To create a clean .txt file on a Mac, open a new TextEdit document, switch it to plain text, enter or paste your content, and save it with a clear filename. Plain-text mode keeps the characters and line breaks, but not fonts, colors, tables, or other rich-text styling. If you often make text files, set plain text as TextEdit’s default for new documents.

Create a plain-text document

Open TextEdit and choose File > New. If the document opens in rich-text format, choose Format > Make Plain Text before typing. You can also create a new document and switch formats afterward. In plain-text mode, TextEdit removes text styling; converting an existing rich-text document also removes its formatting, so make a copy first if you need to preserve the styled original. Apple documents both the conversion and the loss of formatting in its TextEdit guide to creating, opening, and converting documents.

Plain text is useful for notes, simple lists, configuration snippets, or text that needs to move between applications without document styling. It does not preserve visual distinctions such as bold headings, page layout, or colored text. Represent structure with ordinary characters instead—for example, write a heading on its own line and use hyphens for a simple list.

Set plain text as the default

TextEdit starts new documents in rich text by default. To change that behavior, choose TextEdit > Settings, click New Document, and select Plain text under Format. This preference applies to new documents; it does not convert files you already created. Apple also documents options in the same settings area for wrapping text to page margins or to the window width, and for choosing the default font used while editing. The font affects how text looks onscreen, not the plain-text format itself. See Apple’s TextEdit settings guide.

Save the file as .txt

Choose File > Save, enter a filename, select a location, and save. When the document is plain text, TextEdit saves it as a .txt file. If you want the extension added consistently, go to TextEdit > Settings > Open and Save and enable Add “.txt” extension to plain text files under “When Saving a File.” This is useful when an application or workflow expects the filename to end in .txt; the setting controls the extension, not the contents. Apple’s guide lists this option and the available plain-text encoding settings.

Before handing off the file, check the name and location in the save dialog. If you are converting a document that already contains formatting, save a separate copy first when you may need that formatting later. Apple describes using Option while choosing File > Save As to save a copy of an open document in its conversion guide.

Keep pasted text predictable

Pasting from a web page or formatted document can bring in text with unexpected line breaks or characters. Plain-text mode does not retain rich-text styling, but it does not automatically rewrite every character into a preferred style. Review the result for extra blank lines, bullets that became unusual symbols, or quotes and dashes that differ from what the destination expects. TextEdit has smart quotes and smart dashes settings; Apple’s settings guide notes that the behavior depends on the selected options and document type. If literal straight quotes or hyphens matter, inspect the saved text rather than assuming plain-text mode guarantees them.

Fix unreadable characters

If accented letters or other characters appear incorrectly, the file may have been opened using an unsuitable text encoding. For one file, choose File > Open, select the file without opening it, click Show Options, choose a Plain Text Encoding, and then open it. To change the default opening encoding for plain-text files, choose TextEdit > Settings > Open and Save and use the “Opening files” menu. These controls address how TextEdit reads a file; choose an encoding that matches the file’s source when you know it. Apple explains the steps in If characters aren’t displayed correctly in TextEdit.

Plain-text mode is the right choice when the deliverable should be ordinary text rather than a styled document. It does not create a PDF, preserve layout, or provide specialized code-editing features. Save as .txt, review the lines and characters that matter to your recipient, and keep a rich-text copy when the original styling still has a purpose.

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