Convert PUB to RTF — Free Online Converter
Convert Microsoft Publisher (.pub) to Rich Text Format (.rtf) online for free. Fast, secure document conversion with no watermarks or registration....
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Works Everywhere
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How to Convert
Upload your .pub file by dragging it into the upload area or clicking to browse.
Choose your output settings. The default settings work great for most files.
Click Convert and download your .rtf file when it's ready.
About PUB to RTF Conversion
PUB to RTF conversion transforms Microsoft Publisher documents into Rich Text Format, the universal formatted document standard that opens in every word processor on every operating system. RTF provides the broadest possible compatibility — from WordPad on Windows to TextEdit on macOS to LibreOffice Writer on Linux — without requiring any specialized software.
Our converter processes the PUB file through LibreOffice's import engine and generates RTF output with preserved text formatting, paragraph styles, embedded images, and document structure.
Why Convert PUB to RTF?
When Publisher content needs to reach recipients whose software capabilities are unknown, RTF is the safest choice. Every computer has at least one application that can open RTF files — even the simplest built-in text editors with basic formatting support. No plugins, no compatibility concerns, no format version issues.
RTF is also valued for its stability and transparency. The specification is frozen (v1.9), the format is text-based and inspectable, and it works identically across decades of software versions. For legal, compliance, and archival contexts where format stability matters, RTF is a trusted choice.
Common Use Cases
- Creating universally compatible documents from Publisher designs for wide distribution
- Extracting formatted content from Publisher files for users without Microsoft software
- Archiving Publisher content in a stable, well-specified format for long-term preservation
- Providing editable formatted documents to stakeholders with unknown software environments
- Converting Publisher newsletters and flyers to a format compatible with every word processor
How It Works
RTF uses text-based markup with control words to describe document formatting. The conversion extracts Publisher content through LibreOffice, translates formatting to RTF control sequences (paragraphs, character styles, tables, images), and generates a well-formed RTF 1.9 document. Images are hex-encoded and embedded inline.
Quality & Performance
Text, headings, lists, and basic formatting convert cleanly. Publisher's visual design elements are simplified to RTF's document model. Images are embedded, though the hex encoding increases file size substantially. The result is a clean, readable, editable document.
Device Compatibility
| Device | PUB | RTF |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Partial | Partial |
| macOS | Partial | Partial |
| iPhone/iPad | Partial | Partial |
| Android | Partial | Partial |
| Linux | Partial | Partial |
| Web Browser | No | No |
Tips for Best Results
- 1Use RTF when distributing to recipients with unknown software — it opens everywhere
- 2For smaller files, convert to DOCX instead — DOCX uses ZIP compression that significantly reduces size
- 3Review and clean up formatting in your word processor after conversion
- 4RTF is text-based and can be processed with scripts for bulk document operations
- 5Keep the original PUB file for print-quality output — RTF is for cross-platform text distribution
PUB to RTF provides the most universally compatible formatted document from Publisher content. When compatibility trumps visual fidelity, RTF is the right choice.