What Is Rich Text Format?

Date First Published: 18th January 2024

Topic: Computer Systems

Topic: Computer Software

Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty: Medium

Difficulty Level: 5/10

CONTENTS

Support
Advantages and Disadvantages Of RTF
History

Learn about what rich text format is in this article.

Rich text format (RTF) is a file format that combines the features of files found in a full word processor with plaintext files. RTF files support most rich text formatting, including bold, italics, underlines, multiple font sizes, and the ability to adjust page margins, spacing, tab width, and text alignment. However, it does not contain the advanced features found in word processing software, such as mail merges and spell checking.

Note:

RTF files can be identified by the .rtf file extension.

Support

RTF is widely supported by most word processors and text editors. However, not every program that can open the RTF format supports every feature. For example, Windows WordPad does not support tables, annotations, and comments.

In order to open an RTF file, a word processor that supports the format is required. Some of the most popular word processors that can open RTF files include Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Apple Pages. Most word processors can convert RTF files to other formats. For example, Microsoft Word can convert RTF files to .DOCX, .ODT, and .TXT files.

Advantages and Disadvantages Of RTF

The advantages of RTF are:

RTF files are widely compatible with different operating systems and software applications, making it easier to share documents.
Compared to other file formats, file size is relatively small. This makes them easier to store and share with other people.
RTF files preserve the formatting and structure of a document, including the fonts, colours, images, and tables, regardless of the software used. This ensures that the appearance is maintained across multiple platforms.

The disadvantages of RTF are:

RTF files do not support all the features of word processing software. For example, RTF does not support tables or images.
RTF files cannot retain certain types of formatting, such as comments or tracking of changes.

History

Microsoft introduced the Rich Text Format (RTF) in 1987 as an alternative to the standard plain text format. Over the next few decades, the company made several updates to the format, such as adding embedded image support. Although Microsoft stopped updating the RTF format in 2008, most word processors still support rich text files.