How to Open XPS Files on Windows 11

If you've just tried to double-click an XPS file on Windows 11 and got a "How do you want to open this file?" prompt with no useful options, you've hit a known annoyance: Microsoft removed the built-in XPS Viewer from the default install of Windows 10 (starting April 2018, build 1803) and Windows 11 inherits that change. The viewer still exists — it's just optional now.

You have three sensible options. The fastest is online conversion; the most thorough is reinstalling the viewer.

Option 1 (fastest): Convert XPS to PDF online

If you just want to read the file, convert it to PDF. Windows 11 opens PDFs in Edge by default, so once converted the document behaves like any other web-readable file.

XPS2PDF.co.uk handles this in seconds. Drop the file, pick PDF (the default), download. No account, no watermark, files deleted within 60 minutes. You can convert up to 20 files at once.

Option 2: Reinstall the XPS Viewer

If you genuinely need ongoing XPS support — maybe you're processing scanned documents from a corporate workflow that outputs XPS — re-add the official viewer:

  1. Open Settings (Win + I).
  2. Go to Apps → Optional features.
  3. Click "View features" next to "Add an optional feature".
  4. Search for XPS Viewer.
  5. Tick the box, click Next, then Install.

After install (no reboot required), double-clicking an .xps file opens it in the viewer. The same process works on Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019/2022.

Caveat: the XPS Viewer is on Microsoft's deprecation list — the company has been slowly retiring it for years. It still works, but don't be surprised if a future Windows release removes it entirely. Conversion is the long-term-safe approach.

Option 3: Print-to-PDF inside Windows

If the XPS Viewer is installed (option 2 above), you can also use it as a one-step XPS → PDF converter:

  1. Open the file in XPS Viewer.
  2. Press Ctrl + P (Print).
  3. Choose "Microsoft Print to PDF" as the printer.
  4. Click Print and pick a save location.

This is functionally identical to using our online converter, just with two steps instead of one and dependent on the XPS Viewer continuing to ship.

What about Windows 10?

Same answer. The XPS Viewer was removed from clean installs starting build 1803 (April 2018 Update). Re-add via Settings → Apps → Optional features as in option 2 above. Older Windows 10 builds and Windows 8 still have it pre-installed.

What about Windows 7?

Windows 7 ships with the XPS Viewer pre-installed and reachable from the Start menu. Just double-click the file. Note Windows 7 itself is unsupported and shouldn't be on the public internet.

Frequently asked questions

Why did Microsoft remove the XPS Viewer from Windows by default?

Adoption never matched PDF. The format saw most use as the output of legacy "print to file" workflows, and Microsoft has been gradually shifting users toward "Microsoft Print to PDF" instead.

Will reinstalling XPS Viewer break anything?

No. It's a standard Optional Feature, signed by Microsoft, with no third-party dependencies. Uninstalling later via the same menu is a one-click revert.

Does Edge open XPS files?

No. Microsoft Edge handles PDF natively, but it has never opened XPS — that was always the separate XPS Viewer's job.

Can I associate .xps files with the XPS Viewer manually?

Yes — once the viewer is installed (option 2), right-click the file → Open with → Choose another app → XPS Viewer → Always.

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Last updated: April 2026