How to Convert RTF to PNG Using Python: A Simple and Reliable Method

Working with Rich Text Format (RTF) files and needing to convert them into PNG images? Whether you want to display formatted documents as images or automate your workflows, converting RTF to PNG is quite useful. In this guide, I’ll show you how to do this efficiently using Python — the two-step approach of converting RTF to PDF, then PDF to PNG.

Why Choose the Two-Step Approach?

Direct conversion from RTF to PNG is tricky because RTF is a text format with styling, while PNG is an image format. The best way to keep formatting intact and get high-quality images is:

Convert RTF to PDF (which supports rich formatting)
Convert PDF pages into PNG images

This method uses well-established Python libraries and tools to get the job done smoothly.

Step 1: Install Required Python Packages

First, install the necessary Python packages by running this command in your terminal or command prompt:

pip install pypandoc pdf2image pillow

pypandoc helps convert RTF files to PDF.
pdf2image converts PDF pages into images.
pillow (PIL) is used for image processing.

Step 2: Install Poppler for PDF Processing

pdf2image relies on the Poppler utility to work. Here's how to get it:

Windows: Download Poppler binaries from Poppler for Windows, then add the bin folder to your system PATH.
Linux: Install via terminal using sudo apt install poppler-utils
macOS: Install using Homebrew: brew install poppler

Make sure Poppler is correctly installed for the next step to work.

Step 3: Python Script to Convert RTF → PDF → PNG

Save this script as rtf_to_png.py or run directly in your Python environment:

import pypandoc
from pdf2image import convert_from_path

# Input and output file names
input_rtf = 'input_file.rtf'
output_pdf = 'converted.pdf'

# Convert RTF to PDF
pypandoc.convert_file(input_rtf, 'pdf', outputfile=output_pdf)

# Convert PDF to PNG images
pages = convert_from_path(output_pdf, dpi=200)

# Save each page as PNG
for i, page in enumerate(pages):
    page.save(f'output_page_{i+1}.png', 'PNG')
    print(f'Saved output_page_{i+1}.png')

Explanation of the Script

The pypandoc library converts your RTF file into a PDF, preserving formatting such as fonts, colors, and layout.
The pdf2image library reads the PDF and converts each page into a high-quality image (PNG).
The DPI (dots per inch) parameter controls the image resolution — 200 DPI is a good balance for clarity and file size.
If your RTF has multiple pages, each page will be saved as a separate PNG file.

Additional Tips

You can easily modify this script to convert to JPG by changing the file extension and format in the save method.
Ensure your RTF file supports Unicode if you're working with Indian regional languages.
Use this approach to automate document processing workflows in your Python applications.

Conclusion

Converting RTF files to PNG images is straightforward with Python when you break down the task into two steps: RTF → PDF → PNG. This method maintains document styling and produces clear images suitable for websites, presentations, or any digital use.

Try it out, and you’ll find it’s a neat solution for document conversions, especially in projects handling formatted text content.

If you want help customizing this script or integrating it into your project, feel free to ask!

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