document → document
Convert DOC to RTF
Convert DOC to RTF in seconds. Free, no signup, no watermark, no file-size limit. Runs on our conversion servers.
At a glance
- Source
- DOC
- Target
- RTF
- Where it runs
- Our servers
- Cost
- Free, unlimited
- Account
- Not needed
DOC to RTF is on the release list
The document is opened in a layout engine and re-saved in the target format, mapping each style onto the closest equivalent in the new format. That needs a full document rendering engine, so it will run on our servers rather than in your browser. It is next in the queue and it will be free.
Do it now, on your device
No DOC conversion runs on-device yet — but these do
We would rather point you at something that works than at a queue. These conversions run entirely inside your browser right now — no upload, no account, no watermark.
The details
What happens when you convert between document formats
The original binary Word format, from before 2007. Still everywhere, still awkward. The document is opened in a layout engine and re-saved in the target format, mapping each style onto the closest equivalent in the new format. The result is a rich text format. plain text with formatting codes, written so that any program can read it, produced on our conversion servers.
What survives
- The text and the paragraph structure
- Most formatting: fonts, sizes, colours, alignment, lists and tables
- Embedded images
What changes
- Styles that have no equivalent are approximated
- The file may gain or lose features the target format does not support
Where it goes wrong
- Styles are usually mapped by name, so renaming a style before converting can lose the mapping
- The target format may not support the same page size or margins
Why anyone would do this
Different teams use different formats, and the content should not be held hostage by that.
About the format
The original binary Word format, from before 2007.
A single binary compound file with streams of structured data. A small header identifies the Word version and points at the text, formatting and table streams.
- Where it is good
- Opens in almost any word processor, including very old ones
- Keeps the original layout of documents from the 1990s and 2000s
- A single file with no container around it
- Where it falls short
- Dated and rarely created by anything new
- Larger than the DOCX equivalent
- More fragile — one damaged stream can lose the whole document
- You will find it on
- Legacy systems, old archives, some government portals
The thing people miss
Microsoft kept a hidden converter inside Word for years so that opening a .doc never lost anything.
About the target
Rich Text Format.
A stream of ASCII characters. Formatting is expressed as backslash-prefixed control words, and anything unknown is simply skipped.
- Almost any program that has ever existed can open it
- Survives being opened and re-saved by ancient software
- The formatting survives even when the fonts do not
Real jobs
What people are actually doing with DOC
Opening a document received from an old system
Working with a file from a government or legal archive
Migrating an old template to a modern format
Specification
The details, in one table
| Source format | DOC — Legacy Word document |
|---|---|
| Target format | RTF — Rich Text Format |
| Typical source size | 20 KB – 10 MB |
| Runs | On our servers |
| Account needed | No |
| Watermark | None |
| File extension | .doc → .rtf |
How to
DOC to RTF, step by step
- 01
Add your legacy word document
Drag the file onto the drop zone, or tap to browse. Only one file is needed.
- 02
Choose the RTF settings
Set the RTF-specific options.
- 03
Download the result
The finished RTF downloads to your device. Nothing is uploaded and nothing is retained.
Also available
DOC converts into
Queued for the servers
Questions
DOC conversion questions
What actually happens to my DOC file when I convert it to RTF?
The document is opened in a layout engine and re-saved in the target format, mapping each style onto the closest equivalent in the new format. So the DOC file is unpacked, the content is laid out, and the result is written out as RTF. The text and the paragraph structure survives unchanged.
Will converting DOC to RTF reduce the quality?
Partly. Styles that have no equivalent are approximated The text itself is never re-typed, so no words are lost.
Is my DOC file uploaded to a server?
This particular conversion needs a full document rendering engine, so it is processed on our servers. Your DOC file is deleted automatically within an hour of the download being ready, and it is never opened or reviewed by a person.
Do I need an account or will there be a watermark?
Neither. There is no sign-up step, no email capture and no watermark on the output. The only limits are the ones your own device imposes.
What is the most common mistake people make when converting DOC to RTF?
Styles are usually mapped by name, so renaming a style before converting can lose the mapping
Why would somebody convert DOC to RTF at all?
Different teams use different formats, and the content should not be held hostage by that. In short: opening a document received from an old system
Something most people do not know about DOC?
Microsoft kept a hidden converter inside Word for years so that opening a .doc never lost anything.