DOCX vs RTF
A quick, plain-English comparison of the DOCX and RTF file formats — and how to convert between them, free and in your browser.
| DOCX | RTF | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | document | document |
| Extension | .docx | .rtf |
| MIME type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document | application/rtf |
| Converts to | 15 formats | 5 formats |
| Direction here | read & write | read & write |
Convert between DOCX and RTF
DOCX vs RTF: frequently asked questions
What's the difference between DOCX and RTF?
Office Open XML word-processing document (Word). Rich Text Format cross-app document.
Should I use DOCX or RTF?
Both are document formats — the right one depends on compatibility, quality and file size for your use. Whichever you have, you can convert it to the other below in seconds.
How do I convert DOCX to RTF?
Open the DOCX-to-RTF converter, drop your DOCX file in, and download the RTF. We auto-detect the real format from the file's bytes, so a mislabeled file still works.