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SHS RTF
File conversion

Convert SHS to RTF

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Aug 19, 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Is it possible to convert SHS to RTF?
Yes - SHS converts to RTF.

Use scrap2rtf or MiTeC Structured Storage Viewer to access the OLE container without executing it, copy the text content, and save it as .rtf. Confirm the file is from a trusted source before proceeding - SHS files have a documented malware history.

1 programs
Also to RTF: SNT · RTFD · WRI

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Oct 2026

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Why convert SHS to RTF?

An .shs Shell Scrap Object file is an OLE2 Compound File Binary container that held content fragments dragged from Word or Excel onto the Windows 95/98 desktop. RTF is a widely supported portable document format that any modern word processor can open. Converting to .rtf is the practical way to preserve a genuine old scrap's text content without keeping a legacy Windows installation.

How to convert SHS to RTF

scrap2rtf FREE

Open the .shs file with scrap2rtf to extract its embedded content and save it directly as an .rtf document.

MiTeC Structured Storage Viewer FREE

Open the .shs file in MiTeC Structured Storage Viewer to browse its OLE streams without executing any embedded code; copy the text stream, paste it into WordPad or Word, and save as .rtf.

7-Zip FREE

Open the .shs in 7-Zip to inspect its internal OLE streams; extract any readable text and paste it into WordPad, then save as .rtf.

Programs that convert SHS

scrap2rtf

About these formats

.SHS Shell Scrap Object File

An SHS file is a Shell Scrap Object created in Windows 95/98 when you dragged selected text or cells from Word or Excel onto the desktop. Microsoft disabled the format from Windows XP SP2…

Open .SHS details →
.RTF Rich Text Format Document

An RTF file is a Rich Text Format document -- a portable text file with basic formatting (bold, italic, fonts, colors, simple tables) that almost every word processor can open. Use…

Open .RTF details →

Quality & what to watch

  • Modern Windows (XP SP2 and later) cannot open .shs files natively - Microsoft disabled shscrap.dll after SHS files became a malware delivery vector.
  • Text transfers to .rtf, but rich formatting from the original scrap may not be fully preserved depending on the extraction method used.
  • Do not double-click an .shs file received by email or download; the format was used to disguise executables because Windows always hid the .shs extension.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I just double-click the .shs file on Windows 10 or 11?
Microsoft removed the Shell Scrap handler (shscrap.dll) in Windows XP SP2 (2004); no modern Windows version has a built-in handler for .shs files.
Is an SHS file a virus?
Not always - it was a legitimate Windows 95/98 feature - but because Windows always hid the extension, attackers used .shs files to disguise executables; treat unexpected ones with caution.
Will all formatting be preserved in the RTF output?
Text and basic structure transfer, but rich formatting details from the original OLE object may be lost depending on how the scrap was created and which extraction method you use.