The fastest way to make a .txt file on Mac

Open TextEdit (search for it in Spotlight by pressing Command+Space, type "TextEdit", and press Enter). Go to Format menu and click Plain Text. Type or paste your content. Press Command+S to save, name your file with .txt at the end, and choose a location.

That's the complete process. The .txt extension tells your Mac and other devices that this is a plain text file with no formatting — no bold, no colors, no fonts. It's the most universal file format, which is why it matters to save it correctly rather than letting TextEdit default to its own format.

The reason you need to switch to Plain Text before saving is that TextEdit normally saves as .rtf (rich text format) by default. If you skip that step, your file will be .rtf instead of .txt, and some programs won't read it the way you expect.

Key Takeaways

  • TextEdit is built into every Mac and is the simplest tool for making a .txt file — no read or purchase needed.
  • You must change the format to Plain Text before saving, or TextEdit will save your file as .rtf instead of .txt.
  • When you save, type the filename with .txt at the end (for example: notes.txt or shopping-list.txt).
  • Plain text files open in any text editor, email program, or web browser, making them the most portable format for sharing.

Step-by-step: Using TextEdit to create a .txt file

Open TextEdit by pressing Command+Space to bring up Spotlight search. Type "TextEdit" and press Enter — it will open when ready. You'll see a blank document with a blinking cursor.

Before you type anything, go to the Format menu at the top of the screen and select Plain Text. This is the critical step that most people miss. You'll notice the document appearance might change slightly — that's normal. Now type or paste whatever content you want in the file.

When you're ready to save, press Command+S. A save dialog will appear. Type your filename in the field at the top — for example, "grocery-list.txt" or "notes.txt". Make sure you include the .txt extension. Choose where you want to save it (your Desktop, Documents folder, or anywhere else). Click Save.

Why the Plain Text step matters

TextEdit's default format is .rtf (rich text format), which preserves formatting like bold text, different fonts, and colors. If you save without switching to Plain Text, your file will be .rtf, not .txt. Many programs and systems expect .txt files to contain only plain text with no formatting.

A .txt file is smaller, faster to open, and works everywhere — on Windows, Linux, old computers, phones, and web browsers. If you send a .rtf file to someone using Windows or a different text editor, they might see strange characters or formatting problems. Plain text avoids all of that.

The .txt extension is also what tells your Mac which program should open the file by default. If you save as .rtf, your Mac will open it in TextEdit. If you save as .txt, your Mac will still open it in TextEdit, but other people's computers might open it differently — and that's fine, because the content is the same.

Alternative: Using Terminal to create a .txt file

If you're comfortable with Terminal, you can create a .txt file without opening TextEdit. Press Command+Space, type "Terminal", and press Enter. Type this command: nano filename.txt (replace "filename" with whatever you want to call your file). Press Enter.

A text editor will open inside Terminal. Type your content. When you're done, press Control+X, then Y, then Enter. The file is now saved in your home directory. This method is faster if you're already working in Terminal, but TextEdit is simpler for most people.

Saving an existing document as .txt

If you already have a document open in TextEdit and want to save it as .txt instead of .rtf, go to Format menu and click Plain Text first. Then press Command+S. The save dialog will appear — make sure the filename ends with .txt and click Save.

If you have a document in another program (like Word or Pages), open it, select all the text (Command+A), copy it (Command+C), open TextEdit, paste it (Command+V), switch to Plain Text format, and save with .txt extension. This strips away any formatting from the original program.

Where to save your .txt files so you can find them

When the save dialog appears, you'll see folders on the left side: Desktop, Documents, Downloads, and others. Desktop is the easiest place to find files quickly. Documents is better if you have many files and want to organize them into subfolders. Downloads is where files from the internet land, so avoid saving new files there unless you're specifically organizing downloads.

Create a subfolder for related files — for example, a "Notes" folder inside Documents, or a "Recipes" folder on Desktop. When you save, navigate into that folder before typing your filename. This keeps your files organized so you can find them later without searching.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different text editor instead of TextEdit?

Yes. Any text editor on Mac can create .txt files — Atom, VS Code, Sublime Text, and others all work. TextEdit is the simplest because it's already on your Mac. If you already use a different editor, use that instead. Just make sure to save as Plain Text or .txt format, not the editor's native format.

What's the difference between .txt and .rtf?

.txt is plain text with no formatting — just letters, numbers, and symbols. .rtf can include bold, italics, colors, and different fonts. .txt files are smaller and work everywhere. .rtf files preserve formatting but don't open the same way on all devices. Use .txt for sharing or archiving, .rtf if you need formatting.

Why does TextEdit keep saving as .rtf even though I chose Plain Text?

Make sure you switched to Plain Text format before saving, not after. Go to Format menu, click Plain Text, then save. If it's still saving as .rtf, check the save dialog — the filename field should show your filename with .txt at the end. If it shows .rtf, delete that and type .txt instead.

Can I change a file from .rtf to .txt after I've already saved it?

Yes. Open the .rtf file in TextEdit, go to Format menu and click Plain Text, then press Command+S. Change the filename to end with .txt instead of .rtf and click Save. You'll now have a .txt version. You can delete the old .rtf file if you don't need it.

Will my .txt file look the same on Windows or other computers?

The content will be identical, but the appearance might differ slightly — different default fonts or line spacing depending on what program opens it. The text itself is the same. This is why .txt is so useful for sharing — the content is may provide to be readable everywhere, even if it doesn't look exactly the same.