How to Create a TXT File on Mac

Introduction

Creating a TXT file on your Mac is a simple and useful skill that can come in handy in various situations. Whether you need a plain text document for writing notes, creating scripts, or storing data, knowing how to quickly create a TXT file can save you time and effort.

Method 1: TextEdit

1. Open the TextEdit application on your Mac. You can find it in the Applications folder or use Spotlight to search for it.
2. Once TextEdit is open, go to the ‘File’ menu and click on ‘New’ to create a new document.
3. Choose ‘Plain Text’ as the format for your document. This ensures that it is saved as a TXT file.
4. Start typing in your document. You can add and edit text just like in any other text editor.
5. When you are done, go to the ‘File’ menu and click on ‘Save’ to save your document.
6. Choose a name for your file and make sure to add the ‘.txt’ extension at the end. For example, ‘mydocument.txt’.
7. Select the location where you want to save your file and click ‘Save’.

Method 2: Terminal

1. Open the Terminal application on your Mac. You can find it in the Applications folder or use Spotlight to search for it.
2. Once Terminal is open, navigate to the directory where you want to create the TXT file. You can use the ‘cd’ command to change directories.
3. Once you are in the desired directory, use the ‘touch’ command followed by the name of the file and the ‘.txt’ extension. For example, type ‘touch mydocument.txt’.
4. Press ‘Enter’ to create the file.
5. You can now open the file using a text editor like TextEdit or any other application you prefer.

Conclusion

Now you know two different methods for creating a TXT file on your Mac. Whether you prefer using a graphical interface like TextEdit or a command-line tool like Terminal, you can easily create a TXT file and start working with plain text documents. This skill will help you in various tasks, from writing simple notes to creating code files or transferring data between different systems.