What happens when you convert DOCX to RTF
- The DOCX is opened by LibreOffice, the open-source office suite, on our conversion server and saved as Rich Text Format.
- Text, fonts, bold and italic, colours, lists, tables and images carry over. RTF has no room for newer features such as threaded comments, content controls or some chart types, so those may be simplified.
- RTF opens in almost every word processor ever made, including WordPad, TextEdit, Word, Pages and LibreOffice.
- This conversion runs on our server: the file is uploaded, converted, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result has been sent back to you. Nothing is kept. Files up to 25 MB are accepted.
How to convert DOCX to RTF online
- Press "Choose DOCX files" and select one or more files, or drag them onto the box. Files up to 25 MB each can be converted.
- There are no settings to choose: the converter keeps everything the target format can hold.
- Press "Convert to RTF". The file is uploaded to our conversion server, converted in a few seconds, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result is sent back.
- Save each RTF with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your DOCX and the RTF by then.
Why convert DOCX to RTF?
DOCX files usually come from letters, reports, CVs and most documents shared at work. People convert them to RTF because RTF opens in almost every word processor, including WordPad and TextEdit.
In short, DOCX is good at what it was made for, and RTF is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. DOCX opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice Writer, while RTF opens in Word, WordPad, TextEdit, Pages and LibreOffice.
How to convert DOCX to RTF on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your DOCX files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each RTF is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the DOCX files from Finder onto the drop zone and the RTF files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose DOCX files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted RTF appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose DOCX files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The RTF is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for DOCX to RTF
There are no settings: the RTF keeps as much formatting as the format allows.
Check tables and images after converting; they are where RTF differs most from newer formats.
DOCX vs RTF: the differences
| DOCX | RTF | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Word document | Rich Text Format |
| Type | document | word-processing document |
| Created by | Microsoft | Microsoft |
| First released | 2007 | 1987 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | formatted text, images, tables and styles in a ZIP of XML files | text with fonts, bold, italic and simple tables, written as readable control words |
| In a browser | opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice Writer | opens in Word, WordPad, TextEdit, Pages and LibreOffice |
| Common uses | letters, reports, CVs and most documents shared at work | documents exchanged between different word processors |
| MIME type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document | application/rtf |
About DOCX and RTF files
What is a DOCX file?
DOCX has been Word's default format since 2007. Like XLSX it is a ZIP archive of XML files, which is how its text can be read without Word.
What is an RTF file?
RTF describes formatting with plain-text control words such as \b for bold, so almost every word processor since the late 1980s can read it. It cannot reliably hold newer features such as threaded comments or complex page layouts.
DOCX to RTF not working? Common problems
- "Files up to 25 MB can be converted." Server conversions have a size limit. Compress the images inside the file, or split it, and try again.
- "The conversion took too long and was stopped." Very long or complex files can pass the 90 second limit. Split the file and convert the parts.
- The file will not convert. It may be password protected, damaged, or saved in a newer or unusual version of the format.
Convert DOCX to RTF from the command line
LibreOffice does the same on your own computer, without opening a window:
soffice --headless --convert-to rtf input.docxConverting on your own computer keeps the file entirely local, which is worth it for very large or very sensitive documents. For everything else, the converter on this page does it without installing anything.
DOCX to RTF converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting DOCX to RTF?
The content is kept. RTF is older than the DOCX, so complex layouts and newer features may be simplified.
Why is the RTF a different size from the DOCX?
Usually larger than the DOCX: RTF is uncompressed text, and pictures are written out as long runs of hexadecimal digits.
Are my DOCX files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful DOCX to RTF conversion needs LibreOffice, the open-source office suite, which cannot run in a browser. The file travels over an encrypted connection, is converted in a private temporary folder, and is deleted together with the RTF as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several DOCX files to RTF at once?
Yes. Select or drop as many files as you like; they are converted one after another and each gets its own download button.
How do I open an RTF file?
RTF opens in Word, WordPad, TextEdit, Pages and LibreOffice. RTF is common for documents exchanged between different word processors.
Is this DOCX to RTF converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Because this conversion uses our server, there is a fair-use limit of 25 MB per file and a number of files per hour, which stops the service being overloaded.
Can I convert DOCX to RTF on my phone?
Yes. It works in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome on Android. The conversion happens on our server, so it is as fast on a phone as on a computer; the RTF is saved to your Downloads folder.