Rich Text Document — Cross-platform rich text format from Microsoft.
Quick facts
What is .rtf
A .rtf file is a Rich Text Document — Cross-platform rich text format from Microsoft.
In the mime-db registry it maps to application/rtf, and it is marked as compressible. When serving .rtf over HTTP, set the Content-Type header as shown in Developer info below.
Related entities: it maps to application/rtf and is used by Rich Text Format among others — and is delivered over HTTP via the Content-Type header.
How to open .rtf files
Developer info
When served over HTTP, responses should set the following header:
Content-Type: application/rtf
Common software that reads/writes .rtf:
Relation chain
Related extensions
Related MIME types
Related programming languages
Common uses
How to edit .rtf files
How to create .rtf files
Frequently asked questions
Common options include WordPad, Microsoft Word, TextEdit. You can also open many of these files with built-in viewers or a browser.
Create a new file in any text editor or the app that owns the format and save it with the .rtf extension.
application/rtf is the media type identifier used for .rtf files during network transfer (for example in the HTTP Content-Type header).
Sources & standards
Updated 2026-08-18
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