XML Paper Specification (XPS) is Microsoft’s fixed-page document format. An XPS file stores each page with its layout already decided, so it looks the same when it is displayed or printed. Its related standard, OpenXPS, is the Ecma International format that uses the .oxps extension. The two are close relatives, not interchangeable names for one file type.
What XPS stands for and what it is used for
XPS stands for XML Paper Specification. Microsoft describes it as a set of conventions for using XML and other widely available technologies to describe the content and appearance of paginated documents. In plain terms, an XPS document is a set of pages whose positions, fonts and graphics are fixed when the file is created. A word processor document, by contrast, can reflow its text when a window is resized or a font is changed.
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That fixed layout is the point of the format. It keeps a page-oriented representation for viewing and printing, and it is tied to Windows printing and spooling workflows. If you need a document to print the same way on different machines, a fixed-page file is designed for that job. If you need to edit the text afterward, it is the wrong container.
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XPS and OpenXPS: two related formats
Microsoft’s original format is usually identified by the .xps extension. Open XML Paper Specification, branded OpenXPS, is the standardized sibling, usually identified by .oxps. The Library of Congress describes OpenXPS as based on Microsoft’s proprietary XPS, but notes that Ecma TC46 introduced substantive changes. A file with one extension cannot always be assumed to behave exactly like a file with the other.
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The OpenXPS standard is Ecma International’s ECMA-388. The first edition was published in June 2009. It defines a paginated-document format built on the Open Packaging Conventions and sets interoperability requirements for software and hardware that process OpenXPS documents.
| Item | XPS (Microsoft) | OpenXPS (Ecma) |
|---|---|---|
| Owner or status | Microsoft specification; the XPS Specification and Reference Guide is distributed through the Microsoft Download Center | Ecma International standard ECMA-388, first edition published June 2009 |
| Usual file extension | .xps |
.oxps |
| Foundation | XML and related widely available technologies | Open Packaging Conventions, with interoperability requirements |
| Windows support | Documented for viewing and printing; supported in Windows 8 and later per Microsoft documentation | Documented for viewing and printing; supported in Windows 8 and later per Microsoft documentation |
Because the two formats share a lineage, many viewers accept both. Whether a particular third-party program opens each extension correctly is a separate question that depends on that program.
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Can Windows open XPS files?
Microsoft’s documentation states that Windows 8 supports OpenXPS alongside the existing XPS format, and that Microsoft XPS Viewer and the Windows 8 Reader app can open both. Microsoft’s XPS overview describes both formats as supported in Windows 8 and later.
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Printing and driver context
XPS is closely tied to how Windows prints. For printer-device developers, Microsoft’s current driver guidance for Windows 10 and 11 recommends the IPP inbox class driver together with Print Support Apps. This matters for printer makers and IT staff, but it is not needed to understand what an XPS file is.
Why choose a fixed-page format over an editable document?
A fixed-page format trades editability for predictability. The same page should render the same way wherever it is opened, which is useful for archiving, for sending a print-ready copy, and for passing a finished layout through a print pipeline. An editable document is better when the content is still changing, when the reader’s screen size should determine line breaks, or when others need to revise the text.
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How XPS compares with PDF
Both XPS and PDF are page-oriented document formats, so they solve a related problem. Beyond that shared purpose, the sources available for this definition do not support a detailed feature-by-feature comparison, and this article does not make one. Do not assume that an XPS file can be opened or treated like a PDF, or that the two are interchangeable for every workflow. If your choice depends on a specific capability, such as signatures, forms or long-term archiving rules, check that capability against the current documentation for the format and program you plan to use.
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- XPS is Microsoft’s fixed-page format, identified by the
.xpsextension. - OpenXPS, identified by
.oxps, is standardized as Ecma International’s ECMA-388, first published in June 2009. - The two formats are related but distinct, so do not treat the extensions as the same file type.
- Microsoft documents viewing and printing support for both formats in Windows 8 and later, through XPS Viewer and the Windows 8 Reader app.
- Fixed-page layout favors consistent display and printing over editing.
The Microsoft XPS Specification and Reference Guide download listing identifies version 1.0 with a publication date of July 15, 2024. That date refers to the download listing, not to a change in the format itself.
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