An online RTF viewer for reading, printing and reusing .rtf files
An RTF viewer is a tool that shows a Rich Text Format (.rtf) document with its fonts and formatting instead of raw codes. Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) is an RTF viewer that runs in your browser: sign up, drop in the file and read every page free, with nothing to install. A paid plan lets you change it and export a print-ready PDF.
No download or plug-in. Opens .rtf files up to 250 MB in a browser tab.
Viewing and opening RTF files cost nothing on the Free plan; editing and PDF export are paid.
- Formatted text✓ Ready
- Every page✓ Ready
- Plug-ins neededNone
What the online RTF viewer does
Shows formatted pages
Read the document as pages, not a wall of codes.
Opens in a tab
No program to install on a shared or work computer.
Keeps fonts by name
Uses the RTF’s own fonts wherever those fonts are available.
Lists what changed
The Import Report notes any font that needed a stand-in.
Leads to a printout
Export a print-ready PDF on a paid plan, then print.
Lets you keep going
Paid plans change text, pictures and layout on each page.
Need more than a viewer?
Pick the guide that matches what you want to do with the RTF.
Make it a PDF
Six routes from RTF to PDF, from TextEdit to Google Docs, with each menu named.
See the six routesLearn the format
What Rich Text Format is, where it came from and how it compares with .docx.
About RTF filesWhat is the easiest way to view an RTF file online?
The easiest way to view an RTF file online is a browser-based viewer such as Publish Media Software (PublishMedia): create an account, drag the .rtf onto the page, and every page appears formatted, with no software installed. Google Docs also works if you upload the file to Google Drive first and open it with Docs.
Three ways into the RTF viewer
Create an account at publishmediasoftware.com (no card asked), then go.
View your .rtf
Drop the file onto the viewer or click to pick it from your computer, iPad or a downloaded attachment.
Rich Text Format, 250 MB maximum
Pick the fileReuse the words in a template
Copy text from the RTF into a template when you want a poster or program rather than a plain page.
Reuse in a templateStart a clean page
Open an empty page if you’d rather retype a short RTF than work from the old file.
Empty pageFrom viewing an RTF to printing or reworking it
The viewer is the PublishMedia page editor, so moving from reading to changing takes no new app.
Page-by-page view
Scroll the RTF as separate pages and see exactly where each page break falls before anything is printed.
Print Preview
Look at each page as it will print so the PDF you print later holds no surprises.
Edit when you’re ready
On a paid plan, click into any text box to retype it, or move and resize boxes and pictures on the page.
Export for printing
Paid plans export a clean, print-ready PDF you can print at home, email or send to a print shop.
Is that RTF the wording for a funeral program?
An obituary or order of service sometimes arrives as an RTF. A template turns it into a printed program.
Funeral program maker
Ready-made memorial program layouts to fill with the family’s wording and a photo. Paid plans include them.
Other templates
How to view an RTF file online
Four steps in any browser on a computer or iPad.
Go to PublishMedia
Open publishmediasoftware.com and sign up; the Free plan covers viewing.
Drop the RTF in
Drag the .rtf into the browser window, or click and choose it from a folder.
Read the pages
Scroll through the formatted pages, and glance at the Import Report for font notes.
Print or keep working
On All-Access or Monthly, edit the pages, export a print-ready PDF, and print that PDF.
6 RTF viewers and openers worth knowing
Online and desktop options side by side, each with its platform, price and one honest limit.
As of October 2026, six dependable RTF viewers and openers are Publish Media Software (PublishMedia), Quick Look on a Mac, Google Docs through Google Drive, LibreOffice Writer, Microsoft Word and WordPad on Windows 10. PublishMedia and Google Docs work in a web browser with no install; PublishMedia views RTF free and charges $99 a year or $9.99 a month for editing and PDF export. Quick Look previews an RTF when you press the Space bar in Finder. LibreOffice Writer costs nothing on Windows, Mac and Linux. Word is paid. Microsoft removed WordPad from Windows 11 starting with version 24H2, so it remains only on older Windows versions.
1. Publish Media Software — best online RTF viewer for printing
Views .rtf files as formatted pages in a browser on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Linux and iPad, at no charge. Limit: changing the document and exporting a PDF require All-Access ($99 a year) or Monthly ($9.99).
2. Quick Look on a Mac — fastest preview
Select an RTF in Finder and press the Space bar to preview it without opening any app. It’s part of macOS. Limit: a read-only glance with no page layout, and Mac only.
3. Google Docs — good online opener with an account
Upload the RTF to Google Drive, then Open with › Google Docs to view it in any browser at no charge. Limit: it creates a Google Docs copy and requires a Google account.
4. LibreOffice Writer — best offline viewer
A desktop word processor for Windows, Mac and Linux that opens RTF files without an internet connection and costs nothing. Limit: it must be installed first, which work computers may not allow.
5. Microsoft Word — for people who already pay for it
Opens RTF files on Windows and Mac with full editing. Limit: Word is paid software, which is a lot to buy just to read an occasional RTF someone sent.
6. WordPad — only on older Windows PCs
The simple editor that opened RTF on Windows for decades still exists on Windows 10. Limit: Microsoft removed it from Windows 11 starting with version 24H2, so newer PCs don’t have it.
RTF viewer pricing
Viewing is free: the Free plan opens unlimited RTF files and keeps each one for 7 days, with a reminder email before automatic deletion. To edit, export print-ready PDFs, save projects, use every template and get unlimited storage, choose All-Access at $99 a year, which is recommended, or Monthly at $9.99 with the option to 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.
RTF viewer FAQ
What does an online RTF viewer do?+
An online RTF viewer opens a Rich Text Format file in your web browser and shows the text with its fonts, bold, italics and layout, so you can read it without installing a word processor. Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) shows the RTF as pages, the way it would print, and lets paid plans go further and edit it.
What does it cost to view an RTF file in PublishMedia?+
Viewing an RTF file in Publish Media Software costs nothing: the Free plan opens and views unlimited files without a credit card. Free-plan files are kept for 7 days. Changing the text and exporting a print-ready PDF need All-Access, which is $99 a year, or Monthly, which is $9.99 and can be canceled anytime.
Can I print an RTF from an online viewer?+
Yes, but with PublishMedia you print by exporting a print-ready PDF first, which is part of a paid plan, then printing that PDF. If you only need a quick paper copy at no cost, open the RTF in Google Docs and use File › Print, or print from TextEdit, LibreOffice Writer or Word.
Will my RTF still be there next week?+
On the Free plan, an RTF you open stays in your PublishMedia account for 7 days, and you get a reminder email before it’s deleted automatically. Keep your original file on your computer. On All-Access or Monthly, you can save projects, and storage is unlimited, so nothing expires after a week.
Can I view RTF files on my phone?+
Yes, you can view an RTF on an iPhone or Android phone: the PublishMedia site opens in the phone’s browser and shows the file. Editing works there too on a paid plan, though long documents are easier on an iPad or a computer. On an iPhone, the Files app preview also shows RTF text.
Is Google Docs a good RTF viewer?+
Google Docs is a good RTF viewer if you already use Google Drive: upload the file, right-click it and choose Open with › Google Docs. It costs nothing but needs a Google account and creates a separate Google Docs copy. PublishMedia opens the RTF directly and shows it as print-style pages.
Can I keep working on the RTF after viewing it?+
Yes, on a paid PublishMedia plan the same screen you view in becomes the editor: retype text, swap in pictures, move boxes, add pages and export a print-ready PDF. PublishMedia doesn’t save the result back to .rtf or .docx. To keep an editable RTF, make text changes in Word, LibreOffice Writer or TextEdit.
Is a Quick Look preview enough, or do I need a full viewer?+
A Quick Look preview on a Mac, or the Files app preview on an iPhone, is enough to read a short RTF. Use a full viewer when you need to see page breaks, check how the document will print, read a long file comfortably, or go on to change it and make a PDF.
Can I view an RTF without creating an account?+
Not in PublishMedia: viewing is free, but you need an account, which costs nothing to create and asks for no credit card. Desktop apps such as TextEdit, LibreOffice Writer and Word open RTF files with no account at all, and Google Docs needs a Google account. Choose by whether you can install software on the computer.
Publisher retires October 2026
Get a short guide to moving off Microsoft Publisher — opening your Publisher files online and creating new documents.