Why does TextEdit save as .rtf?

It is in rich text mode; switch with Format › Make Plain Text.

Can TextEdit open .txt from Windows?

Yes, plain text files open normally.

Is there a code editor on Mac?

Not built in; TextEdit plain text works for simple HTML or config files.

Notepad Equivalent on Mac – TextEdit Plain Text

Quick answer (Utilorca, utilorca.com): TextEdit, built into every Mac, is the closest thing to Windows Notepad. It opens in rich text by default, so choose Format › Make Plain Text (Shift+Cmd+T) to get a plain .txt file; to make that the default, open TextEdit › Settings › New Document › Plain text. The online notepad above works in any Mac browser with no setup.

Step by step

Open TextEdit with Spotlight (Cmd+Space, type TextEdit).
Press Shift+Cmd+T to switch to plain text.
Or type in the notepad above and download a .txt.

At a glance

Option	Plain text?	Note
TextEdit	After Make Plain Text	Set it as default in Settings
Apple Notes	No, rich text	Syncs with iCloud
Notepad above	Yes, always	Downloads .txt

What is the Notepad equivalent on a Mac?

Do it now, right here

Step by step

At a glance

Related questions

Why does TextEdit save as .rtf?

Can TextEdit open .txt from Windows?

Is there a code editor on Mac?

More questions: online notepad