How to open RTF file documents now that WordPad is gone
To open an RTF file, double-click it on a Mac to use TextEdit; on Windows, open it in Microsoft Word or LibreOffice Writer, because WordPad was removed from Windows 11 starting with version 24H2. On a Chromebook, open it with Google Docs from Google Drive. Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) opens RTF files in a web browser at no cost, with nothing to install.
Same steps on a Windows PC, Mac, Chromebook, Linux computer or iPad.
Opening and reading RTF files is free; editing and PDF export come with a paid plan.
- Windows 11 PC✓ Ready
- Mac or iPad✓ Ready
- Chromebook✓ Ready
What you can do once your RTF file is open
Read every page
Scroll the whole document laid out as pages, in order.
See the formatting
Fonts, bold, italics and sizes appear where they’re available.
Spot font swaps
A swapped font shows up in the Import Report.
Correct a detail
Change a date, name or line of text on a paid plan.
Add a picture
Put in a photo, logo or other picture (paid).
Save a PDF copy
Paid plans export the pages as a print-ready PDF.
Other RTF jobs people search for
Opening the file is often step one. These pages cover what usually comes next.
Save it as a PDF
TextEdit, Word, LibreOffice and Google Docs menu paths for turning an RTF into a PDF.
RTF to PDF guideA viewer in your browser
Read the RTF in a browser tab, then print it or keep working on it.
Try the RTF viewerWhat opens an RTF file on Windows 11 now?
Microsoft Word and LibreOffice Writer are the usual Windows 11 programs for RTF files, since WordPad was removed starting with version 24H2. With neither installed, upload the file to Google Drive and open it with Google Docs, or open it at publishmediasoftware.com, where Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) shows the pages in the browser at no charge.
Pick how you want to start
After a no-cost sign-up at publishmediasoftware.com, choose a starting point.
Open the RTF you were sent
Save the attachment first, then drag it onto the start screen or browse to the folder it’s in.
Anything ending in .rtf, up to 250 MB
Browse for the RTFStart from a design
Turn the RTF’s plain wording into a finished flyer or program with a ready-made template.
Choose a templateBegin a new page
Skip the old file and write a fresh document on an empty page of any size.
Start with nothingWhy the page editor is a good RTF reader
PublishMedia shows the RTF the way it will print, which a plain text app can’t do.
No codes on screen
You see formatted text, not the backslash formatting codes a plain text editor such as Notepad shows.
One reader for every device
Use the same account and the same page editor on a work PC, a home Mac, a school Chromebook or an iPad.
Import Report
A short note after opening tells you if anything needs a look, for example a font that wasn’t available.
Print Preview
Check margins and page breaks before you decide whether to print or export.
Is the RTF a raffle or fundraiser notice?
Event wording often arrives as a plain RTF. A template gives it a printable layout.
Raffle ticket maker
Ticket layouts for a school or church raffle, ready for your prizes and draw date.
Templates by occasion
How to open an RTF file in your browser with PublishMedia
The same four steps on any computer or iPad, with no program to download.
Save the file
Download the .rtf from your email or website so it sits in a folder you can find.
Create a free account
Go to publishmediasoftware.com and sign up. A credit card isn’t needed to open files.
Open the RTF
Drag the file onto the start screen. It opens as pages in the page editor.
Read and decide
Read it and check the Import Report. To change it or export a PDF, choose a paid plan.
6 ways to open an RTF file, by device
Pick the row that matches the device in front of you. Each card says where it works, what it costs and its catch.
As of October 2026, the six main ways to open an RTF file are Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) in a web browser, TextEdit on a Mac, Microsoft Word on Windows or Mac, LibreOffice Writer on Windows, Mac or Linux, Google Docs through Google Drive on a Chromebook, and the Files app preview on an iPhone or iPad. WordPad opened RTF on Windows for decades but was removed from Windows 11 starting with version 24H2 in 2024, so newer PCs need Word, LibreOffice or a browser tool. TextEdit, LibreOffice and Google Docs cost nothing. PublishMedia opens and views RTF files free and charges $99 a year or $9.99 a month to edit and export PDFs.
1. Publish Media Software — best when you can’t install anything
Opens RTF files in the browser on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Linux and iPad. Viewing is free. Limit: editing and PDF export need a paid plan, and on a phone you can view the file but not comfortably edit it.
2. TextEdit — best on a Mac
Double-click the .rtf and it opens in TextEdit, which comes with every Mac. You can also select the file and press the Space bar for a Quick Look preview. Limit: Mac only.
3. Microsoft Word — best on a PC that has Office
In Word, choose File › Open, browse to the RTF and open it, on Windows or Mac. Limit: Word is paid, and not every Windows 11 PC has it installed.
4. LibreOffice Writer — best no-cost Windows replacement for WordPad
Install LibreOffice on Windows, Mac or Linux, then open the RTF with Writer. Limit: it’s a large suite to download, and a work PC may block installs.
5. Google Docs — best on a Chromebook
Put the RTF in Google Drive, then right-click it and pick Open with › Google Docs. Limit: you need a Google account, and Google Docs makes a separate copy of the file.
6. Files app preview — best for reading on iPhone
Save the attachment to the Files app, then tap it to see the text, or tap it in Mail. Limit: a preview only, so use an iPad or computer to change anything.
Opening RTF files is free; here’s what is paid
On the Free plan you can open and read unlimited RTF files; each one is kept for 7 days and you get a reminder email before it’s deleted. To change the text or layout, keep projects, use every template, get unlimited storage and export print-ready PDFs, pick All-Access ($99 a year, recommended) or Monthly ($9.99, cancel anytime).
Free Starter
$0
Open and view unlimited Publisher, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, and picture files free — stored for 7 days, then deleted automatically. Editing and export are on the paid plans.
Start freeAll-Access
$99/yr
Everything unlocked — full editing, every template in the library, and unlimited storage.
Monthly
$9.99/mo
All the same features, billed monthly — cancel anytime.
Opening RTF files: questions by device
How do I open an RTF file on Windows 11 without WordPad?+
Open the RTF in Microsoft Word if your PC has it, or install LibreOffice and open the file with LibreOffice Writer, which costs nothing. WordPad was removed from Windows 11 starting with version 24H2, so double-clicking an RTF may now ask you to choose an app. With no install rights, use Google Docs or PublishMedia in the browser.
Does Windows 10 still have WordPad for RTF files?+
Yes, in most cases: Microsoft’s removal of WordPad applies to Windows 11 starting with version 24H2, so a Windows 10 PC normally still has it. Double-click the RTF, or search the Start menu for WordPad and use File › Open. If you move to a newer PC, plan to use Word, LibreOffice Writer or a browser tool instead.
How do I open an RTF file on a Mac?+
Double-click the RTF and it opens in TextEdit, the text editor built into every Mac. To take a quick look without opening an app, select the file in Finder and press the Space bar. If the file opens in a different app, right-click it, choose Open With and pick TextEdit, Pages or Word.
How do I read an RTF file on a Chromebook?+
Read an RTF on a Chromebook by uploading it to Google Drive, right-clicking it and choosing Open with › Google Docs. Google Docs shows the formatted text and lets you work on a copy. You can also sign in at publishmediasoftware.com and drag the RTF in to see it laid out as pages, with nothing installed.
How do I read an RTF attachment on my iPhone?+
Tap the RTF attachment in Mail, or save it to the Files app and tap it there, and the iPhone shows a preview of the text. That works for reading. To change it, open the RTF in PublishMedia in Safari: viewing is free, and editing and PDF export come with a paid plan.
Can I open an RTF file on an Android phone?+
Yes, you can view an RTF on an Android phone by opening publishmediasoftware.com in the phone’s browser, signing in and opening the file. Changing the text and exporting a PDF work there too on a paid plan, though a long document is easier to work through on a tablet or computer.
How do I make RTF files always open in Word?+
On Windows, right-click an RTF, choose Open with › Choose another app, pick Word and select Always. On a Mac, select an RTF in Finder, choose File › Get Info, pick Word under Open with and click Change All. Every RTF you double-click after that opens in Word.
Why does Windows ask which app to use for my RTF?+
Windows asks because no installed program is set to open .rtf files, which is common on Windows 11 PCs from version 24H2 onward, where WordPad was removed. Pick Word or LibreOffice Writer from the list if either is installed. If the list only offers Notepad, you’ll see formatting codes rather than the document.
Which way of opening an RTF needs no software at all?+
A web browser is all you need for two routes: Google Docs, after you upload the RTF to Google Drive, and Publish Media Software, which opens the file directly at publishmediasoftware.com. Both usually work on locked-down work PCs and school Chromebooks. PublishMedia shows the RTF as pages, the way it would print.
The RTF opened, but the text looks different. Why?+
The text looks different when the computer doesn’t have a font the RTF asks for, so the program substitutes a similar one and line breaks can move. Install the missing font if you have it, or accept the substitute. In PublishMedia, the Import Report lists any font that was replaced so you know what changed.
Publisher retires October 2026
Get a short guide to moving off Microsoft Publisher — opening your Publisher files online and creating new documents.