How do DOC and RTFcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
Microsoft Word Document (Legacy)
DOC is the legacy binary format used by Microsoft Word before 2007. While still widely encountered, it has been superseded by DOCX. Many older documents and templates still use this format.
Rich Text Format
RTF is a cross-platform document format that supports basic formatting like bold, italic, fonts, and colors. It's a universal middle ground between plain text and full document formats.
| Specification | DOC | RTF |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Microsoft Word Document (Legacy) | Rich Text Format |
| Extension | .doc | .rtf |
| MIME type | application/msword | application/rtf |
| Category | Document | Document |
| Developer | Microsoft | Microsoft |
| Year introduced | 1983 | 1987 |
DOC and RTF serve different purposes. DOC is ideal for opening legacy documents, while RTF excels at cross-platform document sharing.
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