File Extension Library


.XPS File Extension

  • Developer by: Microsoft
  • Category: Page Layout Files
  • Format: Zip

What are .XPS files and how to open them?

Can't open .XPS file? Are you wondering what it contains? On our site we will explain to you what this file is, what it is used for and what software opens the .XPS file.

What is a .XPS file extension?

.XPS file extension is created by Microsoft. .XPS has been classified as Page Layout Files. The format of .XPS file is Zip.

.XPS is XML Paper Specification File

An XPS file is a document that contains fixed page layout information written in the XPS page description language. It defines the layout, appearance, and printing information for a document. XPS files are similar to .PDF files, but saved in Microsoft’s proprietary XPS format.

XPS file open in Microsoft XPS Viewer

The XPS file can be used to view, share, save, and protect the content of your document. There is a large amount of Windows programs that can be used to create an XPS file. However, you can only view, sign, and specify permissions of an XPS file through XPS Viewer. Also, once you save the XPS contents in the XPS format, you can no longer edit the XPS file.

XPS was designed as a replacement for the Enhanced Metafile (.EMF) format. It is similar to a .PDF file, but is based on XML instead of the PostScript language. XPS files can be created in Windows by selecting the "Microsoft XPS Document Writer" as the printer when printing a document.

NOTE: XPS files can be opened with Microsoft's XPS Viewer, which is included with Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Internet Explorer 6 or later. It is also part of the XPS Essentials Pack, which can be downloaded from Microsoft and used with Windows XP.

List of all softwares that can open the XML Paper Specification File
Windows
Microsoft XPS Viewer
Nuance Power PDF Standard
Dolphin Futures XPS Viewer
Pagemark XpsConvert
Mozilla Firefox with Pagemark XpsPlugin
XPS Annotator
NiXPS View
NiXPS Edit
Mac
Nuance Power PDF Standard for Mac
Apple Safari with Pagemark XpsPlugin
Mozilla Firefox with Pagemark XpsPlugin
NiXPS View
NiXPS Edit
Linux
Mozilla Firefox with Pagemark XpsPlugin
KDE Okular
MuPDF

How to fix problems with .XPS files

  1. You need to update the application that you normally use to open .XPS files. Only the latest version of the software supports the current .XPS file format
  2. You need to check the .XPS file for viruses. To do this, you need to scan it with a popular antivirus (Norton, Nod32, Kaspersky, Dr.Web, etc.)