

However, many programs can still open RTF files, including Microsoft Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice and Apple TextEdit. Microsoft stopped updates for RTF in 2008. RTF files are typically larger than both DOC and DOCX, and modern word processing formats offer more functionality. RTF was the default format for Microsoft’s Windows WordPad software program.Īfter DOC and DOCX were introduced for Microsoft Word, RTF became less popular as a format. The format was developed by Microsoft in the 1980s as a document type that is primarily text based but can also include other elements like images and text formatting options.

You would typically create a PDF if you wanted to ensure document fidelity, to make it more secure, or to create a copy for storage. Creating a PDF can involve compressing a file, making it take up less storage space. They can be viewed on almost all devices. PDF files aren’t typically created from scratch, but are usually converted, saved or ‘printed’ from other documents or images before sharing, publishing online or storing. It is maintained by the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO). The PDF format is now a standard open format that isn’t just available under Adobe Acrobat. The format has evolved to allow for editing and interactive elements like electronic signatures or buttons. It was developed by Adobe so people could share documents regardless of which device, operating system, or software they were using, while preserving the content and formatting. PDF stands for ‘Portable Document Format’ file.
