How to Open an XPS File in Windows 10

To open an XPS file in Windows 10, double-click it. If Windows asks which app to use or says it can’t open the file, the free XPS Viewer isn’t installed yet. Add it from Settings > Apps > Apps & features > Optional features > Add a feature, pick XPS Viewer, install it, and double-click the file again. No restart is needed.

Applies to: Windows 10 version 22H2. The same viewer is available in Windows 11. Keep in mind that Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Security updates now come only through Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, for PCs that are enrolled.

What an XPS file is

XPS stands for XML Paper Specification. It’s Microsoft’s fixed-layout document format, a lot like a PDF: the pages look the same on any PC, and the content isn’t meant to be edited after it’s saved. Most XPS files are created by printing to the Microsoft XPS Document Writer printer, so you’ll often get one from an older program, a scanner, or a coworker who picked the wrong printer.

You may see two extensions:

• .xps: the original format.
• .oxps: OpenXPS, the version Windows 8 and later produce by default when you print to the XPS Document Writer. XPS Viewer in Windows 10 opens both.

If you can’t see the extension at the end of the file name, turn on file extensions in Windows 10 first so you know exactly what you’re dealing with.

Why XPS Viewer might be missing

Windows 10 version 1709 and earlier included XPS Viewer in the installation. Starting with version 1803 (the April 2018 Update), Microsoft changed it to an optional feature. According to Microsoft’s list of removed Windows features, a PC that upgraded from 1709 kept the viewer, but a new PC or a clean install of 1803 or later doesn’t have it until you add it. That’s why one computer opens XPS files and another doesn’t.

Check whether XPS Viewer is already installed

1. Select the Start button or the search box on the taskbar.
2. Type XPS Viewer.
3. If XPS Viewer appears as an app in the results, it’s installed. Skip ahead to Open the XPS file. If you only see web results or settings, install it using the next section.

Install XPS Viewer from Optional features

Your PC must be online for this, because Windows downloads the feature (about 17 MB) through Windows Update.

1. Right-click Start and select Settings.
2. Select Apps, make sure Apps & features is selected on the left, and then select Optional features. On some fully updated PCs, Microsoft has moved this page to Settings > System > Optional features. If you can’t find it either way, type Optional features in the taskbar search box, or press Windows key + R, enter ms-settings:optionalfeatures, and select OK.
3. Look at the Installed features list. If XPS Viewer is already there, you don’t need to install anything; go to Open the XPS file.
4. Select the + button next to Add a feature. The Add an optional feature window opens.
5. Type XPS in the search box, or scroll to the bottom of the alphabetical list, and check the box next to XPS Viewer.

6. Select Install (on some versions the button says Add).
7. Wait for the progress bar on the Optional features page to finish. When XPS Viewer shows Installed, you’re done. You don’t need to restart.

These steps follow Microsoft’s guide to adding and removing Windows optional features, which also covers the Windows 11 layout.

Open the XPS file

1. Open File Explorer and go to the folder with the file, often Downloads or Documents.
2. Double-click the .xps or .oxps file. It opens in XPS Viewer.
3. If a different program opens it, or Windows asks how you want to open it, right-click the file and select Open with > Choose another app.
4. Select XPS Viewer (select More apps if it isn’t listed), check Always use this app to open .xps files, and select OK. Repeat with an .oxps file if you get those too.

You can also start the viewer first: search Start for XPS Viewer, open it, and select File > Open. To manage which apps open other file types, see setting default apps in Windows 10.

What you can do in XPS Viewer

XPS Viewer is a reader, not an editor. You can’t change the text, but you can:

• Scroll between pages and zoom in or out with the zoom control.
• Search for a word with the Find box, with results listed in the contents pane.
• Print the document, or save a copy with File > Save As.
• Check or add digital signatures and view document permissions. Signing requires a digital certificate, and a document with permissions may block printing or copying.

Install XPS Viewer with a command

If the Settings page is slow, empty, or you’re setting up several PCs, you can add the same feature from an administrator command line. Right-click Start, select Windows PowerShell (Admin) or open Command Prompt as administrator, and run:

DISM /Online /Add-Capability /CapabilityName:XPS.Viewer~~~~0.0.1.0

The capability name comes from Microsoft’s Features on Demand list. DISM downloads the files from Windows Update, so stay online. When the progress bar reaches 100% and you see The operation completed successfully, search Start for XPS Viewer.

Once it’s installed, you can also open the viewer by pressing Windows key + R, typing xpsrchvw, and pressing Enter. That shortcut only works after the feature is installed.

Convert an XPS file to PDF

If you need to send the document to someone on a Mac or phone, a PDF is much easier for them to open. Windows 10 can do this without extra software:

1. Open the file in XPS Viewer.
2. Select the Print icon or press Ctrl + P.
3. Choose Microsoft Print to PDF as the printer and select Print.

4. Give the PDF a name, such as Jordan-invoice.pdf, choose a folder, and select Save.

The PDF is a flattened copy of the pages, so clickable links may not carry over and signatures from the XPS file won’t stay valid. Keep the original XPS file. The same printer trick is used for Office files in converting Word to PDF in Windows 10.

Other ways to open an XPS file

• Windows 11: Use the same viewer. Go to Settings > System > Optional features, select View features, check XPS Viewer, select Next, then Add.
• Google Drive: Drive lists XML Paper Specification (.XPS) among the file types it can preview. Upload the file and open it in Drive. This also works on a Mac, Chromebook or phone, which don’t open XPS files on their own. Don’t upload confidential documents to any online service you wouldn’t trust with them.
• Online converters: Many websites turn XPS into PDF, but the file is uploaded to someone else’s server. For anything personal, such as tax forms or invoices, use Microsoft Print to PDF instead.
• Web browsers: Don’t count on Edge, Chrome or Firefox here. They’re built to display PDFs, and an XPS file usually just downloads.

Troubleshooting

XPS Viewer doesn’t appear in Add a feature

Check the Installed features list first; it may already be installed. If it’s in neither list, run Windows Update, restart, and try again, or use the DISM command.

The Install button is grayed out or the install fails

Optional features download from Windows Update, so a PC that’s offline, paused on updates, or pointed at a company update server may fail. On a work or school PC, an administrator can hide or block the optional features page through Group Policy, so ask IT to add XPS Viewer for you.

Windows says the file can’t be opened

The file may be damaged or only partly downloaded. Download it again or ask the sender to send a fresh copy or a PDF. Also confirm the file really ends in .xps or .oxps; a file named report.xps.exe is a program, not a document, and shouldn’t be opened.

An .oxps file won’t open on an older PC

Windows 7 doesn’t support .oxps. Microsoft offered an OXPS to XPS converter for Windows 7 SP1, described in its support article on .oxps files, but the simpler fix is to open the file on Windows 10 and save it as a PDF.

Fonts or pictures look wrong

The document may rely on fonts that weren’t embedded when it was created. Ask the sender to print it to PDF on the original PC instead.

The file is a .prn, not an .xps

A .prn file is raw printer output saved with Print to file, and XPS Viewer can’t read it. See opening a PRN file in Windows 10.

Remove XPS Viewer

If you no longer need it, go back to Optional features, select XPS Viewer under Installed features, and select Uninstall (or Remove). Your XPS files aren’t deleted; they just won’t open until you reinstall the viewer.

Frequently asked questions

Is XPS Viewer free?

Yes. It’s part of Windows and installs from Microsoft at no cost. Avoid websites that offer an “XPS Viewer download”; the real one comes only through Optional features or DISM.

Can I edit an XPS file?

Not in XPS Viewer, and the format isn’t designed for editing. If you need to change the content, ask for the original Word or Excel file. As a workaround, convert the XPS file to PDF and use a PDF tool to add notes or fill in fields.

How do I create an XPS file?

Print from any app and choose Microsoft XPS Document Writer as the printer. In Word, Excel or PowerPoint you can also select File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document and set the file type to XPS. For sharing, PDF is usually the better choice.

Can I open an XPS file on my iPhone or Android phone?

Not with the built-in apps. Preview it through Google Drive, or convert it to PDF on a Windows PC and send the PDF to the phone.

Will XPS Viewer stop working on Windows 10?

No. It keeps working after end of support, but your PC no longer gets security fixes unless it’s enrolled in ESU, so be careful with files from people you don’t know.

Once XPS Viewer opens your file, print a PDF copy of anything you’ll need again. That way you can open it on any device, even one without XPS Viewer.