The Rich Text Format (RTF) is a file format developed by Microsoft. RTF allows exchanging text files between word processors and operating systems. Support for Unicode was added due to changes in Microsoft Word. Word 97 handles text using 16-bit.
You can open an RTF file with most word processors like WordPad. Also included with the RTF specification is a sample RTF reader to assist in developing RTF readers.
To open an RTF file, double-click it or use Open to select software to open with. RTF retains some basic formatting like bold, italics, and font size. This means text will retain design when opened.
RTF can be used on Windows and Mac. RTF is commonly used for sharing documents retaining formatting across applications. It is popular for reports, letters, and papers needing specific formatting.
Microsoft developed RTF in 1987 to work with text documents across word processors and operating systems. Though Microsoft stopped supporting it in 2008, it was widely adopted.
RTF files store data in ASCII text with formatting commands like HTML. This allows exchanging text files across word processors and operating systems.
Microsoft Word
LibreOffice Writer
TextEdit