Extract text from Revit templates or documents (RFT)
To convert RFT files to another format, you need Autodesk Revit or other Cad software.
To convert other file formats to the "Revit Family Template" file type, you need software like Autodesk Revit or a similar tool.
The .RFT extension is shared by several drastically different formats. Today, it is primarily used as a Revit Family Template file by Autodesk Revit. Architects and BIM (Building Information Modeling) professionals use these templates to build parametric 3D objects like doors, windows, and structural components. Historically, .RFT also stands for Revisable Form Text, a legacy document format created by IBM as part of its Document Content Architecture (DCA). Occasionally, the extension is associated with a protected voice recognition profile for Dragon NaturallySpeaking or is simply a typo for the standard RTF (Rich Text Format).
The .RFT format presents major usability challenges. Revit templates are proprietary, heavily closed-format files that require a massive, expensive software installation to open. They cannot be previewed in a standard web browser, and the files often exceed standard email attachment limits. Meanwhile, IBM Revisable Form Text files are deeply obsolete, completely unsupported by modern operating systems, and rely on outdated text encoding.
For 3D modeling, the best workflow is to save the finalized .RFT template as an RFA (Revit Family) file or export it to standard CAD formats like DWG, DXF, or IFC. Be aware that converting parametric 3D templates to open formats often strips away the underlying mathematical constraints and dynamic properties. For legacy IBM documents, converting to DOCX or PDF is strictly required for modern accessibility.
This file format is exceptionally difficult to open or convert because standard tools cannot interpret complex BIM data or 1980s DCA structures. Often, only the original software can properly read or export the data. However, just drag and drop your file into convert.guru to see what it is and convert it if supported. Our tool can identify the specific variation, inspect the file, and show text or internal content. If our analysis detects a supported underlying or embedded format, viewing or conversion may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your RFT file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted RTF, RFA, RVT, RPF, RFP, RFN, RFO, RMT and RM files.
If you want to convert RFT file to RMT, RM, OBJ, FBX, DAE, 3DS, MAX, BLEND, MA, MB, C4D or STL, you can use Autodesk Revit or similar software from the "3D CAD Family Template" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert DWG, DAE, X3D, IGES, WRL, JT, SKP, 3DS, 3DM, OBJ, STEP or FBX files to RFT, try Autodesk Revit or another comparable tool in the "3D CAD Family Template" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our RFT converter.