If you’ve seen an XPS file on your PC, then you’ve likely seen the Microsoft XPS Document Writer application, too. XPS is Microsoft’s competitor to the popular PDF file format. And while it hasn’t enjoyed the same success as PDF has, it remains an updated feature in many versions of Windows.
In this article, we’ll explain what the Microsoft XPS Document Writer is, how it works, and how to get rid of it if you no longer need it.
What Are XPS Files?
XPS (also known as OXPS or OpenXPS) is a standardized file format (with the .xps file extension) that stands for Open XML Paper Specification. An XPS file describes a document with any number of pages in a fixed layout. Essentially, XPS files are like Microsoft’s version of PostScript or PDF files.
The goal of XPS files (like PDF) is to offer “what you see is what you get” functionality. The point is that no matter where you view or print an XPS file, it will remain identical.
In the Windows operating system, there are two programs used to view XPS files. These are the XPS Viewer and Microsoft Reader apps which come preinstalled on Windows, and, much like Adobe Acrobat, allowing users to view XPS files and add digital signatures if required.
Even though Microsoft continues to provide support for XPS files, the PDF format remains the industry standard.
What Is the Microsoft XPS Document Writer?
The Microsoft XPS Document Writer (MXDW) is a printer driver that enables Windows applications to create XPS files. This driver was introduced in Windows XP Service Pack 2 and has continued through Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 10, and Windows 11 .
The MXDW comes in handy when you want to create an XPS document from an application that doesn’t usually let you save a file in the XPS format.
How to Use the Microsoft XPS Document Writer
When the MXDW is installed on your Windows PC, it will appear as an option in the print queue. When you try to print a document, select the printer drop-down menu and select the Microsoft XPS Document Writer printer option and click OK .
You will then be prompted to enter a file name for the XPS document. Enter this, then press OK once more. The XPS file will then be saved at C:\Users\username\Documents .
How to Remove the Microsoft XPS Document Writer
To remove the Microsoft XPS Document Writer from the printer dialog box:
- Press the Windows key + I to open Settings .
- Select Devices .
- Choose Printers & scanners .
- Double-click Microsoft XPS Document Writer , then press Remove device .
- Select Yes to remove it.
Note: Alternatively, you can head to the Control Panel > Programs and Features > Turn Windows Features on or off . Here, right-click Microsoft XPS Document Writer and select Remove device .
To uninstall the XPS Document Writer entirely:
- Open the Start Menu and type “Windows Features”, then select Turn Windows features on or off from the list.
- Uncheck the box next to Microsoft XPS Document Writer . Uncheck the box next to Microsoft XPS Viewer as well, if you’d like to.
- Select OK .
Note: To reinstall the Microsoft XPS Document Writer, simply repeat the steps above and tick the checkboxes (rather than unchecking them).
How to Add Microsoft XPS Document Writer (If It’s Missing)
If you can’t find the Microsoft XPS Document Writer, you may need to add it as follows:
- Open the Control Panel .
- Navigate to Devices and Printers .
- Select Add a printer .
- Choose The printer that I want isn’t listed .
- Select Add a l ocal printer or network printer with manual settings .
- Choose Microsoft under manufacturer then select Microsoft XPS Document Writer in the right-hand column.
- Select Next .
XPS vs PDF: Which Should You Use?
PDF remains the go-to choice for fixed-layout file formats . It’s the industry standard, and many more programs provide support for PDF over XPS.
Even though Microsoft has continued to provide support for XPS files, most users will never use this optional feature. However, while there’s no real need for XPS files or the Microsoft XPS Document Writer, there’s also no pressing reason to delete them from your PC.
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Jake Harfield is an Australian freelance writer whose passion is finding out how different technologies work. He has written for several online publications, focusing on explaining what he has learned to help others with their tech problems. He’s an avid hiker and birder, and in his spare time you’ll find him in the Aussie bush listening to the birdsong. Read Jake’s Full Bio
The PDF document format works on any modern smartphone, computer or tablet. If you want to share or archive a web page or document, PDF is an ideal format to use thanks to its compatibility and portability.
With a free PDF writer, you can add information or highlight some areas on the document in order to update the file. A PDF printer app on the other hand offers printing facilities for your documents, email messages, photos, and other files making it easy to print PDFs right from your device.
Best Free PDF Writers and Printers
If you’re looking for the best free PDF writers and printers to use with your laptop or mobile device, here are some great options you can try.
1. Write on PDF
Write on PDF is a free PDF writer that allows you to make notes on PDF documents. The powerful and convenient app contains many features to add text, highlight and add free handwritten notes with ease.
Among other things you can do with Write on PDF include the ability to search throughout the PDF document, bookmark for navigation, sync with Dropbox , and view in vertical and horizontal ways.
On top of that, you can give tabs to list all the PDF files in your device, save or share a PDF file with your text and drawing content.
2.Sejda PDF Editor
Sejda is an online PDF writer that allows you to add text, images, shapes and drawings. You can also create forms , add annotations, highlight and whiteout sections of a document.
The powerful PDF writer and printer app is available online, which handles processing in the cloud, but you can also get the desktop edition for offline editing, which processes files locally.
If you need to quickly edit your PDF or add signatures to PDF documents, Sejda does that very well. In addition, Sejda recognizes text with OCR , and allows you to merge documents, add headers or footers with page numbers, crop or rotate pages, and split PDF files into smaller documents.
Sejda’s easy-to-use editor packs an impressive suite of features but its free version has page and hourly limits, limited access to specific tools, and limited file uploads no larger than 50MB in size. Plus, you can only work with one document at a time when using the web version of the app.
3.Xodo
Xodo is a free PDF printer, writer and viewer app that makes it easy to markup documents and supports annotations that works with other PDF viewers.
With Xodo, you can save digital signatures as you would with Adobe Acrobat and use it across multiple documents. You can also edit, annotate, and share PDF files on the web, mobile and desktop devices so you can get things done.
If you want to fill forms, Xodo takes the stress out of filling forms by allowing you to do it with a touch of your finger whether you’re using a tablet or smartphone.
Plus, you can annotate PDFs by adding sticky notes, underlining, highlighting, or striking out passages. If you want, you can insert shapes, draw freehand, and change your annotation’s size, color, opacity and thickness.
If you’re working as a team, Xodo has a chat feature that transforms your PDF into a virtual meeting room . This way, you can collaborate with others online in real time from a smartphone or computer, eliminating the need for emails or having to find time to meet.
4.Foxit MobilePDF
Foxit MobilePDF is a small, lightweight PDF viewer that lets you open, view and annotate PDF documents.
The app supports zooming, annotations and searching text, but you can also create PDFs and convert them into Microsoft Office documents.
The free PDF writer and printer covers most of your needs when it comes to PDFs while delivering industry leading capabilities to use PDF files on the go.
5.CutePDF Writer
The app offers 128-bit AES security to encrypt your PDF file and restrict access from unauthorized users so that only you can access, edit, print and extract the content. If you want to edit a PDF though, you can still use the CutePDF Editor from your web browser.
Plus, you can convert printable documents to professional quality PDFs , and print your files by selecting CutePDF Writer from your list of printers on your PC.
The app only works with Windows (Vista to Windows 10 and Windows Server 2008-2019), and you need an additional free postscript to PDF driver to create PDFs.
6.BullZip PDF Printer
BullZip PDF printer is a free PDF printer, which means you can use its free version but with certain limitations. However, the app doesn’t contain pop ups or ads, and if you need advanced features, you can always go for its commercial application, which removes the 10 user limit in the free version.
With the BullZip PDF printer, you can write PDF documents from Windows programs, control whether you want to see the resulting PDF document and password protect your PDFs .
The app offers 128/256 bit AES encryption to add security to your PDFs, and you can edit it to add watermark text and sign PDF documents using digital certificates. Plus, BullZip PDF printer supports multiple output types including PNG, JPEG, BMP, PCX, PDF and TIFF.
7.doPDF
If you just need a PDF printer app, doPDF is a solid choice.
The free PDF printer app creates PDF files and allows you to convert printable files to PDFs. The app installs as a virtual PDF printer driver and you can print to PDF without downloading malware or other random add-ons.
You can convert PDFs to DOCX, PPTX, HTML or TXT files and print them out, or convert Microsoft Office documents into PDFs for printing or web publishing based on your needs.
The main downside with doPDF is that you can’t write or edit using the app; it’s just for printing or converting printable files or images to PDFs .
Quickly Edit and Print PDFs
There are so many tools you can use to write or print to PDF, making it difficult to select one. If you’re just looking for a simple tool, you can use the built-in Microsoft Print to PDF service in Windows 10. For macOS users, turn to our step-by-step guide on how to edit PDFs on Mac.
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Elsie is a technology writer and editor with a special focus on Windows, Android and iOS. She writes about software, electronics and other tech subjects, her ultimate goal being to help people out with useful solutions to their daily tech issues in a simple, straightforward and unbiased style. She has a BCom degree in Marketing and currently pursuing her Masters in Communications and New Media. Read Elsie’s Full Bio
