Convert RTF files to editable Word documents
This RTF to DOCX converter turns Rich Text Format files into modern Microsoft Word documents. Reports exported by accounting, legal and hospital software, letters written in WordPad, notes from macOS TextEdit and templates from older systems all arrive as .rtf; as .docx they open cleanly in Word, Google Docs and Pages, track changes properly and keep their styles.
Two converters are on offer. LibreOffice — the open-source office suite, running inside your browser — carries over page setup, tables, headers, footers, fields and pictures. The basic converter needs no large download: it rebuilds the text, formatting, lists, simple tables and pictures as a clean new Word file. Either way your documents stay on your device.
How to use the RTF to DOCX Converter
- Drop one or more
.rtffiles on the box above, or click to choose them. - Pick LibreOffice · best layout to preserve everything, or Basic · no download for a quick, tidy rebuild.
- Press Convert to DOCX. The first LibreOffice conversion asks before downloading the 79 MB converter, which your browser then keeps.
- Check the preview of the new Word document — page count, word count, tables and the pages themselves.
- Download each .docx, or all of them together as a ZIP.
RTF to DOCX Converter features
Faithful with LibreOffice
Page size, margins, sections, headers, footers, footnotes, fields and tables move across exactly as LibreOffice Writer reads them.
Clean rebuild with the basic converter
Paragraph styles become proper Word formatting, numbered lists use Word numbering and tables become real Word tables.
Pictures kept
Embedded PNG, JPEG and Windows metafile pictures are placed in the Word document.
Word preview
The finished .docx is drawn page by page before you download it, so you can check it straight away.
Batch conversion
Convert a folder of RTF exports in one go and download a single ZIP.
Private
Everything happens in your browser tab; no file is uploaded or stored.
Why convert RTF to DOCX?
RTF (Rich Text Format) was created by Microsoft in 1987 as a common language for formatted text. It is still everywhere because it is easy for programs to write, but it is a poor format to keep working in: it has no real style sheets for modern Word features, files with pictures become very large because images are stored as hexadecimal text, and comments and tracked changes are limited. DOCX, the Office Open XML format standardised as ECMA-376 and ISO/IEC 29500, is compact, widely supported and keeps styles, comments and revisions properly.
Just need something to print or send? RTF to PDF makes a PDF with the same two converters. For an OpenDocument file instead of Word, convert the .docx onward with DOCX to ODT.
What each converter keeps
| RTF content | LibreOffice | Basic converter |
|---|---|---|
| Fonts, sizes, bold, italic, underline, colours | Kept | Kept (body font set to Calibri) |
| Paragraph alignment and spacing | Kept | Kept |
| Bulleted and numbered lists | Kept | Rebuilt as Word lists |
| Tables | Kept, with borders and merged cells | Rebuilt as simple tables |
| Pictures | Kept | Kept |
| Headers, footers, footnotes, page numbers | Kept | Left out |
| Page size and margins | Kept | Kept |
Tips
- WordPad on Windows saves .rtf by default; if a colleague says “I sent a Word file” and it ends in .rtf, this is the page you need.
- TextEdit’s
.rtfdpackages are folders, not files — in TextEdit choose File → Save and pick “Rich Text Document” to get a single .rtf. - To pull just the words out of the result, use DOCX to TXT.
- LibreOffice runs in Chrome, Edge and Firefox with about 1.5 GB of free memory; in Safari the page uses the basic converter.
RTF to DOCX Converter FAQ
How do I convert RTF to DOCX for free?
Drop the .rtf file above and press Convert to DOCX. Choose LibreOffice for a faithful copy (one-time 79 MB download) or the basic converter for an instant rebuild. No sign-up, no watermark.
Can Word open RTF files directly?
Yes, but they stay RTF until you save them again, and some features behave differently. Converting to .docx gives you a proper Word document to edit, share and track changes in.
Which converter keeps the formatting best?
LibreOffice: it keeps headers, footers, footnotes, fields and complex tables. The basic converter keeps text formatting, lists, simple tables and pictures and is ideal for letters and notes.
Is my RTF file uploaded?
No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser. Only the converter code comes from a CDN; your documents never leave your device.
Does it work on a Mac or iPhone?
On a Mac, use Chrome, Edge or Firefox for the LibreOffice converter. In Safari and on iPhone or iPad the basic converter is used, because Safari lacks the cross-origin isolation LibreOffice needs.