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DOCX to RTF Converter

Convert DOCX to RTF online for free. Fast, secure, and high-quality conversion with no sign-up or software required.

  • Free to use
  • No file stored beyond 1 hour
  • Encrypted over TLS 1.2/1.3
  • No watermarks

Drag and drop your files here or click to upload.

Maximum file size is 1GB

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How it works

Three steps to your converted file

Everything happens in your browser tab - upload, pick a format, download. The heavy lifting runs on our servers.

  1. 01

    Upload your file

    Drag and drop, click to browse, or paste a URL. Batches take up to 20 files at once - 230+ input formats across video, audio, image, document, and archive types.

  2. 02

    Choose an output format

    Pick from over a hundred output formats. Filter by category or search by name - every option is open to everyone, no account needed.

  3. 03

    Convert & download

    Hit Convert and grab your download link moments later. Originals are erased when the job completes; results are cleared within about an hour.

DOCX to RTF

Why convert DOCX to RTF?

DOCX and RTF are both document formats: DOCX is best for documents you want to keep editing, RTF for simple formatted text that opens in any editor.

  • Where RTF works best

    Simple formatted text that opens in any editor.

DOCX vs RTF: what's the difference?

PropertyDOCXRTF
TypeDocumentDocument
EditableYesYes
Opens inMicrosoft Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOfficeAlmost every word processor and text editor
Best forDocuments you want to keep editingSimple formatted text that opens in any editor

What is a DOCX file?

Word Open XML Document

Developed By
Microsoft
Initial Release
2006
MIME Type
application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document

The DOCX format is the default document standard for Microsoft Word 2007 and newer, based on the Office Open XML (OOXML) specification standardized under ISO/IEC 29500 and ECMA-376. It functions as a compressed ZIP container that packages separate XML files (such as document.xml, styles.xml, and settings.xml) alongside media assets. This modular XML architecture allows for improved data recovery and smaller file sizes compared to legacy binary DOC files, while explicitly prohibiting the storage of VBA macros.

How to open a DOCX file

DOCX is natively supported by Microsoft Word 2007+ on Windows and macOS. Due to its status as an ISO standard, it has broad compatibility with non-Microsoft ecosystem tools; it can be opened and edited by Apple Pages, Google Docs, LibreOffice Writer, and Apache OpenOffice. Furthermore, because it is a ZIP archive, users can rename the extension to .zip to extract and inspect the internal XML structure and embedded media assets manually.

What is an RTF file?

Rich Text Format

Developed By
Microsoft Corporation
Initial Release
1987
MIME Type
application/rtf

The Rich Text Format (RTF) is a proprietary document file format with published specifications developed by Microsoft Corporation in 1987 for cross-platform document interchange. It encodes formatted text and graphics using 7-bit ASCII characters, utilizing a structure of control words, control symbols, and groups to define formatting properties such as bolding, italics, and fonts. Unlike binary formats, RTF is human-readable and was designed to facilitate interoperability between different word processing software and operating systems before the standardization of XML-based formats.

How to open an RTF file

Due to its design as an interchange format, RTF possesses native support across almost all major operating systems without requiring third-party installation. Microsoft Windows opens RTF files natively with WordPad or Microsoft Word, while macOS utilizes TextEdit. For Linux users or cross-platform consistency, LibreOffice Writer and Apache OpenOffice provide robust handling of the format's styling attributes.

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Why RunConvert

The fastest way to convert any file

Purpose-built for speed, privacy, and breadth of format support.

  • Convert DOCX to RTF in seconds

    Every DOCX to RTF conversion runs on our servers, so your device stays fast and the output quality stays intact.

  • Fast, cloud-powered

    No queue, no waiting. Files are processed on high-performance servers and returned in seconds, even for large files.

  • Secure & private

    Encrypted in transit and never shared with anyone. Uploads are erased the moment your job completes, and results shortly after.

  • Free - no account needed

    Convert without creating an account - no credit card, no trial clock. Sign in only if you want history and higher daily limits.

Developer API

Convert DOCX to RTF via API

Automate DOCX to RTF conversions in three steps: create a job, upload your file, then poll for the result.

Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your RunConvert API key. Get your free API key at runconvert.com/api.

# 1. Create job
curl -X POST https://api.runconvert.com/v3/jobs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "tag": "docx-to-rtf",
    "tasks": {
      "upload-file": {
        "operation": "import/direct/upload"
      },
      "convert": {
        "operation": "convert",
        "input": "upload-file",
        "input_format": "docx",
        "output_format": "rtf"
      },
      "export-result": {
        "operation": "export/url",
        "input": "convert"
      }
    }
  }'

# 2. Upload your file (upload_url of the upload-file task in the response)
curl -X PUT "$UPLOAD_URL&filename=input.docx" --upload-file input.docx

# 3. Poll for result
curl https://api.runconvert.com/v3/jobs/$JOB_ID?include=tasks \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

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