How Do You Convert RTF to PDF?
You convert RTF to PDF by adding the file to QuickCatPDF's RTF to PDF converter and clicking Convert to PDF. The document comes back as a PDF with its fonts, bold and italic text, colours, tables and pictures as they look in a word processor.
The converter also takes Word files, so you can mix RTF and DOCX documents in one batch. It's free, with no sign-up and no watermark.
How to Convert an RTF File to PDF With QuickCatPDF
Converting RTF documents takes four steps.
- Click Select RTF files or drop your files on the page (up to 10 files).
- Choose the Paper size, and keep Bookmarks from headings ticked if you want them.
- For several files, choose Separate PDFs or One combined PDF.
- Click Convert to PDF, then download each PDF, the ZIP or the combined PDF.
Why Is RTF Converted on the Server?
RTF (Rich Text Format) is a word-processor format: it describes fonts, paragraph spacing, tables and page setup, which need a full word processor to lay out. QuickCatPDF converts it on our own server with LibreOffice, the same engine used for Word to PDF, so line breaks and page breaks match what a word processor shows.
In our test, a short RTF document with a bold heading and italic text converted in about 3 seconds, with the formatting and selectable text kept.
Your file is sent over HTTPS, converted in a sandboxed service with no internet access, and deleted as soon as the conversion ends. The PDF is deleted right after your browser downloads it, and nothing is kept more than 1 hour.
What Does an RTF File Keep?
RTF keeps more than plain text and less than a modern Word file.
| Kept in the PDF | Not part of RTF |
|---|---|
| Fonts, sizes, bold, italic, underline, colours | Comments and tracked changes from newer Word versions |
| Paragraph alignment, spacing and indents | Embedded videos and some newer chart types |
| Tables and pictures | |
| Headers, footers and page numbers set in the file |
Fonts used in the file are matched by name. Common fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial and Calibri have metric-compatible versions on the server, so text takes the same space; rarer fonts are replaced by a similar one.
Frequently asked questions
Is RTF to PDF free?
Yes, free with no sign-up and no watermark. A fair-use limit of 60 files an hour per visitor keeps the server fast.
Can I convert RTF to PDF without uploading?
No, RTF needs word-processor software that runs on our server, so the file is uploaded. It's deleted right after conversion. For plain text with no formatting, Text to PDF can save the PDF on your device instead.
What's the file size limit?
Each RTF file can be up to 50 MB, and you can convert up to 10 at once.
Can I convert DOCX and ODT files too?
Yes, Word files convert on Word to PDF and OpenDocument text on ODT to PDF. Every other format is on Convert Any File to PDF.
Will the page size change?
No, the document keeps its own page size by default. Choose A4 or Letter under Paper size to change it.
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