What happens when you convert RTF to MOBI
- 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.
- MOBI is an older Kindle format: Send to Kindle no longer accepts it, but older Kindles and the Kindle apps still read it. For a current Kindle, AZW3 or EPUB is the better choice.
- 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 MOBI 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 MOBI". 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 MOBI with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your RTF and the MOBI by then.
Why convert RTF to MOBI?
RTF files usually come from documents exchanged between different word processors. People convert them to MOBI because MOBI is what older Kindles and the Kindle apps read.
In short, RTF is good at what it was made for, and MOBI 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 MOBI opens on older Kindles and in the Kindle and Calibre apps.
How to convert RTF to MOBI 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 MOBI 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 MOBI 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 MOBI 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 MOBI is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for RTF to MOBI
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 MOBI: the differences
| RTF | MOBI | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rich Text Format | Mobipocket e-book |
| Type | word-processing document | e-book |
| Created by | Microsoft | Mobipocket, later Amazon |
| First released | 1987 | 2000 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | text with fonts, bold, italic and simple tables, written as readable control words | a book's text, images and table of contents |
| In a browser | opens in Word, WordPad, TextEdit, Pages and LibreOffice | opens on older Kindles and in the Kindle and Calibre apps |
| Common uses | documents exchanged between different word processors | older Kindle e-readers and e-books from the 2000s |
| MIME type | application/rtf | application/x-mobipocket-ebook |
About RTF and MOBI 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 a MOBI file?
MOBI was the Kindle's original format. Amazon has since moved to AZW3 and KFX and no longer accepts MOBI through Send to Kindle, which now takes EPUB instead.
RTF to MOBI 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 MOBI 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.mobiConverting 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 MOBI converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting RTF to MOBI?
The text, images and structure are kept, and the book still reflows to fit any screen.
Why is the MOBI a different size from the RTF?
E-book formats compress text and images differently, so the MOBI may be somewhat larger or smaller than the RTF.
Are my RTF files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful RTF to MOBI 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 MOBI 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 MOBI 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 a MOBI file?
MOBI opens on older Kindles and in the Kindle and Calibre apps. MOBI is common for older Kindle e-readers and e-books from the 2000s.
Is this RTF to MOBI 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 MOBI 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 MOBI is saved to your Downloads folder.