DOCX to RTF

The Word document is read for its structure and written as standard RTF that older programs understand.

Unlike .docx, RTF is plain text with formatting codes, so even very old or simple software can read it. Systems that build letters from templates, import notes into records, or paste formatted text into other programs often use RTF. It is also a safe format for sharing with someone whose software you don't know: WordPad and TextEdit are installed on almost every computer. The trade-off is that RTF does not support every modern Word feature and files with pictures are larger.

Fonts, colours and page layout use simple defaults (Calibri text, Consolas for code), so the RTF looks clean rather than identical to the original. Headers, footers, footnotes, comments, tracked changes, text boxes and charts are not converted. Pictures in GIF, WebP or BMP format can't be stored in RTF and are left out; the summary tells you if any were found. Turn off Include pictures to make a much smaller file with text only.

Double-click the .rtf file to open it in WordPad on Windows or TextEdit on a Mac; Word, LibreOffice, Pages and Google Docs open it too. Lists use the classic RTF numbering that all of these programs display, and links remain clickable in programs that support them. To turn an RTF back into Word, use RTF to DOCX.

The Word document is read with the open-source mammoth library and the RTF is written in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, so confidential letters and records stay on your device. Old Word .doc files must be saved as .docx first; files are checked by content and explained if they are not Word documents.