.RTX file extension

To open .RTX files on Windows, right-click the .rtx file → Open with → choose WordPad (commonly supports Rich Text documents), or choose another editor/word processor you trust.

To open a .rtx file, use a text editor or word processor that supports Rich Text documents—commonly WordPad on Windows or TextEdit on macOS. If it still won’t open, try opening it as plain text to confirm it is a Rich Text (text/richtext) file and not mislabeled.

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Last updated: June 11, 2026 · Reviewed by Julian Stricker

What “reviewed” means on this page

Format fit: whether the “what is this file?” description matches common real-world use of the extension, including category, typical MIME types, and aliases.
Opening paths: whether Windows / macOS / Linux steps read plausibly for current OS dialogs and default apps; we remove fantasy menus and unsafe shortcuts.
Security framing: whether risk notes match the extension class (for example executables vs plain data) and whether affiliate wording does not contradict the security section.
Sources and further reading: whether external links point to vendors, standards bodies, or other primary references where possible; we avoid inventing details we cannot ground.
Limits: this is clarity and safety-messaging QA, not a guarantee that every statement is exhaustive or that every binary you download is harmless.

Full methodology in the Imprint — The Imprint also states where AI is used and what that does—and does not—replace.

Open on your device

Choose your operating system for a dedicated step-by-step opening guide.

How to open .RTX files

Use these platform-specific instructions to open .RTX files safely.

Windows

Right-click the .rtx file → Open with → choose WordPad (commonly supports Rich Text documents), or choose another editor/word processor you trust.
If it opens as garbled text or won’t open, try opening it in a plain-text editor to confirm it is a text/richtext file (and not a different format renamed to .rtx).
If you need better formatting compatibility, open it in an alternative word processor and re-save/export to a more widely used format.

Full Windows guide

Mac

Control-click the .rtx file → Open With → TextEdit (commonly opens Rich Text documents).
If the file displays oddly, open it in TextEdit and use Format options (e.g., make plain text / make rich text) to check whether it contains rich-text markup.
If needed, open and then export/save to another format for sharing with others.

Full Mac guide

Linux

In your file manager, right-click the .rtx file → Open With → choose a text editor/viewer associated with text/richtext on your system.
If double-clicking doesn’t offer a suitable app, use “Open With Other Application…” and try a text editor first to verify it’s a readable rich text document.
If your desktop environment misidentifies the file type, update/rebuild MIME associations (shared-mime-info is commonly used for the *.rtx → text/richtext mapping).

Full Linux guide

iOS

In the Files app, tap the .rtx file; if it doesn’t preview well, use Share to send it to a text/document app that can import rich text, or transfer it to a desktop editor (WordPad/TextEdit) for viewing.

Full iOS guide

Android

Open the .rtx file from your file manager; if no app is offered or formatting is wrong, open it in a text editor app as plain text to verify content, or transfer it to a desktop editor (WordPad/TextEdit) for best compatibility.

Full Android guide

Security notes

.RTX (text/richtext) is a text-based format, but you should still treat files from unknown sources cautiously: a maliciously crafted text file can sometimes exploit bugs in a viewer/editor’s parser.
If an .rtx file prompts you to follow links or includes unexpected content, verify the sender and context before interacting—rich text documents can contain embedded URLs that may be used for phishing.
Avoid assuming a file is safe based only on the .rtx extension; if opening it as plain text shows it is actually something else (or binary-looking data), stop and verify the source.

If you did not expect this file

This extension is usually plain data, text, or structured content—not a program by itself. The practical risk is social engineering (a scam attachment or misleading filename). For trusted senders you rarely need heavy-handed antivirus wording; use these tools when you want an extra check on unexpected downloads.

Avast

Avast offers free and premium antivirus software that protects against viruses, malware, ransomware, and phishing. Scan files before opening them to ensure safety.

Norton

Norton 360 delivers comprehensive antivirus protection, VPN, and identity theft monitoring. Scan files for threats before opening to keep your device secure.

We may earn a commission when you use affiliate links. This supports our free file extension guides.

Can't open this file?

These are the most common causes and fixes when .RTX files fail to open.

Common reasons

The .RTX file won’t open or opens in the wrong app
Formatting looks different than expected
The file contains unreadable characters or looks like the wrong format

Fix steps

Use “Open with” and manually choose a compatible editor/viewer (commonly WordPad on Windows or TextEdit on macOS).
If Linux doesn’t recognize it properly, check your desktop’s MIME associations (the shared-mime-info database maps *.rtx to text/richtext).

OS-specific troubleshooting

What is a .RTX file?

.RTX commonly refers to a Rich Text document that corresponds to the registered media type text/richtext. It is a text-based format intended to represent “rich text” (basic styling) in a standardized way under MIME. On many systems, the .rtx extension is mapped to text/richtext in MIME databases used for file-type detection.

Background

The .rtx extension is most commonly used for Rich Text documents. In practice, these files are exchanged as text/richtext (a registered IANA media type) and are meant to store text with simple formatting in a text-based representation rather than a complex binary document format.

On desktop systems, .rtx files are often opened using built-in or common text tools. Reference listings commonly cite WordPad on Windows and TextEdit on macOS as typical apps that can open RTX Rich Text documents.

On Linux and other Unix-like systems, file managers and desktop environments frequently rely on the shared-mime-info database to map filename patterns like *.rtx to a MIME type (text/richtext). This mapping helps the system choose an appropriate application when you double-click the file.

Because .rtx is a text-based rich text format, it is often used when basic formatting is desired but full-featured document formats are unnecessary. However, compatibility and fidelity of formatting can vary between apps, so you may see differences in how styles are displayed.

Common MIME types: text/richtext

Common .RTX issues

The .RTX file won’t open or opens in the wrong app

Your system may not have an app associated with text/richtext, or the file association may be incorrect.

Use “Open with” and manually choose a compatible editor/viewer (commonly WordPad on Windows or TextEdit on macOS).
If Linux doesn’t recognize it properly, check your desktop’s MIME associations (the shared-mime-info database maps *.rtx to text/richtext).

Formatting looks different than expected

Different programs may interpret rich text markup differently, so styling and layout may not match across apps.

Try opening the file in another compatible editor/word processor and compare results.
If you need consistent sharing, open it in a desktop app and re-save/export to a format your recipients commonly use.

The file contains unreadable characters or looks like the wrong format

The file may be corrupted, incomplete, or not actually a Rich Text (text/richtext) document despite the .rtx extension.

Open it in a plain-text editor to see whether it contains readable rich text content.
Re-download or ask the sender for the file again if it appears truncated or corrupted.

FAQ

What does .RTX stand for?

In common desktop usage, .rtx refers to a Rich Text document associated with the MIME type text/richtext.

Is .rtx the same as .rtf?

No. .rtx is commonly associated with MIME richtext (text/richtext), while .rtf is the Rich Text Format used by many word processors. Some apps may open both, but they are different formats.

Can I convert an .rtx file by renaming it to .txt or .rtf?

Renaming only changes the filename extension and does not convert the file. Open the .rtx in a compatible editor and use Save As/Export to create another format.

Why does my Linux system label .rtx as “Rich text document”?

Many Linux desktops use the shared-mime-info database, which maps the *.rtx filename pattern to the MIME type text/richtext (often shown as “Rich text document”).

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