Tips to open XPI file

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

XPI file extension

File Name Mozilla Installer Package
File Developer Mozilla
File Category Plugin Files

The XPI file is supported on 3 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the XPI files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the XPI file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 3
  • 3
  • 3
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is XPI file?

The XPI file has been categorized as Plugin Files. The author of this format is Mozilla. Additionally, the Plugin Files category contains 179 of other files. Mozilla Installer Package is supported by 3 operating systems. These systems consist of Linux, Mac OS, Windows, although it may occasionally be found on another system, it will be non-functional. The Mozilla Firefox application is recommended to open the file. It was released by Mozilla. This file type can also be opened by 8 other programs. The Mozilla Thunderbird, SeaMonkey programs will also handle the file when the Mozilla Firefox program does not fulfill its role.

How to open XPI file?

The main problem with Mozilla Installer Package is that the XPI file is incorrectly associated with programs. This is manifested by the fact that XPI files open in unusual applications or do not have an assigned program. This problem can be easily remedied.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the XPI 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 Mozilla Firefox

An often overlooked issue is to make sure that Mozilla Firefox is installed on the computer. To do this, enter the name Mozilla Firefox into the system search engine. In the absence of an appropriate program, its installation in the vast majority of cases will fix the problem. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open XPI files.

Step 2. Create association of Mozilla Firefox with XPI files

If, despite the installed application, the XPI file does not start in the Mozilla Firefox application, you must create a file association. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting 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. If there is no software on the list, simply select "Browse" and manually select the directory where the application is installed. Checking the "Always use the selected program ..." box will permanently associate the XPI file with the Mozilla Firefox program.

Step 3. Update Mozilla Firefox to the latest version

If, despite the association of the Mozilla Firefox program with the Mozilla Installer Package file, the file still does not open, check the program version and possibly update it to the newest version. In this case, use the Mozilla website or update the program from the application.

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

The problem may also be with the file itself if the above steps don't work. File problems can be divided into the following:

Very often, the file may be size 0 or incomplete. This is most often caused by a problem while downloading the XPI file. 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. Some antivirus vendors also provide free online scanners. The scan should cover the entire computer, not only the XPI file that we want to open. However, remember that not every infected XPI file can be recovered, so it is important to take care of regular backups.
Older version of XPI file may not always be supported by the latest software version. On their websites, developers usually offer free solutions to such problems, e.g. in the form of a conversion program or an older version of the program.
The file may be corrupted in a number of ways. Depending on the type of file, it is necessary to repair it accordingly. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular XPI file corruption. The easiest way is to restore the file from a backup, if there is one, or contact Mozilla
The program can also signal the fact of encryption. The encrypted file XPI except for the special designation, works normally, but only on the device where it was encrypted, before transferring it to another machine, decryption is required.
The operating system protects files in some locations (e.g. the root of the system partition) against unauthorized access. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. Copying the XPI file to another location will fix the problem.
This can happen on a file that does not support multiple access. In this case, the XPI file is blocked by the first application to open it. Closing other programs should help. Sometimes it is necessary to wait a while before referencing the XPI file again. Antivirus programs or a backup being made may lock the file for a while without the user's knowledge. If the problem persists, restart the machine.