Free online MHT to RTF converter

A document-management system, editor, or legacy application may require RTF instead of an MHT web archive. Converting the file makes its readable content editable and easier to exchange, while the original MHT should remain available when exact web-page preservation matters.

What the MHT format is

MHT, also called MHTML, packages an HTML page and related resources—such as images, stylesheets, and sometimes scripts—in a single MIME-encoded file. Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office commonly created MHT files with commands such as Save as Web Page, Single File; saved web pages, email archives, help systems, and exported reports are other common sources.

MHT is a web archive, not a standard word-processing document. Its appearance depends on HTML rendering, and some files reference external resources instead of embedding them. Scripts, forms, navigation, and browser-specific behavior may also be present.

What the RTF format is

RTF, or Rich Text Format, stores formatted text in a text-based syntax supported by Microsoft Word, WordPad, and many other word processors. It handles common features including fonts, font sizes, bold and italic text, paragraphs, lists, tables, hyperlinks, headers, footers, and basic images.

RTF is suitable when the recipient must edit the content or import it into software that does not support web archives. It does not preserve interactive HTML, scripts, video, animation, responsive layouts, browser-specific CSS, or every page-level effect.

How to convert MHT to RTF

Using Microsoft Word

1. Open Word and choose File → Open → Browse.
2. Set the file filter to All Files, select the .mht or .mhtml file, and open it.
3. Allow any format or security warning only if the file is from a trusted source. Do not treat conversion as a reason to enable unsafe active content.
4. Inspect the imported text, images, tables, special characters, page breaks, headers, and footers.
5. Choose File → Save As, select Rich Text Format (*.rtf), and save the new file with a different name.

Word versions and installations differ in their MHT support, especially across operating systems. If Word does not list or render the file correctly, use the online converter on 101convert.com: upload the MHT file, select RTF, start the conversion, and download the result without installing software. Do not upload confidential records, personal data, or proprietary reports unless the service is approved for that content.

Using a browser and word processor

If an installed browser can render the MHT file but Word cannot, open the archive in that browser, select and copy the required rendered content, paste it into Word or another word processor, and save it as .rtf. This fallback can omit background images, embedded files, hyperlinks, tables, and page-level formatting; it is unsuitable when faithful reproduction is required.

Quality and compatibility limitations

Conversion extracts content from the MHT container and reconstructs it as an editable document; it does not preserve the original MIME package or browser behavior. JavaScript, forms, video, animations, navigation controls, unsupported CSS, and externally linked resources generally do not survive.

Check image placement, table structure, page breaks, non-Latin characters, hyperlinks, headers, and footers after conversion. Missing images or styles usually indicate that the MHT depended on external resources or that the target converter could not reproduce the original HTML.

Keep the original MHT as the archival copy. Use RTF for editing and interchange; use PDF separately when fixed visual pagination is required.