What happens when you convert RTF to EPUB
- The RTF is converted by Calibre, the widely used open-source e-book manager, on our conversion server.
- Headings, paragraphs, bold and italic and images are carried over, and the text reflows to fit any screen once it is an e-book.
- 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 RTF to EPUB online
- Press "Choose RTF 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 EPUB". 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 EPUB with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your RTF and the EPUB by then.
Why convert RTF to EPUB?
RTF files usually come from documents exchanged between different word processors. People convert them to EPUB because EPUB reflows to fit any screen and opens in Apple Books, Google Play Books, Kobo and Send to Kindle.
In short, RTF is good at what it was made for, and EPUB is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. RTF opens in Word, WordPad, TextEdit, Pages and LibreOffice, while EPUB opens in Apple Books, Google Play Books, Kobo and most e-reader apps; a Kindle needs it sent through Send to Kindle.
How to convert RTF to EPUB on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your RTF files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each EPUB is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the RTF files from Finder onto the drop zone and the EPUB files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose RTF files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted EPUB appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose RTF files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The EPUB is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for RTF to EPUB
There are no settings: Calibre keeps the book's own styling, chapters and table of contents where the target can hold them.
Keep the original file; each conversion rebuilds the book, and converting back will not restore what the target could not hold.
RTF vs EPUB: the differences
| RTF | EPUB | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rich Text Format | Electronic publication |
| Type | word-processing document | document |
| Created by | Microsoft | the International Digital Publishing Forum |
| First released | 1987 | 2007 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | text with fonts, bold, italic and simple tables, written as readable control words | chapters as XHTML pages, with images and a table of contents |
| In a browser | opens in Word, WordPad, TextEdit, Pages and LibreOffice | opens in Apple Books, Google Play Books, Kobo and most e-reader apps; a Kindle needs it sent through Send to Kindle |
| Common uses | documents exchanged between different word processors | e-books from stores other than Amazon and free e-book libraries |
| MIME type | application/rtf | application/epub+zip |
About RTF and EPUB files
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.
What is an EPUB file?
An EPUB is a ZIP archive of web pages, one per chapter, plus a file that lists their order. That is why its text can be extracted with ordinary web tools.
RTF to EPUB 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 RTF to EPUB from the command line
This page uses Calibre. Installed on your computer, its ebook-convert command does the same conversion:
ebook-convert input.rtf output.epubConverting 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.
RTF to EPUB converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting RTF to EPUB?
The text, images and structure are kept, and the book still reflows to fit any screen.
Why is the EPUB a different size from the RTF?
E-book formats compress text and images differently, so the EPUB may be somewhat larger or smaller than the RTF.
Are my RTF files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful RTF to EPUB conversion needs Calibre, the open-source e-book manager, 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 EPUB as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several RTF files to EPUB 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 EPUB file?
EPUB opens in Apple Books, Google Play Books, Kobo and most e-reader apps; a Kindle needs it sent through Send to Kindle. EPUB is common for e-books from stores other than Amazon and free e-book libraries.
Is this RTF to EPUB 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 RTF to EPUB 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 EPUB is saved to your Downloads folder.