LinuxWhat is the XPS file format?
An .xps file is a page layout file saved in Microsoft's XML Paper Specification format. The format describes the structure and content of a document - including page layout and visual appearance - using XML markup packed inside a ZIP archive that follows the Open Packaging Conventions (OPC). It is similar to a PDF document; however, .xps stores pages as XML rather than binary streams, making the internal parts human-readable once the archive is extracted.
An .xps file can be used consistently across various platforms and operating systems. Access permissions can be configured and the file can be digitally signed using XPS Viewer on Windows. Because the container is a standard ZIP package, you can rename an .xps file to .zip and inspect its internal parts - including the root sequence file /FixedDocSeq.fdseq and the XAML-based .fpage markup files.
Microsoft introduced the format in 2006 alongside Windows Vista and .NET 3.0. It was later standardized by Ecma International as OpenXPS (ECMA-388, 2009), which uses the .oxps extension and a different internal namespace. The MIME type for the original format is application/vnd.ms-xpsdocument.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWXPS files contain page descriptions, fonts and images - no macros or active scripting - so the attack surface is limited to parser bugs in the viewer, which have been rare. The format can't carry executable payloads the way Office macro documents can. Standard caution about unexpected attachments applies, but an .xps is among the lower-risk document types. Because it's a ZIP package, you can safely inspect it by renaming to .zip.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open XPS files
Windows3 apps
XPS Viewer
Built-in Settings > Apps > Optional features > Add a feature > check 'XPS Viewer' > Install, then double-click the .xps. Preinstalled only before Windows 10 1803. 
MuPDF
Open-source Open mupdf-gl and drag the .xps in - MuPDF renders XPS natively; 'mutool convert -o out.pdf file.xps' makes a PDF.
XpsConverter (Microsoft)
Free Command-line tool (ships with the Windows Driver Kit) that converts XPS <-> OXPS; use when a legacy app accepts only one flavor. 
macOS1 app
MuPDF (via Homebrew)
Open-source brew install mupdf, then 'mutool draw' to view pages or 'mutool convert -o out.pdf file.xps' to get a PDF. Nothing built-in reads XPS on macOS. 
Technical details
deep spec| Container format | ZIP-based Open Packaging Conventions (OPC) package |
| Page markup language | XAML-based FixedPage XML stored as `.fpage` files inside the package |
| MIME type | application/vnd.ms-xpsdocument |
| Magic bytes | 50 4B 03 04 ("PK") - standard ZIP local-file header at offset 0 |
| Root entry point | /FixedDocSeq.fdseq (Fixed Document Sequence file) |
| Compression | Deflate compression applied to internal OPC parts |
| Font embedding | Fonts embedded with XPS obfuscation: GUID-based filenames and partial byte scrambling per OPC spec |
| Digital signatures | XML Digital Signatures (XMLDSig) for document integrity and authenticity |
| Document permissions | XPS access policy supports read-only, print-restriction, and signing restrictions |
| Color management | ICC profile-based color management; scRGB color space supported for wide-gamut content |
| Print pipeline role | Native Windows print spool format, replacing EMF in the XPS print path introduced with Vista |
| Coordinate units | Device-independent units at 1/96 inch (96 dpi grid, matching WPF and CSS pixel definitions) |
| Embedded image formats | JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and WDP (Windows Media Photo / HD Photo) |
| Transparency model | Alpha compositing and opacity masks supported directly in FixedPage XML markup |
| Gradient rendering | Linear and radial gradient brushes defined in XML; fully resolution-independent |
| Relationship to OpenXPS | Non-interchangeable predecessor to ECMA-388 (`.oxps`); differs in XML namespace URIs and internal part names |
| Released | 2006 (Windows Vista / .NET 3.0); standardized later as OpenXPS/ECMA-388 (2009) |
| Open standard | Yes · royalty-free |
| Specification | learn.microsoft.com |
XPS conversions
Community Q&A
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