What happens when you convert MD to RTF
- The Markdown is read by pandoc, the open-source document converter, on our conversion server: headings, lists, tables, links, emphasis, code blocks, quotes and footnotes, and written as Rich Text Format, which opens in WordPad, TextEdit, Word and every other word processor.
- The converter reads nothing but the file itself, so images linked from it are left out; only images embedded in the file as data URIs are kept. Raw HTML inside the file is dropped.
- 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 MD to RTF online
- Press "Choose MD 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 MD and the RTF by then.
Why convert MD to RTF?
MD files usually come from documentation, README files, notes and blogging tools. People convert them to RTF because RTF opens in almost every word processor, including WordPad and TextEdit.
In short, MD 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. MD shows as plain text in browsers; editors such as Obsidian, Typora and VS Code render it, while RTF opens in Word, WordPad, TextEdit, Pages and LibreOffice.
How to convert MD to RTF on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your MD 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 MD 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 MD 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 MD 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 MD to RTF
There are no settings: pandoc's defaults give a clean, standard result that is easy to restyle.
If something is missing, check whether it depended on a file outside the MD; the converter reads the file alone.
MD vs RTF: the differences
| MD | RTF | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Markdown | Rich Text Format |
| Type | document | word-processing document |
| Created by | John Gruber | Microsoft |
| First released | 2004 | 1987 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | plain text with simple symbols for headings, lists, links and emphasis | text with fonts, bold, italic and simple tables, written as readable control words |
| In a browser | shows as plain text in browsers; editors such as Obsidian, Typora and VS Code render it | opens in Word, WordPad, TextEdit, Pages and LibreOffice |
| Common uses | documentation, README files, notes and blogging tools | documents exchanged between different word processors |
| MIME type | text/markdown | application/rtf |
About MD and RTF files
What is an MD file?
Markdown marks formatting with plain characters: # for headings, * for lists and emphasis. It reads naturally as text and converts cleanly to HTML, which is why developers and note apps use it.
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.
MD 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.
- "This file is not really in MD format." The converter checks every file before it runs anything, so a file of another format renamed to .md is refused. Choose the page for its real format.
Convert MD to RTF from the command line
pandoc does the same on your own computer:
pandoc input.md -o output.rtfConverting 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.
MD to RTF converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting MD to RTF?
The words and their structure, headings, lists, tables and links, are kept exactly. The look comes from RTF's default styles, because MD has no styling of its own.
Why is the RTF a different size from the MD?
Larger than the MD, because RTF wraps the text in styles and settings, even when the text is short.
Are my MD files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful MD to RTF conversion needs pandoc, the open-source document converter, 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 MD 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 MD 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 MD 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.