Learn how to set .txt as the default file format in the TextEdit app on your Mac, ensuring all new files are automatically saved as Plain Text.
The default file format for new documents in TextEdit on Mac is .rtf (Rich Text Format), which allows basic formatting options like bold and underline to enhance documents.
If you prefer the simplicity of plain text files over rich text documents, you can change the default format for new TextEdit documents from RTF to TXT. For those who, like me, prefer Plain Text over Rich Text Format, here’s how to permanently set it as the default in TextEdit.
Make Plain Text the default format in TextEdit
In most Mac applications, changes can be made via the Settings or Preferences panel, and TextEdit is no exception.
To change the default file format to .txt, simply launch TextEdit, then click TextEdit in the Menu bar, followed by Settings or Preferences. You can also get to app settings by opening the said app and using the Command + Comma (,) keyboard shortcut.
Make sure you are in the New Document tab, then select Plain text under the Format header. Close the Settings window, and from now on, new documents you create in TextEdit will automatically be in plain text and will be saved as a TXT file with the .txt extension at the end of the filename.
While you’re toying around TextEdit settings, it’s probably not a bad idea to change the default font and font size of new plain text documents. As you can see in the screenshot above, you’re also able to change the default window size to make it larger or smaller, enable automatic spelling correction, and more, depending on your needs.
Are you a TextEdit user? If so, do you care about the default file format?
Other TextEdit tips: