Convert RTF to PDF with the apps you already have, or online
To convert RTF to PDF, open the .rtf file in a program that reads it and save a PDF: TextEdit’s File › Export as PDF on a Mac, File › Save As › PDF in Microsoft Word, or File › Export as PDF in LibreOffice Writer. Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) does it in a browser: checking the RTF costs nothing, and exporting the PDF comes with a paid plan.
No software to install. RTF files up to 250 MB open in the browser.
Opening and viewing your RTF is free; PDF export needs All-Access ($99 a year) or Monthly ($9.99).
- Your .rtf pages✓ Ready
- Page checkPrint Preview
- PDF exportPaid plans
What you can do between opening an RTF and saving the PDF
See each page first
Every RTF page opens as a page you can scroll through.
Keep the styling
Bold, italics, fonts and sizes come in where they’re available.
Fix the wording
Retype a date, a name or a whole paragraph (paid).
Add a letterhead
Place a logo, a heading or a shape above the text (paid).
Set the paper size
Pick a different page size for the printer (paid).
Get a print-ready PDF
Paid plans export a clean PDF for printing or email.
Not ready to convert yet?
If the RTF won’t open, or you’re not sure what it is, start with one of these.
Read the RTF first
View any .rtf in the browser before you decide what to do with it.
Open the RTF viewerStuck without WordPad?
Device-by-device steps for opening RTF files on Windows 11, Mac, Chromebook and iPhone.
See the stepsOther files to PDF
See which other document and drawing formats PublishMedia opens.
Browse conversionsHow do I convert an RTF file to PDF?
Open the RTF in TextEdit, Microsoft Word, LibreOffice Writer or Google Docs and use that app’s PDF command, listed on this page with exact menu paths. On a computer with none of them, Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) opens the RTF in a browser at no charge, and its paid plans produce the finished PDF.
Three starting points for your PDF
Make a free account at publishmediasoftware.com, then pick the one that matches your file.
Bring in the .rtf
Drag the RTF from your desktop, a downloads folder or an email attachment onto the page.
Any .rtf up to 250 MB
Choose the RTFUse a designed layout
Paste your RTF’s wording into a print-ready template when the plain document needs a better look.
Browse layoutsType it fresh
Open an empty page and build a short notice or letter yourself, then export it.
Begin on a blank pageEditor features that matter when you turn RTF into PDF
The PublishMedia page editor shows your RTF as finished pages, which is how the PDF will look.
Text you can still change
The RTF’s words arrive as text boxes in their own fonts, sizes and styles where those are available, so on a paid plan a late correction doesn’t mean starting over.
Import Report
After the file opens, a short list points out anything to look at, such as a font that was replaced by a close match.
Print Preview
Step through every page and catch a stray page break or a cut-off table before the PDF exists.
Pages you control
On a paid plan, add a cover page, delete an empty last page or reorder pages, then change the page size if the printer needs it.
Is the RTF really a flyer or a program?
Plain RTF text can be dropped into a template that already looks finished.
Ready-made print layouts
Flyers, programs, bulletins and tickets with the design done. Paid plans include every one.
Browse by type
How to convert RTF to PDF online with PublishMedia
These four steps work the same on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Linux and iPad.
Sign up at no cost
Go to publishmediasoftware.com and create an account. You won’t be asked for a credit card.
Drop in the RTF
Drag the .rtf onto the start screen. Each page opens in the page editor, followed by the Import Report.
Check and adjust
Scroll the pages in Print Preview. On a paid plan, fix wording, add a logo or change the page size.
Export the PDF
Choose PDF export on All-Access or Monthly. The file downloads, ready to print, email or upload.
6 ways to convert RTF to PDF, ranked
Most people already own at least one of these. Each card names the platform, the cost and the one catch.
As of October 2026, the six common ways to convert RTF to PDF are Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) in a browser, TextEdit on a Mac (File › Export as PDF), Microsoft Word on Windows or Mac (File › Save As, then PDF), LibreOffice Writer on Windows, Mac or Linux (File › Export as PDF), Google Docs after uploading the RTF to Google Drive (File › Download › PDF Document), and Apple Pages on a Mac. TextEdit, LibreOffice and Google Docs cost nothing. WordPad, which handled RTF on Windows for decades, was removed from Windows 11 starting with version 24H2. PublishMedia opens RTF files at no charge and exports PDFs on its $99-a-year or $9.99-a-month plans.
1. Publish Media Software — best when you need to change the page first
Runs in a browser on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Linux and iPad, with nothing to install. Viewing the RTF costs nothing; PDF export is on All-Access ($99 a year) or Monthly ($9.99). Limit: it can’t save back to .rtf.
2. TextEdit — best on a Mac
Built into every Mac. Open the RTF, then choose File › Export as PDF and pick where to save it. Limit: Mac only, with just the basic page-setup choices of a simple text editor.
3. Microsoft Word — best if Word is already installed
Opens .rtf files on Windows and Mac. Choose File › Save As and pick PDF as the file type. Limit: Word is paid Microsoft software, so it isn’t worth buying for one conversion.
4. LibreOffice Writer — best open-source desktop option
Costs nothing on Windows, Mac and Linux and opens RTF directly. Use File › Export as PDF for a PDF with extra options. Limit: a large download to install for a single file.
5. Google Docs — best on a Chromebook
Upload the RTF to Google Drive, right-click it and choose Open with › Google Docs, then File › Download › PDF Document. Limit: you need a Google account, and Google Docs makes a converted copy.
6. Apple Pages — best for Mac users who prefer Pages
Apple’s Pages app for Mac opens RTF files. Choose File › Export To › PDF to make the PDF. Limit: no Windows version, and TextEdit does the same job in fewer clicks.
What RTF to PDF costs in PublishMedia
Opening and viewing RTF files is free on the Free plan, with no limit on how many; free-plan files are kept 7 days, and a reminder email arrives before they’re deleted. Exporting the PDF is part of a paid plan: All-Access at $99 a year (recommended) or Monthly at $9.99, cancel anytime. Both add editing, every template, saved projects and unlimited storage.
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.
RTF to PDF questions, answered
How do I convert RTF to PDF on a Mac?+
Open the RTF in TextEdit, the text editor built into every Mac, and choose File › Export as PDF. Give the PDF a name, pick a folder and click Save. Most Mac apps can also make a PDF from File › Print by clicking the PDF button and choosing Save as PDF, which helps when you want a different paper size.
How do I convert RTF to PDF on Windows 11 without Word?+
Install LibreOffice Writer, which costs nothing, open the RTF and choose File › Export as PDF. WordPad used to handle RTF files on Windows, but Microsoft removed it from Windows 11 starting with version 24H2. If you can’t install software on the PC, use Google Docs or Publish Media Software in the browser instead.
How do I turn an RTF into a PDF on a Chromebook?+
Upload the RTF to Google Drive, right-click it and choose Open with › Google Docs, then pick File › Download › PDF Document. The PDF usually lands in your Downloads folder. Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) also runs in the Chromebook’s browser if you want to see the pages or add a logo before exporting on a paid plan.
Can I check my RTF in PublishMedia before paying for anything?+
Yes, opening and viewing an RTF in Publish Media Software is free, so you can sign up, open the file and look through every page and the Import Report first. Exporting the PDF and changing the text or layout need All-Access ($99 a year) or Monthly ($9.99). On the free plan, files stay for 7 days and you get a reminder email before they're removed.
Why does my PDF use a different font than the RTF?+
An RTF file usually names its fonts rather than carrying them, so the app that converts it uses the font only if that font is installed and swaps in a close match if it isn’t. Install the original font, or change the text to a common font before you make the PDF. PublishMedia’s Import Report lists any font it replaced.
What should I check before uploading an RTF to a converter site?+
Check who runs the site, read its terms on how long uploaded files are kept, and avoid uploading contracts, medical letters or anything with account numbers to a service you don’t know. For private documents, a desktop app such as TextEdit, Word or LibreOffice Writer converts the RTF without uploading it anywhere.
I have dozens of RTF files. Can LibreOffice convert them in one go?+
Yes, LibreOffice can convert a whole folder of RTF files from the command line with soffice --headless --convert-to pdf followed by the file names, so you don’t open each one. That suits an office clearing out an archive. The other routes on this page work one document at a time.
Can I add a letterhead or logo before turning the RTF into a PDF?+
Yes, on a PublishMedia paid plan you can place a logo, add a text box for an address line, put a thin shape under it as a dividing line, or add a cover page, then export the PDF. In Word, TextEdit or LibreOffice you can do the same by pasting a picture into the document before you choose the PDF command.
Can I turn the PDF back into an RTF later?+
Only roughly: Microsoft Word for Windows can open a PDF and then save it as Rich Text Format, but the layout may shift on the way, so keep the original RTF. Publish Media Software doesn’t save files as .rtf or .docx; it exports PDFs, so treat your RTF as the editable master copy.
Publisher retires October 2026
Get a short guide to moving off Microsoft Publisher — opening your Publisher files online and creating new documents.