Documents conversion
Convert DOC to RTF
Updated Jul 2026
DOC is the older, binary format Word used to save documents, and RTF is a plain-text based format that almost any word processor can open. To convert, open the DOC file in a converter and export it as RTF. Doing this on your own computer means the document, and whatever is recorded in its metadata, stays off someone else's server.
- Extension
- .doc
- Type
- Documents
- Typically
- Old Word documents
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
- Extension
- .rtf
- Type
- Documents
- Typically
- Cross-app rich text
Convert DOC to RTF on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert DOC to RTF
- Open Morphjet and drag in the DOC file, or a whole folder of them.
- Choose RTF as the output format.
- Convert. The RTF file is written next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
DOC vs RTF: what actually changes
| DOC | RTF | |
|---|---|---|
| Opens everywhere | No, generally needs Word or a compatible app | Yes, opens in almost any word processor or text editor |
| File size | Smaller, compact binary format | Larger, since formatting is written out as plain-text markup |
| Formatting fidelity | Full, including advanced layout and styles | Good for standard formatting, but complex layouts can simplify |
| Macros and scripts | Supported | Not supported, stripped on conversion |
| Metadata (author, revision history) | Yes, stored in document properties | Basic properties usually carry over, revision history and comments often don't |
| Long-term support | Legacy format, largely superseded by DOCX | Still widely supported, simple and open by design |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert DOC to RTF when you need to open an old Word document in something other than Word, like a lightweight text editor, or when you want a document that's readable across Mac, Windows, and Linux without worrying about compatibility.
Keep the original DOC (or upgrade to DOCX instead) if the document relies on macros, tracked changes, or Word-specific formatting, since RTF doesn't preserve those.
Why not just use an online converter?
Old Word documents often carry metadata you don't see at a glance, author names, company info, and sometimes a history of edits and comments left behind by everyone who touched the file. Send that DOC to an online converter and all of that travels to their server along with the text. Converting locally with Morphjet keeps the document, and whatever it says about who wrote and edited it, on your own machine.
Questions
Does converting DOC to RTF lose formatting?
Basic formatting like fonts, bold, italic, and simple tables carries over cleanly. Macros and other Word-specific features aren't supported by RTF and get stripped out.
Will the RTF file keep the document's metadata?
Basic properties like title and author usually carry over, but revision history, comments, and tracked changes often don't survive the conversion.
Why convert an old DOC file at all?
DOC is a legacy binary format that's increasingly hard to open reliably outside of Word. RTF is plain-text based, so it opens in far more programs, including basic text editors on Mac and Windows.
Is RTF the same as DOCX?
No. DOCX is Word's modern format with more features. RTF is older and simpler, designed specifically to be readable by many different programs, not just Word.
Can I convert DOC to RTF without uploading it anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so it never has to travel over the internet. You can do it with wifi off.
Morphjet converts DOC, RTF, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.