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RTF to MD Converter

Convert RTF to MD 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.

Converting other files for an AI chat or notes app? File to Markdown takes PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel and more in one place.

RTF to Markdown

Why convert RTF to Markdown?

RTF and Markdown are both document formats: RTF is best for simple formatted text that opens in any editor, Markdown for notes and documentation written as plain text.

  • Where Markdown works best

    Notes and documentation written as plain text.

RTF vs Markdown: what's the difference?

PropertyRTFMarkdown
TypeDocumentDocument
EditableYesYes
Opens inAlmost every word processor and text editorAny text editor; renders in GitHub, Notion and note apps
Best forSimple formatted text that opens in any editorNotes and documentation written as plain text

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.

What is an MD file?

Markdown Documentation

Developed By
John Gruber
Initial Release
2004
MIME Type
text/markdown

An MD file is a plain text document containing Markdown, a lightweight markup language created by John Gruber and Aaron Swartz. The format uses non-alphabetic characters (such as hashes for headers and asterisks for emphasis) to define formatting syntax that is human-readable in its raw form and easily convertible to valid XHTML or HTML. It is the de facto standard for documentation in version control systems like Git.

How to open an MD file

As strictly plain text, MD files can be opened and edited in any basic text editor such as Microsoft Notepad or Apple TextEdit. For a rendered preview of the formatting, specialized editors like Obsidian, Typora, or Visual Studio Code are recommended.

More tools

More free document tools

All document conversions

Why RunConvert

The fastest way to convert any file

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

  • Convert RTF to MD in seconds

    Every RTF to MD 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 RTF to MD via API

Automate RTF to MD 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": "rtf-to-md",
    "tasks": {
      "upload-file": {
        "operation": "import/upload"
      },
      "convert": {
        "operation": "convert",
        "input": "upload-file",
        "output_format": "md"
      },
      "export-result": {
        "operation": "export/url",
        "input": "convert"
      }
    }
  }'

# 2. Upload your file (use upload_url from the response)
curl -X PUT "$UPLOAD_URL" --upload-file input.rtf

# 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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