In the RTF | In the PDF |
|---|---|
| Text, bold, italic, underline, colors | Kept |
| Font sizes and paragraph spacing | Kept |
| Bulleted and numbered lists | Kept |
| Tables | Kept; very wide tables may need checking |
| Images embedded in the RTF | Kept |
| Page size and margins set in the file | Used; files without them get a standard page |
| Headers and footers | Kept when the RTF contains them |
| Fonts not available on our server | Replaced with a similar font |
RTF files from Word sometimes also carry tracked changes. Those print with their change marks, as in Word's All Markup view, so accept or reject them in Word before converting if the PDF is meant to be final.
Why an RTF looks different in every app
RTF describes formatting as a list of instructions, such as "switch to font 2, size 24, bold". Each app interprets those instructions with its own defaults: its own page size when the file does not set one, its own tab stops, its own replacement for a missing font. That is why the same RTF can look tidy in Word, slightly off in Google Docs and plain on a phone. Converting to PDF freezes one interpretation, so everyone sees the same pages. Check that interpretation once before sending, and you know exactly what the recipient will see.
Files from TextEdit on a Mac
TextEdit saves formatted documents as RTF by default. Two things to know:
- Fonts: TextEdit's default font is Helvetica, and Mac users often pick other Mac fonts. Those are replaced with close equivalents during conversion, which can change line breaks a little.
- Images make an .rtfd: when you add a picture, TextEdit saves the document as .rtfd, which is a package (a folder that a Mac shows as one file). Browsers cannot upload it as a file. If you are on the Mac, the simplest route is File > Export as PDF in TextEdit itself.
Files from WordPad and Windows software
Microsoft removed WordPad from Windows 11 starting with version 24H2, released in 2024, so many people now have RTF files and no WordPad. Word opens RTF files, and so does LibreOffice Writer, which is free. If you only need a PDF, this converter is quicker than installing anything.
Business software that exports RTF (practice management systems, older accounting packages, Outlook messages saved in rich text) tends to produce simple, clean RTF that converts very well. Letters, statements and reports from those systems are a common use for this page. Because these files are generated by software rather than typed by hand, the formatting is usually consistent from one month to the next, so once one converts cleanly, the rest will too.
Converting on a phone
Phones are where RTF is most awkward: many mail apps show an RTF attachment as raw code or plain text. Save the attachment to your files, open this page in your phone's browser, tap the box and pick the file. The PDF downloads to your phone and opens in any PDF viewer, ready to read or forward.
RTF, DOCX or PDF: which to send?
| Format | Editable | Looks the same everywhere | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTF | Yes, in most word processors | No | Moving text between old and new software |
| DOCX | Yes | Mostly, if fonts match | Documents others will edit |
| No (without special tools) | Yes | Documents others will read, print or sign |
If someone needs to edit the document, send DOCX: open the RTF in Word or LibreOffice and save it as DOCX. If they only need to read it, send the PDF. Once you have the PDF, you can sign it, merge it with other documents or add a password.
Example: a statement exported from business software
A bookkeeping program exports a client statement as statement-0925.rtf. The client asked for a PDF they can open on a phone.
- Drop the RTF into the box and click Convert to PDF.
- Open the PDF. The logo, the table of invoices and the totals are in place.
- The program used a font the server does not have, so the text is in a close equivalent. In this case the table still fits, because the replacement font has similar widths.
- Check the totals against the program, then send the PDF.
Tip: If you export RTF from the same software every month, look in its settings for a direct PDF export or a "print to PDF" option. Many programs that offer RTF can also print to a PDF printer, which saves a step.
Where RTF files usually come from
| Source | What to expect |
|---|---|
| TextEdit on a Mac | Clean RTF with Mac fonts; images make an .rtfd package instead |
| WordPad (Windows 10 and older Windows 11) | Simple formatting, converts very well |
| Microsoft Word, saved as RTF | Full formatting, sometimes tracked changes |
| Business and practice software | Letters, statements and reports with logos and tables |
| Email programs | Messages saved in rich text, often with the sender's fonts |
Troubleshooting
- The file will not upload: it may be an .rtfd package from TextEdit. Export a PDF in TextEdit, or save a copy without images as .rtf.
- Odd characters: very old RTF files can use code pages that modern software reads differently. Open the file in Word or LibreOffice, check the text, save it again as RTF or DOCX and convert that.
- An extra page: a substituted font is wider than the original. Change the font in a word processor to a common one such as Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman.
- The PDF shows strike-through text: the file contains tracked changes. Accept them in Word first.
- The conversion failed: the RTF may be damaged or not really RTF. Open it in a plain text editor such as Notepad: a real RTF file starts with {\rtf1. Anything else means the file was renamed or saved in another format.
Privacy and limits
The RTF is sent over HTTPS to our server, converted and deleted: the upload as soon as the job ends, the PDF 30 minutes after it is ready. A daily number of free conversions and a maximum file size apply, both shown on the tool. For Word files, the DOCX to PDF converter also checks for tracked changes, comments and fonts before you upload.