Tips to open XIF file

Can't open the XIF file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open XIF files as well as a list of programs that support XIF files.

XIF file extension

File Name ScanSoft Pagis Format
File Developer Nuance Communications
File Category Layout Files

The XIF file is supported on 2 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the XIF files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the XIF file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 6
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is XIF file?

The file with the extension XIF is the Layout Files file type. The creator of this file is Nuance Communications. Additionally, the Layout Files category contains 137 of other files. ScanSoft Pagis Format is most often found on 2 operating systems. Although it can be found with greater or lesser success on any operating system, it will only be useful on Mac OS, Windows. The OmniPage application is recommended to open the file. It was released by Nuance Communications, Inc.. There are also 6 alternative programs to handle the XIF file. You can use ACDSee, XnView, Konvertor, Pagis Viewer in case OmniPage cannot be used.

How to open XIF file?

The most common problem when using ScanSoft Pagis Format is that a specific XIF is not associated with the program. Thus, when you open XIF, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. How to solve such a problem?

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the XIF file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install OmniPage

The first step is to check if the computer has the OmniPage program installed. To do this, enter the name OmniPage into the system search engine. If it is not, installation may solve the problem, as most applications create file associations during installation. Below you will find a list of applications that support XIF files.

Step 2. Create association of OmniPage with XIF files

If, despite the installed application, the XIF file does not start in the OmniPage application, you must create a file association. It is most convenient to call the context menu with the right mouse button and select Properties. Information about the file and the program that the file is associated with are available here. Using the "Change" button we can set the program to handle this type. It may happen that in the next window there will be no appropriate program - however, this can be corrected with the "Browse" option where you should manually indicate the program location. Checking the "Always use the selected program ..." box will permanently associate the XIF file with the OmniPage program.

Step 3. Update OmniPage to the latest version

If, however, after binding OmniPage with ScanSoft Pagis Format there were still problems, you should update the program to the latest version. In this case, use the Nuance Communications, Inc. website or update the program from the application.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the XIF file

Of course, it may happen that despite the above steps, the file still does not work. File problems can be divided into the following:

Very often, the file may be size 0 or incomplete. This suggests truncating the XIF file contents when downloading or copying. The file should be downloaded again, making sure that the process has finished correctly.
The most common cause here is computer viruses. A virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should fix the problem. Alternatively, you can use the scanners available online. However, it is important to scan the entire system, not only the file XIF or the program directory. Sometimes virus-infected XIF files cannot be recovered, so make a backup in advance.
This can happen especially when the program is dynamically developed and the structure of the XIF files changes over time. These problems are known and are often very easy to fix using the software developers's website.
There can be many reasons for this. The repair method must be adapted to the type of file and damage. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular XIF file corruption. The easiest way to restore the file is from a backup or by contacting Nuance Communications, but this one can be expensive. Not all damage can be reversed.
When reading, a message appears that the file was encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted XIF files can be used by the device on which they were encrypted, on any other device it is required to have the appropriate cryptographic key and decrypt the file before its recovery.
Some operating systems do not allow file operations in certain locations, eg in system directories or directly on the system drive. The problem is only writing to the file, not reading it. It is best to move XIF to a different directory.
This problem usually affects more complex files. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. Running programs (including those in the background) should be verified. If the error persists after closing other programs, wait for a while. However, some background programs may block the XIF file while scanning. If nothing helps, please reset the device.