How to Create a Text File on a Mac: Every Method Explained

Creating a text file on a Mac isn't as obvious as it is on Windows, where Notepad sits right in the Start menu. macOS takes a different approach — there's no single default plain-text app front and center, but there are actually more ways to create a text file than most users realize. The right method depends on what you're trying to do with that file and how you prefer to work.

What "Text File" Actually Means on a Mac

Before jumping into methods, it helps to clarify the distinction between plain text and rich text, because macOS blurs this line in ways that catch people off guard.

• Plain text (.txt) — contains only characters, no formatting. Works universally across operating systems, terminals, code editors, and scripts.
• Rich text (.rtf) — stores formatting like bold, font size, and color alongside the text. TextEdit on Mac defaults to this format.
• Other formats — apps like Pages save .pages files, which are not text files in the traditional sense.

If you need a .txt file for coding, configuration, scripting, or cross-platform compatibility, plain text is almost always what you want.

Method 1: Using TextEdit (Built-In, No Download Required)

TextEdit is macOS's native text editor and comes installed on every Mac. The catch: it opens in Rich Text mode by default, which means if you just open it and start typing, you'll get an .rtf file, not a .txt file.

To create a plain text file in TextEdit:

1. Open TextEdit from Applications or Spotlight (⌘ + Space, type "TextEdit").
2. Before typing anything, go to Format > Make Plain Text (or press ⌘ + Shift + T).
3. Type your content.
4. Save with ⌘ + S — make sure the file extension shows .txt in the save dialog.

To make plain text the default so you don't have to change it every time:

1. Open TextEdit > Settings (or Preferences on older macOS versions).
2. Under the New Document tab, select Plain Text.

This small settings change saves a lot of frustration if you create text files regularly.

Method 2: Using Terminal (Fast, No Interface Needed)

If you're comfortable with the command line, Terminal is the quickest way to create a text file — especially useful for developers, system admins, or anyone working with scripts.

Common Terminal commands for creating text files:

# Create an empty file touch filename.txt # Create a file and add content immediately echo "Your text here" > filename.txt # Open a file in a command-line editor (nano is beginner-friendly) nano filename.txt 

The touch command creates an empty file instantly. echo lets you write a single line of text directly from the command. nano opens a simple in-terminal editor where you can write multiple lines, then save with Ctrl + O and exit with Ctrl + X.

Terminal-created files land wherever your working directory is set — usually your home folder unless you cd somewhere else first.

Method 3: Using a Third-Party Code or Text Editor

For users who work with text files regularly — developers, writers using Markdown, data analysts — dedicated text editors offer more control than TextEdit. Popular options include VS Code, BBEdit, Sublime Text, and Zed. These apps:

• Default to plain text or let you set the format explicitly
• Support syntax highlighting for code
• Allow saving directly as .txt, .md, .csv, or any extension you specify
• Handle large files more gracefully than TextEdit

In most of these apps, creating a new text file is as simple as ⌘ + N for a new file, typing your content, and saving with your preferred extension.

Method 4: Right-Click in Finder (With a Workaround)

Unlike Windows, macOS does not include a "New Text File" option in the Finder right-click menu by default. This surprises a lot of switchers. However, there are two ways to get this functionality:

• Automator or Shortcuts app — you can build a Quick Action that adds "New Text File" to your context menu. This takes a few minutes to set up but works natively without third-party software.
• Third-party utilities — apps like New File Menu (available on the Mac App Store) add this right-click option directly to Finder, mimicking the Windows experience.

Which approach makes sense depends on how often you need this and whether you want to stay within Apple's native ecosystem or are comfortable using a small utility app.

Comparing the Main Methods 📄

Factors That Shape Which Method Works Best for You

The "best" way to create a text file on a Mac isn't universal — it shifts based on several variables:

• How often you create text files — occasional users may find TextEdit perfectly adequate; frequent users benefit from a faster workflow
• What the files are for — plain notes vs. code vs. config files vs. Markdown documents each have slightly different tool preferences
• Your macOS version — the Shortcuts app became significantly more capable in macOS Monterey and later, making native automation more accessible than it used to be
• Comfort with Terminal — command-line creation is powerful but only frictionless if you already work in Terminal regularly
• Whether Finder integration matters — users who prefer working visually in Finder may find the right-click workarounds worth setting up, while others never open Finder for file creation at all 🖥️

The method that feels invisible and frictionless for one person can feel unnecessarily complicated for another — and your existing workflow, the apps already on your Mac, and what you're building these files for all factor into that.