What is the Difference Between XPS and PDF

The main difference between XPS and PDF is that XPS files can be viewed using an XPS Viewer while PDF files can be viewed using Adobe Reader.

XPS and PDF are two file formats. XPS is a Microsoft version of PDF. Mac computers and mobile devices do not have built-in XPS viewers. However, a PDF reader is already installed in most computers. Therefore, in overall, PDF is more popular than XPS.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is XPS
    – Definition, Functionality
2. What is PDF
   – Definition, Functionality
3. Difference Between XPS and PDF
   – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

File Format, XML, XPS, PDF

What is XPS

A file with the .XPS file extension is called an XML paper specification file. It describes the structure and the content of a document such as layout and appearance. Moreover, it is a replacement for Enhanced Metafile (.EMF) format. These documents remain the same in other platforms. XPS is the Microsoft version of PDF based on XML.

Users can view, sign and specify permissions of an XPS file using the XPS Viewer. Most Windows versions contain XPS Viewers. Mac users can open an XPS file with NiXPS View or Edit and the Pagemark XPS Viewer plug-in for Firefox and Safari web browsers.

After saving the content in the XPS format, it is not possible to modify an XPS file. Therefore, it is a better alternative to use for legal and contract documents. Users can sign the documents digitally without printing and signing them physically. Furthermore, Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox browsers are capable of selecting the XPS format to print a .xps file.

What is PDF

PDF stands for Portable Document Format. It is a file format developed by Adobe. The format is capable of presenting documents in a consistent manner on various platforms. It is one of the most widely used formats to save and exchange documents.

A PDF file can contain text, images, graphics (vector, raster), etc. The information of the layout of the page is saved in a standard format. Therefore, the documents appear the same when opening it with any device or program. In other words, saving a document in PDF makes the documents appear the same in other platforms such as Android and Mac.

Users can create the documents in an application such as MS Word and save that document in PDF format. To view a PDF file, we can use Adobe Reader or a plug-in that supports PDF format. It is also possible to edit a PDF file using an Adobe Acrobat or a third party PDF editor. Furthermore, it is possible to encrypt PDF files. Therefore, only authorized parties can open them.

Difference Between XPS and PDF

Definition

XPS is an XML-based specification document format that supports device independence and resolution independence. PDF, on the other hand, is a file format developed by Adobe to present documents including text and images in a manner independent of software, hardware, and operating system. Thus, this explains the main difference between XPS and PDF.

Long Form

XPS stands for XML Paper Specification while PDF stands for Portable Document Format.

Developer

While XPS was developed by Microsoft, PDF was developed by Adobe.

Released year

Moreover, XPS was initially released in 2006 whereas PDF was initially released in 1993.

Method of Viewing the documents

Additionally, a major difference between XPS and PDF is that the users can open an XPS file using an XPS Viewer. Meanwhile, users can open a PDF file using Adobe Reader.

File Extension

XPS files have .xps extension whereas PDF files have the .pdf extension. Hence, this is also a difference between XPS and PDF.

Conclusion

XPS and PDF are two file formats. The main difference between XPS and PDF is that XPS files can be viewed using an XPS Viewer while PDF files can be viewed using Adobe Reader. However, sometimes it is considered that XPS is more advanced or complicated than PDF.

References:

1.Fisher, Tim. “What’s an XPS File and How Do You Open One?” Lifewire, 13 Jan. 2019, Available here.
2. “How to Open XPS Files.” Techwalla, Techwalla, Available here.
3.“Open XML Paper Specification.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Aug. 2018, Available here.
4. “XML Paper Specification File.” NC File Extension – What Is an .Nc File and How Do I Open It?, Available here.
5.“PDF.” P2P (Peer To Peer) Definition, Available here.
6.“PDF.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Feb. 2019, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “pdf icon” By Mimooh – Own work, (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia