What is XML File? How to Open .XML Extension in Chrome and MS Word

What Exactly is XML File Extension?

XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a markup language much like HTML which use tags to describe the parts of a file.

.XML File Extension

XML files are used for encoding and storing data that can be read by both humans and machines which makes it very useful. Data is stored as plain text in an XML file and custom tags are used to provide structure to and describe the data in the file.

Uses of XML Files

You may have noticed that Microsoft Word files are saved as .docx files. The x at the end stands for XML.

Websites use XML files to load data to the website from the files. HTML files can store XML data and display it on webpages. This is an example of how HTML and XML work together. This is why XML is very effective in sharing data over the internet.

XML files can be used by computer softwares for different purposes like, displaying the data inside the files on the screen or using the data in the program.

Users can use browsers, Microsoft Office, notepad, or some XML viewer to open and view XML files. You can also use an online XML viewer or editor to open and edit XML files.

Related File Extensions:

How to Open XML File in Chrome

Opening XML files make it easier to read the content of the XML file. Browsers automatically mark the nested tags.

  1. Open Google Chrome and press CTRL + O. Locate the XML file in the window and open it.
  2. You can also drag and drop the XML file to the Google Chrome to open it.
  3. Another way to open XML file with browser is to right click the XML file, select Open with and select Google Chrome.
  4. If you do not see Google Chrome in the listed programs, click on the Choose default program, click Browse and locate Google Chrome. Then click OK.

You can also increase the font size by pressing the CTRL + +/- (or mouse wheel up/down).

How to Open XML File in Microsoft Word

  1. Open Microsoft Word and navigate to File > Open.
  2. Go to the directory where the XML file is located and open it from the window.
  3. Another way to open XML file is to right click on the file, select Open with and then select Microsoft Word from the menu.

MS Word opens the displays the content of the XML file without the tags.

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