File Conversion

How to Convert RTF to PDF on Mac – An Easy Guide

RTF (Rich Text Format) allows creating text used for creating textual content “rich” in formatting, retained across various operating systems and word processors. On the other hand, the PDF file format is the preferred format nowadays for content accessibility. PDF files pack many advantages, including tight-knit file security (password protection) and content formatting intactness without software dependence. Many RTF file users look to convert their data to PDF on their Mac computers. This blog post will explore the solutions to convert RTF to PDF on Mac and the reasons behind the conversion.

Table of Contents:

• Factors Behind Mac RTF to PDF Conversion
• 3 Top Solutions to Convert RTF to PDF on Mac
• Solution #1: Apple TextEdit App
• Solution #2: Web-based File Conversion Tool
• Solution #3: Professional Desktop App
• Steps to Convert RTF to PDF on Mac using Professional Tool
• Concluding Words

Factors Behind Mac RTF to PDF Conversion

1. Content Formatting Preservation: The PDF file format is known for securing the content layout across various devices and software, thus making the content uniform for accessibility. Meanwhile, the textual content in RTF files may display differently on various platforms because of factors like font differences and text encoding. While it’s not always the case with RTF files, this issue may hamper your content if it has to be presented in front of other people. 

2. Heightened File Security: Another reason to convert RTF to PDF on Mac is file security. PDF files are more secure than RTF files due to features like encryption, password protection, watermarks, and content restrictions to prevent unlawful content access. On the other hand, RTF files only secure the data from macros and don’t have any encryption/password protection, thus making them unsafe for content sharing.

3. Long-term Archiving: PDF files find preference for content archival compared to the RTF format since they are frequently updated and less prone to data corruption. On the other hand, RTF files are less preferred for long-term content storage as they are infrequently updated and can be easily edited. Moreover, there are no renowned security features associated with the RTF format, which makes them sensitive to malware risks.

3 Top Solutions to Convert RTF to PDF on Mac

This section explores the methods for converting RTF files to PDF on Mac computers. We will start with manual solutions and follow them with a professional method.

Solution #1: Apple TextEdit App

The first method to manually convert RTF to PDFs involves using the TextEdit app on your Mac computer. It is a native app that deals with text files of different kinds.

The following steps explain the file conversion process using the TextEdit app:

1. Open one RTF file on the TextEdit app on your Mac computer.
2. Click on the File menu and select the Print option or use the Cmd+P shortcut.
3. The PDF option gets selected by default in the Print window.
4. Select the “Save As PDF” option under the PDF pop-up menu.
5. Choose a desired location under the Where dropdown menu and click the Save button.
6. Repeat the same process with other RTF files.

Pros:

• Built-in Solution
• Free to Use
• Simple Interface
• Preserves Text Content

Cons:

• Limited Features
• Mac-Only
• Manual Process
• Not efficient for batch conversion.

Solution #2: Web-based File Conversion Tool

Another method to manually convert RTF to PDF on Mac is to use a web-based file converter. There are many websites dealing with file conversion, including RTF to PDF online conversion. Some of them even offer bulk file conversion as an added feature.

Here are the steps to use web-based file conversion tool on a Mac computer:

1. Open a file conversion website on your Mac browser like Safari.
2. Click the Add File button and add the RTF file(s) to the website.
3. Start the RTF to PDF file conversion process by clicking the Convert button.
4. Save the resultant PDF file(s) to your Mac computer by clicking the Download button.

Pros:

• Accessibility
• No Installation Required
• Free Options Available

Cons:

• Privacy is at risk when uploading to web servers.
• Internet Dependence
• File Size Limits
• Limited to No Customization

Many Mac users will look to use either of these solutions to convert their RTF text data to PDF on their Mac computers. However, they have some limitations that restrict their usage.

Solution #3: Professional Desktop App

The manual solutions have more drawbacks than advantages as can be seen from the above sections. Now the question arises: how to convert RTF files on Mac to PDF without any limitations? Here’s the perfect solution for the RTF file: automated software. Best Document Converter Software is here to help you convert RTF to PDF on Mac with completely intact content formatting.

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(Windows) Download Now
(Mac) Purchase Page
(Both Win & Mac)

What makes this software unique is its standalone nature, meaning that you don’t need any plugins to use it on your Mac computers. It has many benefits: an easy-to-use UI, bulk file conversion, content preview and the ability to convert 40+ formats to PDF like DOCX, TXT, MOBI to PDF, etc. You can use this software on all macOS version-compatible computers.

Steps to Convert RTF to PDF on Mac using Professional Tool

Follow these steps to export RTF to PDF using offline desktop solution:

1. Install and launch the automated utility on your macOS computer.
2. Add the RTF file(s) to the software interface using the Add File(s) or Add Folder button.
3. Then, click the Next button to apply the optional PDF settings: font settings, page settings, and header & footer.
4. You can also protect the resultant file(s) by checking the optional “Apply Password on Output PDF File(s)” box.
5. Select a desired destination for the resultant PDF file(s) by clicking the Change button.
6. Start the conversion to PDF on your Mac computer by clicking the Export button.

Pros:

• Batch Conversion
• Supports Various Formats
• Preserves Formatting
• Customizable Output
• Reliable and Secure

Cons:

• Paid Software

Concluding Words

We looked at the solutions to convert RTF to PDF on Mac computers and the reasons behind the file conversion in this blog. The reasons listed here justify the immediate RTF file export to PDF, and many RTF file users may look to use either of the manual solutions for the job. However, their limitations make the automated software explained in the blog the perfect method for file conversion on Mac computers.