Rich text format word processing file (.rtf)
.rtf file signature | application/rtf
Rich Text Format (RTF) is a document file format created by Microsoft for exchanging formatted text between word processors and other applications. It is commonly used for letters, reports, resumes, and simple documents, and is supported by Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, Apple TextEdit, and many email and editing tools. RTF is a legacy format with limited formatting compared with modern document standards, and files from untrusted sources should still be opened with caution.
Magic Bytes
Offset 0
7B 5C 72 74 66
Sources: Apache Tika, Gary Kessler
All Known Signatures
2 signature variants are documented for .rtf files across multiple sources.
| Hex Signature | Offset | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 7B 5C 72 74 66 | 0 | Apache Tika, Gary Kessler |
| 7B 5C 72 74 66 31 | 0 | Wikipedia, Neil Harvey FileSignatures |
Extension
.rtf
MIME Type
application/rtf
Byte Offset
0
Risk Level
Safe
Validation Code
How to validate .rtf files in Python
def is_rtf(file_path: str) -> bool:
"""Check if file is a valid RTF by magic bytes."""
signature = bytes([0x7B, 0x5C, 0x72, 0x74, 0x66])
with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
return f.read(5) == signatureHow to validate .rtf files in Node.js
function isRTF(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
const signature = Buffer.from([0x7B, 0x5C, 0x72, 0x74, 0x66]);
return buffer.subarray(0, 5).equals(signature);
}How to validate .rtf files in Go
func IsRTF(data []byte) bool {
signature := []byte{0x7B, 0x5C, 0x72, 0x74, 0x66}
if len(data) < 5 {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(data[:5], signature)
}API Endpoint
/api/v1/rtf
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/rtf
See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.
Related Formats
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .rtf file?
A .rtf file is a Rich text format word processing file file. Rich Text Format (RTF) is a document file format created by Microsoft for exchanging formatted text between word processors and other applications. It is commonly used for letters, reports, resumes, and simple documents, and is supported by Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, Apple TextEdit, and many email and editing tools. RTF is a legacy format with limited formatting compared with modern document standards, and files from untrusted sources should still be opened with caution.
What are the magic bytes for .rtf files?
The magic bytes for Rich text format word processing file files are 7B 5C 72 74 66 at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.
How do I validate a .rtf file?
To validate a .rtf file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (7B 5C 72 74 66) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.
What is the MIME type for .rtf files?
The primary MIME type for .rtf files is application/rtf.
Is it safe to open .rtf files?
Rich text format word processing file (.rtf) files are generally safe to open. They are classified as low risk because they primarily contain data rather than executable code. However, always ensure files come from a trusted source.