How To Open Xps File In Windows 11

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Windows XML Paper Specification (XPS) is a file format that was developed by Microsoft, with an aim to create a more refined and well-organized document format, just like Adobe’s PDF. If you have an XPS file and you’re using Windows 11, you might have noticed that the default XPS viewer has been removed from this version of Windows. But don’t worry, you can still open and view XPS files in Windows 11. In this blog post, we will guide you through the process of opening XPS files in Windows 11.

Method 1: Using Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge, the default web browser in Windows 11, can be used to open and view XPS files. Here’s how:

  1. Open Microsoft Edge by clicking on its icon in the taskbar or searching for it in the Start menu.
  2. Press Ctrl + O on your keyboard or click on the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner of the Edge window and select Open file from the menu.
  3. Navigate to the location of your XPS file, select it, and click Open.

Your XPS file will now be opened and displayed in Microsoft Edge. You can use the browser’s built-in tools to navigate, zoom, and print the document as needed.

Method 2: Installing and Using XPS Viewer

If you prefer using the XPS Viewer that was bundled with previous versions of Windows, you can still install it on Windows 11. Follow these steps to install and use the XPS Viewer:

  1. Press Win + I to open the Settings app and click on Apps.
  2. Click on the Optional features link under the Apps & features section.
  3. Click on the View features button under the “Add an optional feature” section.
  4. Scroll down the list and look for XPS Viewer. If it’s already installed, you can skip to step 7. If not, continue with the next step.
  5. Click on the Add a feature button at the top of the page.
  6. Search for “XPS Viewer” in the search bar, click on it in the search results, and then click on the Install button.
  7. To open an XPS file with XPS Viewer, right-click on the file, select Open with, and choose XPS Viewer from the list of available apps.

XPS Viewer provides a simple and clean interface for viewing XPS files, and you can use its features to navigate, zoom, print, and save the document as a PDF if needed.

Conclusion

Although Windows 11 no longer includes the XPS Viewer by default, opening and viewing XPS files is still possible using Microsoft Edge or by installing the XPS Viewer as an optional feature. Follow the steps above to ensure you can open your XPS documents without any issues. Enjoy working with XPS files on your Windows 11 machine!