A TXT file is a standard text document that contains unformatted text. It is recognized by any text editing or word processing program and can also be processed by most other software programs. TXT files are often created and opened using Microsoft Notepad and Apple TextEdit.

TXT file open in Microsoft Notepad TXT files are useful for storing information in plain text with no special formatting beyond basic fonts and font styles. The file is commonly used for recording notes, directions, and other similar documents that do not need to appear a certain way. If you are looking to create a document with more formatting capabilities, such as a report, newsletter, or resume, you should look to the .DOCX file, which is used by the popular Microsoft Word program. If you have a computer running Windows, Notepad and Wordpad come bundled with the operating system (OS) and allow you to create and edit TXT files. If you have a computer running macOS (OS X), TextEdit comes bundled with the OS and is a good choice for creating and editing TXT files. NOTE: Various hardware devices, such as smartphones and the Amazon Kindle, and web browsers, such as Chrome and Firefox, also recognize plain text files.