Rich Text Format
Simple formatted text exchanged between word processors.
Avoid for: Complex tables, advanced styles, and image-heavy documents.
FORMAT COMPARISON
RTF vs TXT
Rich Text Format is portable rich text and is best for simple formatted text exchanged between word processors Plain Text is plain text and is best for notes, logs, configuration, and text that must stay portable Use this comparison to choose the format that matches the next task, then convert only when the destination needs a different format.
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Rich Text Format vs Plain Text at a glance
| Feature | Rich Text Format | Plain Text |
|---|---|---|
| File type | Portable rich text | Plain text |
| Editing | Yes | Yes |
| Text layer | Selectable | Selectable |
| Transparency | No | No |
| Compression | Plain text markup | None |
| Browser support | Viewer needed | Native |
| Printing | Depends on the reader | Direct |
| Best for | Simple formatted text exchanged between word processors. | Notes, logs, configuration, and text that must stay portable. |
| Avoid for | Complex tables, advanced styles, and image-heavy documents. | Documents that need fonts, tables, images, or page layout. |
| Typical tools | Most word processors | Any text editor |
QUICK VERDICT
Choose RTF for simple formatted text exchanged between word processors Choose TXT for notes, logs, configuration, and text that must stay portable For a finished document that must print the same everywhere, use PDF.
Which format should you choose?
Plain Text
Notes, logs, configuration, and text that must stay portable.
Avoid for: Documents that need fonts, tables, images, or page layout.
Convert between Rich Text Format and Plain Text
What is Rich Text Format?
RTF is the Rich Text Format, a plain-text markup format that stores basic formatting, fonts, and paragraphs without a ZIP package.
RTF is handy for exchanging formatted text between different word processors or for documents that must remain readable as plain text.
What is Plain Text?
TXT is a plain-text file. It contains characters and line breaks but no fonts, colours, tables, or page layout.
TXT is the safest format for notes, logs, configuration, and any text that must be readable on every device.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rich Text Format better than Plain Text?
Neither format is universally better. Rich Text Format is best for Simple formatted text exchanged between word processors. Plain Text is best for Notes, logs, configuration, and text that must stay portable. Choose based on editing, sharing, printing, and the application that will open the file.
Can I convert between Rich Text Format and Plain Text?
Yes. This server offers Convert TXT to RTF. Open the conversion page to upload a file.
Is the comparison and conversion free?
Yes. The comparison is free, and every enabled conversion runs locally on this server without an account or a paid conversion API.
Which format should I use for printing?
PDF is the safest print format for finished documents. Rich Text Format and Plain Text may need conversion first depending on the document and the printer.