The file extension OXPS or Open XML Paper Specification represents highly compressed document files, much like Adobe’s PDF file format. These files store the structures of the document along with any images or text style information as well. This makes them great for documents that need to be shared and displayed in the exact same manner, irrespective of the device, since these files save the format and structure both.

Roots – How the File Extension OXPS Was Developed

The OXPS extension is a lot like the XPS document format that was used in Windows 7 or even older operating systems. The XPS file format originally used the XML Paper Specification to encode and preserve content, until in 2009, the European Computer Manufacturers Association or Ecma adopted the OpenXPS specification and standardized it with some modifications. This new specification allowed for better compression and security, making OXPS files much better than the older XPS format. When Microsoft launched Windows 8, it adopted the OXPS standard format as their default document format and it has stuck since.

Internals – How Does the File Extension OXPS Work?

The OXPS file format works a lot like the original XPS format; it uses XML or Extensible Markup Language to encode documents with their structures intact, much like a webpage, then using standardized specifications, encrypts them and makes them write protected. This results in a secure, structured document file with a very high level of compression that displays in exactly the same way for everyone. It works a lot like Adobe’s PDF format but OXPS supports higher resolution images, as well as multi-layer TIFF files. This, combined with a better compression algorithm resulting in better full file compression, makes OXPS better than the Portable Document Format, resulting in crisper, smaller documents.

Usability – How Do I Make a Document With the File Extension OXPS?

One of the best things about OXPS documents is that you don’t need any additional software to create or view them if you’re using Windows 8 or better. The native WordPad application that comes with Windows lets users create OXPS documents just as easily as any other document file. Just type in the text, add the images, format it all, add the digital signatures you want to include, and you are done. Save the document and ‘print’ it as an OXPS document using the OXPS File Printer that comes preinstalled in Windows. Windows also comes with an OXPS file viewer that lets users open OXPS documents without any issues, making this a very handy and accessible document format.

What’s Better: PDF or OXPS?

Microsoft never really marketed the XPS or OXPS formats, and because of this, very few people actually know what this file extension even represents. They simply don’t know how to access or view it, and this gives PDF a huge lead over them. Adobe marketed their format heavily and the result is that almost everyone that uses a computer will know how to open a PDF file. This gives PDF a clear edge, even though OXPS features better compression and support for crisper, better images.