How to Open XPS Files on a Mac

macOS does not natively support XPS files. Preview won't open them, Quick Look won't preview them, and double-clicking just gets you a "There is no application set to open the document" dialog. This guide walks you through the three approaches that actually work, and explains why most Mac users end up just converting the file to PDF.

Option 1 (recommended): Convert XPS to PDF online

If you only need to view the document — not edit it — the fastest fix is to convert the XPS file into a PDF. macOS opens PDFs natively in Preview, so once converted, the document behaves like any other file on your Mac.

Drop your XPS file at XPS2PDF.co.uk. Conversion takes a few seconds, no account is required, no watermark is added, and the file is deleted from our servers within 60 minutes. You can convert up to 20 files in a single batch.

This is what 90% of Mac users should do. It's the lightest-weight option — no software install, no system permissions, no risk of leftover apps cluttering your Applications folder.

Option 2: Use a third-party reader

A handful of macOS apps add native XPS support. The most reliable are:

NeoXPS Reader (free, App Store): straightforward viewer, no editing, no Microsoft account required.
FileViewerPro / File Viewer Plus (paid): a generic viewer that handles XPS along with hundreds of other formats. Worth it only if you regularly receive odd file types.
OpenOffice Draw with the OXPS/XPS import filter: free but clunky; better suited to an OXPS file you actually need to edit.

The downside of all of these is that you're installing software just to view one file. If this is a one-off, skip it and go to option 1.

Option 3: Open it on a Windows machine and re-save

If you have access to a PC (or a Windows VM via Parallels, VMware Fusion, or UTM), you can open the XPS file there using the XPS Viewer Microsoft ships with Windows. Then either:

Print to "Microsoft Print to PDF" — instant PDF, ready to copy back to your Mac.
Print to "Microsoft XPS Document Writer" → re-save the file (rarely useful).

Note: in Windows 10 (build 1803, April 2018) and later, including Windows 11, Microsoft removed the XPS Viewer from the default install. You'll need to re-add it via Settings → Apps → Optional Features → Add a feature → "XPS Viewer". See our Windows 11 guide for the full walkthrough.

What about OXPS files?

OXPS is the standardised, open version of XPS. Files use the .oxps extension. Almost every XPS-compatible reader (and our converter) handles both. Read more in our OXPS vs XPS guide.

Frequently asked questions

Why doesn't Preview open XPS files on macOS?

Apple has never built XPS support into Preview. The format never gained traction outside the Windows ecosystem and Apple sees no commercial reason to add it. Preview opens PDF, image formats, PostScript, and a few obscure extras — XPS isn't on that list.

Can I drag an XPS file onto Adobe Acrobat to convert it?

No. Adobe Acrobat (any version, on Mac) doesn't recognise XPS as input. The standard Acrobat Pro PDF tools won't help here.

Is converting XPS to PDF safe — what about confidential documents?

Use a converter that explicitly auto-deletes uploads and processes files automatically without human review. Our service deletes uploads from our servers within 60 minutes and is operated under UK GDPR. Read our privacy policy for full detail.

Last updated: April 2026