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How to Open an XML File on Windows 11

The easiest way is to use Notepad to open the files

4 min. read

Published onOctober 19, 2023

published onOctober 19, 2023

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Key notes

XML (eXtensible Markup Language) files are plain text files that act as a universal format for storing and transferring data across several platforms.

In this guide, we will discuss ways to open an XML file on Windows 11 with step-by-step instructions and a short description to convert an XML file to a readable format.

What Microsoft program opens XML files? You can use various Microsoft Office programs like Word, & Excel to open and edit files with .XML file extension on Windows 11.

All you need to do is right-click the file, selectOpen With, then choose the program. You can also use Windows Notepad to access the XML format file.

How do I open XML files in Windows 11?

1. Use Microsoft Excel to open & edit file

You can use two options to open XML files on Excel:FileandData. Let us discuss both:

The Data menu method involves loading the data from XML documents via Power Query, a data automation tool in Excel. Follow these steps to open the file using it:

2. Use Microsoft Word to open & edit the file

Starting from Microsoft 2007, Word doesn’t support custom XML elements. Also, if you make any changes and save the file, the formatting will be removed permanently.

3. Use the Notepad app to open & edit the file

4. Use Visual Studio Code to open & edit the file

5. Use Microsoft Edge to view the file

You can also launch Microsoft Edge, open a new tab, then drag & drop the file to view it.

6. Use Google Chrome to view the file

There are some otherbrowsers that can be used to open this type of fileon Windows, like Opera One and Mozilla Firefox.

How do I convert an XML file to a readable file?

The simplest way is to open the Extensible Markup Language (XML) file in Excel using the abovementioned steps inMethod 1and save it in XLS format at a desired location on your computer.

However, if you want to convert an XML document to another readable format, you can use otheronline XML editorsfor free.

To conclude, you can use any method mentioned to open the file type, but choosing the suitable one depends on your requirements.

In case you are looking for a way toopen and view the OXPS file, another XML file format, read this guide for step-by-step instructions.

If you know another way to open XML files on Windows 11, please share them with us in the comments section below. We will happily add it to the list.

How to Open an XML File on Windows 11#

How do I open XML files in Windows 11?#

1. Use Microsoft Excel to open & edit file#

2. Use Microsoft Word to open & edit the file#

3. Use the Notepad app to open & edit the file#

4. Use Visual Studio Code to open & edit the file#

5. Use Microsoft Edge to view the file#

6. Use Google Chrome to view the file#

How do I convert an XML file to a readable file?#