The effect of post-anodizing rinsing on the morphology and composition of anodic films formed on titanium at 20 V in 0.2 M ammonium fluoride solution in glycerol, containing 0 and 5 vol.% water is investigated. The films generated in the electrolyte with added water or those rinsed with water exhibited nanotubular morphologies. In contrast, anodizing in the electrolyte with no added water followed by rinsing with ethanol resulted in a porous film appearance due to the presence of a fluoride-rich matrix surrounding the nanotubes. The films rinsed with water revealed less fluorine, oxygen and titanium compared with those rinsed with ethanol that was attributed to dissolution of the fluoride-rich matrix by water. Addition of water to the electrolyte enables the formation of nanotubular films directly due to dissolution of the matrix during anodizing. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.