Guides for txt Editor
How to create and edit a .txt file on iPhone and iPad
Sometimes you need an actual text file, not a note inside an app: a config file for a device, a list to send to a Windows user, a draft you want to open on any computer, or a log you were asked to edit. On a Mac or PC you would open a text editor and press Save. On iPhone and iPad it’s less obvious where to start.
This guide explains why plain text is useful, where text files live on iPhone and iPad, how to create, open and share them, and the encoding basics that keep characters from getting garbled.
Why plain text?
A .txt file contains nothing but characters: no fonts, no layout, no hidden database. That makes it the most portable document format there is. It opens on every phone, tablet and computer, in any text editor, and will still open decades from now.
Plain text is also what many tools expect: README files, settings for routers or 3D printers, lists for scripts, subtitle drafts, CSV data. If someone asks you for “a text file”, they usually mean exactly this.
Where files live: the Files app
On iPhone and iPad, the Files app is the place for documents. Under Browse you will typically see a few locations:
- On My iPhone (or On My iPad): stored only on this device. Apps that save documents locally get their own folder here.
- iCloud Drive: stored in iCloud and available on your other Apple devices and on iCloud.com.
- Other providers, if you have their apps installed and enabled, for example cloud storage services or a network share.
How to create a .txt file
The Files app is built for browsing and organizing; to write a text file you need an app that creates one. The most direct way is a text editor app that saves real .txt files into the Files app. Two other options:
If you just need a quick one-off, the Shortcuts app can save text to a file with its Save File action. On a Mac, TextEdit works too, but it saves rich text (.rtf) by default; choose Format > Make Plain Text before saving to get a .txt file.
Whichever route you take, pick the location deliberately: On My iPhone if the file should stay on this device, iCloud Drive if you want it on your other devices as well.
- Give the file a clear name, ideally with the date or topic, for example “2026-11 packing list.txt”.
- Make sure the extension really is .txt, not .rtf or .pages.
- Avoid characters like / or : in file names, since some systems don’t allow them.
Opening and editing existing text files
Tap a .txt file in the Files app and you get a read-only preview. To edit it, open it in a text editor. Depending on the app, you can open the file from inside the editor (via the app’s file browser) or use the Share button in Files and pick the editor.
A good editor edits the file where it is, so changes go back to the same file in iCloud Drive or on your device instead of creating a copy. That matters if the file is shared with a computer or another app.
Do it with txt EditorLearn more →Sharing a text file
Long-press the file in the Files app and choose Share to send it via Mail, Messages, AirDrop or any other app. Because it is plain text, the recipient doesn’t need any special software. If you only want to send the content, copying the text into a message works just as well.
Encoding basics
A text file stores characters as bytes. The encoding decides which byte stands for which character. UTF-8 is today’s standard and covers every language, including umlauts, accents and emoji. Current editors on iPhone, iPad and Mac generally save new text files as UTF-8.
Trouble shows up with older files, often from Windows, saved in legacy encodings such as Windows-1252. Opened as UTF-8, “Grüße” can turn into “Grüße” or show replacement characters. If that happens, the file needs to be opened with the right encoding and re-saved as UTF-8.
Line endings differ too: macOS, iOS and Linux use a single line feed, Windows traditionally uses carriage return plus line feed. Modern editors handle both, so this rarely matters anymore.
How txt Editor does it
txt Editor is a plain-text notepad for iPhone and iPad. Every note you write is a normal .txt file in the Files app under On My iPhone › txt Editor, so you can find, move and share it like any other file. Everything saves automatically while you type, with no account or setup.
You can also open text files from iCloud Drive or other apps and edit them right where they are, including .txt, .md, .csv, .json, .xml and .log files. Find and replace, word and character counts and sharing to any app are built in. With txt Editor Pro you also get iCloud sync between iPhone and iPad and a version history to bring back earlier drafts.
In short
To create a .txt file on iPhone or iPad, use an app that writes real text files into the Files app, choose On My iPhone or iCloud Drive as the location, and stick to UTF-8. If you want a simple notepad whose notes are plain files from the start, txt Editor was built for exactly that.
Frequently asked questions
Can I create a text file directly in the Files app?
The Files app is for browsing and organizing; it lets you create folders, but for writing text you use another app. A text editor that saves .txt files into Files is the easiest way.
Where are text files stored on my iPhone?
In the Files app, either under On My iPhone (only on this device, inside the folder of the app that saved them) or in iCloud Drive (synced to your other devices).
Why do umlauts look wrong in a text file from a PC?
The file was probably saved in an older encoding such as Windows-1252 and is being read as UTF-8. Opening it with the correct encoding and saving it as UTF-8 fixes it.
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