What is the XDW file format?
.xdw is a proprietary electronic-document format developed by Fuji Xerox - now operating as FUJIFILM Business Innovation - for use with the DocuWorks platform. An .xdw file can contain elements such as text, images, hyperlinks, and references to other documents, arranged as paginated "electronic paper."
Each page holds a raster image (from a scanner or printer) together with a separate annotation layer where stamps, notes, and markup can be added non-destructively. Scanned text stored in an .xdw file can be converted into character strings using DocuWorks OCR technology, enabling further editing and search.
The format is closely related to .xbd binder files, which wrap multiple .xdw documents into a single container. Content can also be exported to a PDF for cross-platform sharing, or assembled from scanned .tif pages.
.xdw files support optional password protection, access restrictions (open/print/edit permissions), and digital signatures with trusted timestamps for tamper-evidence. The binary file begins with the DGPW header signature and uses little-endian byte order.
While the format remains most prevalent in Japanese corporate and government document workflows - where rubber-stamp (hanko) annotations are essential - DocuWorks Viewer Light provides free read access on Windows, Android, and iOS.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWXDW is a document format, not executable, so an .xdw itself does not run code. Main cautions: open files from unknown senders in the read-only Viewer Light rather than the full Desk; password-protected/permission-restricted files may legitimately limit printing or editing. Beware unofficial 'XDW viewer/converter' downloads from third-party portals - get the free viewer only from FUJIFILM Business Innovation's site or the official app stores to avoid bundled adware (PUP).
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open XDW files
Windows2 apps
DocuWorks Viewer Light
Free Download from FUJIFILM Business Innovation, install, then double-click the .xdw to view, zoom, show/hide annotations and print. Opens password-protected files.
DocuWorks Desk
Paid Full application - create, scan into, annotate, stamp, reorder and combine .xdw documents; export to PDF. 
macOS1 app
DocuWorks Viewer Light (limited)
Free macOS desktop support is limited; if no native build is available, view via the iOS viewer on iPad or run the Windows viewer in a VM. 
Android1 app
DocuWorks Viewer Light (Android)
Free Install from Google Play; open the .xdw to view, zoom, page through and show/hide annotations. Also opens PDFs.
DocuWorks Viewer Light (iOS)
Free Install from the App Store to view DocuWorks files on iPhone/iPad, including password-protected ones. Technical details
deep spec| File magic bytes | DGPW (hex: 44 47 50 57) at offset 0 - vendor binary header identifying all DocuWorks document files |
| Byte order | Little-endian binary encoding throughout |
| Container structure | Per-page raster image plus a separate, non-destructive annotation/stamp/text object layer stacked above it |
| Page image compression | CCITT Group 3/4 for 1-bit B/W scanned pages; JPEG-style encoding for grayscale and color pages |
| Color depth | 1-bit (black-and-white), 8-bit grayscale, or 24-bit color - determined per page by the source scan |
| Binder companion format | Multiple .xdw files can be combined into a single .xbd binder container for multi-document routing |
| OCR layer | Integrated DocuWorks OCR converts scanned page images to searchable, editable character strings stored within the file |
| Annotation types | Stamps (hanko), sticky notes, freehand ink, text boxes, highlights - all stored non-destructively as overlay objects |
| Security options | Optional password protection with open/print/edit permission levels; digital signatures and trusted timestamps for tamper-evidence |
| MIME type | application/vnd.fujifilm.fb.docuworks (legacy alias: application/vnd.fujixerox.docuworks) |
| Platform support | Full creation and editing on Windows (DocuWorks Desk); viewer-only apps available for macOS, Android, and iOS |
| Typical file size | 50 KB - 30 MB, scaling with page count and the resolution of scanned page images |
| Format versioning | Revised across DocuWorks 3 through 9; newer Desk versions can down-save for compatibility with older viewers |
| Developer | FUJIFILM Business Innovation (formerly Fuji Xerox; company renamed April 2021) |
| Primary market | Japanese corporate and government offices for scan-annotate-route workflows with hanko stamp support |
| Released | 1995 (DocuWorks 1.0, Fuji Xerox) |
| Latest version | DocuWorks 9 / 10.x era; Viewer Light 10.1 (2024-2025) |
| Specification | www.fujifilm.com |
XDW conversions
Community Q&A
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