Most devices can open .txt files with their built‑in text editor, such as Notepad on Windows, TextEdit on macOS, or a basic text viewer/editor app on phones and tablets. More advanced editors like Notepad++, VS Code, or online viewers can also open .txt files if you need extra features.

What a .txt file is

A .txt file is a plain text file that stores unformatted text, meaning it has no bold, italics, or layout information like a Word document does. Because it is so simple, almost every operating system includes at least one default app that can open it.

Default programs by device

  • Windows: Notepad is the standard app; WordPad and Microsoft Word can also open .txt files.
  • macOS: TextEdit opens .txt files by default, and Word or browser-based tools like Google Docs can also be used.
  • Linux: Common defaults include Gedit, Kate, or other desktop-specific text editors.
  • Phones/tablets: Any basic notes or text editor app installed on Android or iOS can typically open .txt files.

More powerful text editors

If you work with large files or need programming features, there are many advanced editors that open .txt files too.

  • Notepad++ (Windows)
  • Visual Studio Code (cross‑platform)
  • Sublime Text, Atom, EmEditor, UltraEdit and similar editors.

These tools support extras like syntax highlighting, search across many files, and better performance on huge logs or data dumps.

Online ways to open .txt

You can also open .txt files directly in a web browser or via online viewers.

  • Uploading the file to an online TXT viewer lets you read it without installing software.
  • Cloud tools (e.g., Google Drive + Docs) can display and edit text files in the browser.

If your .txt won’t open

If double‑clicking a .txt file does nothing, you may need to re‑associate it with a text editor.

  • On desktop systems, right‑click the file, choose “Open with…”, then select your preferred editor and set it as default.
  • After this, all .txt files should automatically open in that app.

In everyday use, the simplest answer to “which program is used to open .txt files” is: your system’s built‑in text editor (Notepad, TextEdit, etc.), with the option to switch to a more advanced editor if you need extra features.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.