Documents conversion
Convert RTF to PDF
Updated Jul 2026
RTF is a rich text format that word processors use to keep formatting like fonts, bold, and bullet lists. PDF is the format built for sharing, since it looks the same on every screen and printer. To convert, open the RTF file in a converter and export it as PDF, right on your own computer, without uploading it anywhere.
- Extension
- .rtf
- Type
- Documents
- Typically
- Cross-app rich text
- Extension
- Type
- Documents
- Typically
- The universal document format
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
Convert RTF to PDF on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert RTF to PDF
- Open Morphjet and drag in the RTF file, or a whole folder of them, at once.
- Choose PDF as the output format.
- Convert. The PDF is written next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
RTF vs PDF: what actually changes
| RTF | ||
|---|---|---|
| Editable | Yes, in any word processor | Not easily, meant to be a finished document |
| Opens everywhere | Needs a word processor that reads RTF | Yes, opens on any device with a PDF reader |
| Layout stays consistent | Can shift depending on fonts installed and the app used | Yes, the page looks identical everywhere it's opened |
| File size | Small | Slightly larger, since fonts get embedded |
| Quality | Lossless text and formatting | Lossless, nothing is re-compressed |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert RTF to PDF once a document is finished and you're ready to share, print, sign, or send it somewhere you want it to look exactly the same as it does on your screen.
Keep the RTF if you or someone else still needs to edit the text, since PDF isn't built for easy editing.
Why not just use an online converter?
Documents like resumes, contracts, and letters often carry names, addresses, and other personal details. An online converter means that document sits on a stranger's server while it's processed. Converting on your own computer means the file, and everything written in it, never leaves your machine.
Questions
Does converting RTF to PDF lose any formatting?
No. Fonts, bold and italic text, bullet points, and layout carry over as they were. The PDF is meant to lock in exactly how the document looked when you converted it.
Can I still edit the document after converting it to PDF?
Not easily. PDF is designed to be a fixed, final version of a document, not something you edit like a word processor file. Keep the original RTF around if you might need to change the text later.
Will the PDF look the same on someone else's computer?
Yes, that's the main reason to convert. RTF can render differently depending on which fonts are installed and which app opens it. PDF embeds the fonts and layout so it looks the same everywhere.
Can I convert RTF to PDF without uploading the file anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so it never travels over the internet. You can do it with your wifi off.
Morphjet converts RTF, PDF, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.