RTF Converter
Read RTF files and convert them to text or HTML.
Read and Convert Rich Text Format Files
RTF files come from WordPad, TextEdit, old word processors, legal and medical systems, and email attachments — and many phones and web apps cannot open them. Drop one here to read it formatted, or switch to plain text or the HTML code. Download whichever you need, or copy the text.
The converter understands the parts that matter: bold, italic, underline and strike, alignment, line breaks, tables, hyperlinks, special characters and Unicode, including Cyrillic, Greek, Chinese and Japanese text encoded with legacy code pages. Font tables, embedded pictures and document properties are skipped, and the HTML it writes is clean, with no leftover styling.
Key features
- Formatted preview — read the document without Word.
- Plain text for pasting anywhere.
- Clean HTML with bold, italics, links and tables.
- International text: Unicode and legacy code pages.
- Paste or drop — works with RTF code as well as files.
This tool does its work inside your browser using native Web APIs. The files and text you give it are processed on your device and are not uploaded to our servers.
How to use: RTF Converter
- Open the RTF
Drop an .rtf file onto the box, or paste RTF code into the text area. - Read it
The formatted view shows the document. - Switch output
Choose Plain text or HTML code to see the conversion. - Save or copy
Download .txt or .html, or copy the text.
Technical specifications
| Processing location | Entirely in your browser — no server round trip |
|---|---|
| Data uploaded | None. Files and text never leave your device |
| Price | Free — no account, no trial, no usage cap |
| Category | Converters |
| Works offline | Yes, once the page has loaded |
| Browser support | Chrome 90+, Edge 90+, Firefox 90+, Safari 15+ |
| Interface languages | English, 中文, हिन्दी, Español, العربية |
Frequently asked questions
What is RTF?
Rich Text Format, a text-based document format from Microsoft that stores formatting as control words. WordPad and TextEdit use it by default.
Are pictures converted?
No. Embedded pictures are skipped, and the text and tables around them are kept.
Why is some text in the wrong alphabet?
Very old RTF files sometimes omit their code page. Most are detected correctly from the font table; if not, the text may need converting in a word processor.
Is it safe to open unknown RTF files here?
Yes. The document is parsed into text and a short list of safe formatting tags — nothing in the file can run on this page.
How is RTF different from a Word document?
RTF is plain text with formatting commands, readable by almost every word processor since the 1990s. A .docx file is a compressed package of XML parts with far richer layout. Both hold formatted text, but RTF is simpler and more portable.