The XPS file format was developed by Microsoft, not the PDF file format. Chances are that many of you have come across XPS files that you cannot use or even open. For those who wish to create or use XPS documents, this article may be useful in understanding what XPS is, what an XPS viewer is, and how to use it. The following is a detailed tutorial about XPS files organized for you.
What is an XPS file
XPS stands for XML Paper Specification. Microsoft developed this format to compete with the Portable Document Format (PDF). However, it was not as popular as expected. An XML document can contain regular text as well as additional information about the content, such as its layout and appearance.
The purpose behind creating XPS was to go green and move away from paper for Microsoft. XPS files may have an extension of .xps or .oxps (OpenXPS).
What is XPS Viewer
XPS Viewer is a free application from Microsoft for working with and viewing XPS files and documents. It used to come pre-installed with Windows 10 before version 1803 was released. Since it is not required, it is provided as an optional application that users can manually install when required.
With XPS Viewer, you can save copies of your files, digitally sign them, manage permissions, and search them. The application supports several file formats:
.XPS
.OXPS
Download and install XPS Viewer on Windows 11/10
Installing XPS Viewer on Windows 11 and 10 is almost the same; some layouts may be a little different.
Here's how to install XPS Viewer on Windows 11:
1. Press Win+I to open the Settings application, click Apps on the left, and then click Optional Features on the right of the window.
2. Now click View Features in front of Add Optional Features.
3. In the Add Optional Feature window, search for "xps" and check the box in front of XPS Viewer to select it. Then click Next.
4. On the next screen, click Install.
5. XPS Viewer will now start downloading and installing.
You have now successfully installed XPS Viewer.
How to remove XPS Viewer
If you no longer need XPS Viewer, you can easily remove it from your computer. Methods as below:
Open the Settings app, click Apps on the left, and then click Optional Features on the right side of the window. Here, scroll down and click XPS Viewer in the right pane. Once expanded, click Uninstall.
The XPS Viewer application will then be uninstalled immediately. You can confirm this by running through the list of installed apps on the optional features page.
Microsoft XPS Document Writer (MXDW)
Microsoft XPS Document Writer is another hidden feature in Windows 11 and 10. Similar to how you create a PDF document and select the Print to PDF option when printing, MXDW provides the same options, but for XPS.
This feature must be manually enabled through an optional feature. To do this, type appwiz.cpl into Run and click Turn Windows Features on or off on the left.
In the pop-up window, scroll down and check the box next to "Microsoft XPS Document Writer," then click OK.
MXDW will now be installed in seconds. You should now be able to see the option to print to XPS on the print page, giving you the option to save the file in .xps format.
If you want to turn off this feature, just uncheck the box next to "Microsoft XPS Document Writer" on the Windows features page.