noun

RTF

ar-tee-EF

RTF (noun) means a document file format that stores formatted text — things like bold, italics, fonts and margins — in a way that a very wide range of word processors can open, developed by Microsoft as a common ground between different programs. Example: “Send it as RTF and anyone should be able to open it, whatever they use.”

noun

technical, computing A document file format that stores formatted text — things like bold, italics, fonts and margins — in a way that a very wide range of word processors can open, developed by Microsoft as a common ground between different programs.

"Send it as RTF and anyone should be able to open it, whatever they use."

"The old court transcripts were all archived as RTF."

technical, computing A file saved in that format, normally ending in .rtf.

"I found a folder of RTFs from an ancient version of Word."

How to Use RTF

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAn old, simple file type for text with basic formatting that nearly any program can open.

When to use it

Technical. Written in capitals; the extension is lower case (.rtf).

Memory tip

Spell it out letter by letter — nobody says "ritf".

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

TXT DOC → DOCX → ODT

Common pairings

RTF file save as RTF RTF format export to RTF

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Send it as _____ and anyone should be able to open it, whatever they use.

Etymology

An initialism of Rich Text Format.

Origin: English

Synonyms

View more →

rich text Rich Text Format document format interchange format rich text file

Antonyms

plain text

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between RTF and TXT?

A .txt file holds nothing but the characters themselves — no bold, no fonts, no sizes. RTF keeps the characters and the formatting instructions alongside them, so headings and italics survive. Both are readable as plain characters if you open them in a code editor, but RTF's formatting shows up as strings of control codes.

What is the difference between RTF and DOCX?

DOCX is Microsoft Word's current format and supports far more: tracked changes, comments, complex tables, embedded objects and modern styling. RTF is much older and simpler, and carries only basic formatting, but almost any word processor on any system can read it. RTF is now largely a legacy and compatibility format.

Is RTF still used?

Rarely for new documents, but it survives where broad compatibility matters more than features — some legal and government systems, older transcription workflows, and text boxes in applications that need simple formatting. Microsoft stopped adding to the specification years ago.