About document formats
You can use TextEdit to view and edit plain text, HTML, Rich Text Format (RTF), Rich Text Format Directory (RTFD), and Microsoft Word files. TextEdit can also create new files or save existing files as one of six different file types: RTF files, plain text files, HTML files, Web Archive files, Word Format, and Word XML Format files.
Files saved as RTF or Word files can include paragraph and font formatting (for example, bold text). Plain text files have preset tab stops that cannot be changed. Font styles and colors in plain text files are not saved when a document is closed and reopened. Nor can graphics or other embedded files be added to plain text documents.
Most word processors can open RTF files. Microsoft Word can open Word Format files. TextEdit supports a number of Word features, including tables, but some other features may not be supported.
- To save a file containing embedded graphics, choose File > Save or Save As and choose either "Rich Text with Graphics" or Web Archive from the File Format pop-up menu.
- To save a document as an RTF, HTML, Word Format, or Word XML Format file, choose File > Save As and choose a format from the File Format pop-up menu.
- To save a file as plain text, choose Format > Make Plain Text (or press Command-Shift-T) to convert the file if necessary, then choose File > Save As. If you want to use a different encoding type than the one shown, choose a format from the Plain Text Encoding pop-up menu.
Plain text files have the filename extension ".txt", RTF files are given the filename extension ".rtf", HTML files use ".html", Web Archive files use ".webarchive", and Word files are given the extension ".doc", and Word XML files use ".xml". If you add graphics to an RTF file, its file extension is changed to ".rtfd".
You can prevent the filename extension from being shown by selecting the "Hide extension" checkbox in the Save dialog.