The latest version of the Rich Text Format (RTF) Specification (version 1.7) is available from the Microsoft Developer Network Web site.

The Rich Text Format (RTF) Specification provides a format for text and graphics interchange that can be used with different output devices, operating environments, and operating systems. RTF uses the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), PC-8, Macintosh, or IBM PC character set to control the representation and formatting of a document, both on the screen and in print. With the RTF Specification, documents created under different operating systems and with different software applications can be transferred between those operating systems and applications.

The Rich Text Format (RTF) Specification is a method of encoding formatted text and graphics for easy transfer between applications. Currently, users depend on special translation software to move word-processing documents between different MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, OS/2, Macintosh, and Power Macintosh applications.

RTF files created in Word 6.0 (and later) for the Macintosh and Power Macintosh have a file type of "RTF."

The RTF standard provides a format for text and graphics interchange that can be used with different output devices, operating environments, and operating systems. RTF uses the ANSI, PC-8, Macintosh, or IBM PC character set to control the representation and formatting of a document, both on the screen and in print. With the RTF standard, you can transfer documents created under different operating systems and with different software.

To obtain the "Rich Text Format (RTF) Specifications, version 1.7", visit the following Microsoft MSDN Web site: For additional information about RTF and Word 2000, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: