What Is an XPS File?

XPS is a Microsoft file type similar to PDF

By
Tim Fisher
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Tim Fisher
Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability
  • Emporia State University
Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the SVP and General Manager of Lifewire.
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Updated on May 3, 2023
Reviewed by
Jessica Kormos
Jessica Kormos
Reviewed by Jessica Kormos
  • Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Jessica Kormos is a writer and editor with 15 years' experience writing articles, copy, and UX content for Tecca.com, Rosenfeld Media, and many others.
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What to Know

  • An XML file is an XML Paper Specification file.
  • Open one with XPS Viewer (included in Windows) or NiXPS View.
  • You can use software such as Zamzar or PDFaid.com to convert XPS to PDF, JPG, DOCX, and other types.

An .XPS file is an XML Paper Specification file that describes the structure and content of a document, including the layout and appearance. XPS files can be one page or several. This article goes into more depth about this file type, how to open one, and which programs can convert it into familiar formats like PDF or JPG.

What Is an XPS File?

XPS files were first implemented as a replacement for the EMF format and are a bit like Microsoft's version of PDFs but based instead on the XML format. Because of the structure of XPS files, their description of a document does not change based on the operating system or printer and is consistent across all platforms.

XPS files are consistent across different computers. That means you can share a document with others and know what you see on the page is the same as what they'll see (when they use an XPS viewer program). You can make an XPS file in Windows by "printing" to Microsoft XPS Document Writer (that option appears when asked which printer to use).

Some XPS files may instead be related to Action Replay files used with some video games, but Microsoft's format is much more common.

How to Open XPS Files

Windows 11 and 10 can open XPS files using Microsoft's Reader app. You can use Pagemark to open XPS files on a Mac and the Pagemark XPS Viewer plug-in for Firefox and Safari web browsers. Linux users can use Pagemark's programs to open XPS files, too.

Action Replay game files that use the XPS file extension can be opened with PS2 Save Builder.

Because you might need different programs to open other XPS files, see How to Change the Default Program for a Specific File Extension in Windows if it's automatically opening in a program that you don't want to use it with.

How to Convert an XPS File

One of the fastest ways to convert an XPS file to PDF, JPG, PNG, or other image-based formats is to upload the file to Zamzar. After the file is loaded on that website, select from a handful of formats to convert the XPS file to, and then download the new file back to your computer.

The Able2Extract program does the same but isn't free. However, it lets you convert an XPS file to an Excel document, which could be handy depending on what you're planning to use the file for.

Microsoft's XpsConverter converts an XPS file to OXPS.

With Action Replay files, rename it from whatever.xps to whatever.sps if you want your file to open in programs that support the Sharkport Saved Game file format (.SPS files). You might also be able to convert it to MD, CBS, PSU, and other similar formats with the PS2 Save Builder program mentioned above.

More Information on the XPS Format

While the XPS format is Microsoft's attempt at the PDF format, PDF is much more popular than XPS. This is why you've probably encountered way more PDFs in the form of digital bank statements, product manuals, and an output option in lots of document and ebook readers/creators.

If they aren't familiar with the extension, sending someone an XPS file might make them think it's malware. Also, because mobile devices and Macs don't include a built-in XPS viewer (and most do have built-in PDF support), you're more likely to cause someone to spend time looking around for an XPS viewer than a PDF reader.

FAQ
  • Can I open OXPS files in older versions of Windows?

    No, Windows 7 and earlier do not support the OXPS format.

  • What is the best alternative to the XPS format?

    Microsoft has already moved away from the XPS format in favor of OXPS, but PDF is far more compatible and should be used sharing across different computer operating systems.

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