TXT File: Definition and How to Open

TXT files are simple, which means they have very small sizes, making them easy to share and store. Unlike more complex formats like DOCX or PDF, the TXT file format doesn't include extra data or professional formatting features. They are flexible and often used to store notes, scripts, log files, or configuration details—basically, any basic text information.

TXT files are easy to open and edit with many text editors and word processors on different operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux. Popular text editors for this include Notepad (Windows), TextEdit (macOS), and Vim (Linux).

You can read and edit TXT files easily with any text editor. They support different character encodings like UTF-8 and ASCII, which impact how the text is saved and shown, especially when it comes to non-English characters.

Note-taking. Whether you're putting down some ideas, making to-do lists, or writing quick thoughts, TXT files offer an easy way to save them. They're often used for simple documents that don't need the advanced features of word processors like Microsoft Word or any other pricey note taking app.

Programming and software development. TXT files are often used to save code snippets, scripts, or configuration settings. Developers like them because they are simple and easy to use.

System logs. Many software programs create logs in plain text format, making it easy for developers and system administrators to check activity, errors, and other system messages. Since TXT files are simple, they can be quickly reviewed and analyzed.

Data storage and sharing. TXT file format is used to store and share text-based data, like CSV or TSV formats, which emphasize content over appearance. They are also commonly used for creating documentation, instructions, and readme files, offering users important information in a format that's simple to access.

You can open a TXT file with any text editor or word processor. Just double-click the file, and it will open in your system's default text editor. If you want to use a different text editor, right-click on the file and choose "Open with" to select another option. Here are some ways to open a TXT file.

• Adobe Acrobat. Although Adobe Acrobat is mainly known as a PDF editor, you can also open TXT files with it and turn them into PDFs. This is convenient for sharing or storing text documents as PDFs. Acrobat offers features like adding text notes, support for different platforms, and provides advanced security options.

Compatible platforms: Windows, macOS

Pricing: 14-days free trial or from $4.99/mo

• File Viewer Plus. This is a flexible document management tool that can open, view, and edit more than 400 file types, including TXT file format. It provides basic editing features like searching and replacing text, formatting text, and editing metadata. You can also save your file in different formats, including DOCX, PDF, and ODT.

Compatible platforms: Windows

Pricing: $30/year

• Right Note. Right Note is a note-taking program with professional features to manage text and other data. It lets you open and organize TXT files and other notes in a tree-like structure, which helps you handle lots of information easily. The software also has a great search tool that quickly finds text within your notes, even if they are in different file formats.

Compatible platforms: Windows

Pricing: 30-days free trial or from $29.95/mo

• Notepad. This is a basic and lightweight text editor that comes with Windows. It lets you view and edit TXT files without any formatting options, making it perfect for quick note-taking and editing plain text.

Compatible platforms: Windows

Pricing: Free

• WordPad. This is a free tool on Windows that has more features compared to Notepad. It includes basic formatting options for TXT files, like bold, italics, and font changes, so it’s better for creating text documents with formatting.

Compatible platforms: Windows

Pricing: Free

• TextEdit is a universal text editor that comes with macOS. It works with both simple text and formatted text. It provides basic editing and formatting tools and works well with other macOS apps.

Compatible platforms: MacOS

Pricing: Free

• Gedit is an easy-to-use text editor often found in the GNOME desktop environment. It offers syntax highlighting, basic text formatting, and plugins for extra features, making it good for both regular TXT editing and coding.

Compatible platforms: Linux

Pricing: Free

• Apple Pages is primarily known as a word processor within the Apple ecosystem, but it also offers functionality for opening and editing TXT files. You can open a TXT file in Pages and then export it in various formats, including PDF, DOCX, and more, which is useful for sharing or further editing.

Compatible platforms: iOS

Pricing: Free

• WPS Office Lite has a text editor that works with TXT file format. It’s a flexible tool for both simple and more complex document tasks. You can easily share TXT files using email attachments or by uploading them to Dropbox or Google Drive.

Compatible platforms: Android

Pricing: Free

• Google Chrome Text.  Google Chrome is mainly a web browser, but it can also be used to view TXT files. You can use Google Chrome’s built-in features or extensions to open TXT files. On Chrome OS, you can open a TXT file with the built-in app called Google Chrome Text by clicking the Open button.

Compatible platforms: Chrome OS

Pricing: Free

• Jumpshare makes it easy to view TXT files with its simple and easy-to-use interface. You can just drag and drop your text files to upload and see them online. The viewer is simple, giving you quick access to the content of your file.

Pricing: Free (up to 2 GB of space) or from $8.25/mo

• File Helper is a handy online tool that lets you view TXT files and other types of files. It’s easy to use, and it lets you upload files directly from your computer and view them in a simple format.

Pricing: Free

• Aspose lets you open TXT files quickly in your browser without installing any software. The TXT file is processed and displayed online using Aspose Cloud apps. You can view your TXT files on your phone, tablet, or laptop from anywhere.

Pricing: Free (limited file processing) or from $4/mo

• Online TXT Reader is designed to be very simple, with a clean and easy-to-use interface. All you need to do is open it online, and you can easily read your TXT file format. The system automatically uploads your file, so the content appears as soon as it's ready.

Pricing: Free

There is no need for you to get any software to be able to create files in TXT file format on your computer. You can easily make and edit them using basic tools like Notepad (Windows), TextEdit (macOS), and Gedit (Linux), or even a word processor like Microsoft Word.

Create TXT Files on Windows:

Create TXT Files on macOS:

Many programs, such as Microsoft Wordpad, Microsoft Word, and Apple TextEdit, can change the TXT file format into DOCX, ODT, RTF, or PDF. Some well-known online file converter software include OnlineConvert, Zamzar, and Convertio.

I prefer using Adobe Acrobat Pro to convert my TXT files into PDFs.

Alternatively, you can use a website to PDF converter, such as Adobe Acrobat Online.