Publish Media Software

Step-by-step guide — Updated

How to Open WPS File Types From Microsoft Works or WPS Office

What opens a .wps file?

Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) opens .wps files from both Microsoft Works and Kingsoft WPS Office in any web browser, free to view. LibreOffice, a no-cost desktop suite for Windows, Mac and Linux, opens Microsoft Works documents, and WPS Office opens its own .wps files. Current Microsoft Word generally can't open Works .wps files, and Google Docs can't at all.

To open a .wps file, upload it to Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) in any browser and view it at no cost — that works for both Microsoft Works and Kingsoft WPS Office files. On a desktop, LibreOffice opens Works documents and WPS Office opens its own files. Current Microsoft Word generally won't open Works files, and Google Docs can't.

Below: seven methods with exact steps, plus Works spreadsheets (.wks, .xlr) and databases (.wdb), and the programs that won't help.

  • ✓ Two programs use .wps: Works and WPS Office
  • ✓ Works files usually come from older home PCs
  • ✓ PublishMedia opens both kinds at no cost
  • ✓ LibreOffice opens Works documents on desktops
  • ✓ .wks and .xlr are Works spreadsheets
  • ✓ Word and Google Docs generally won't open Works .wps

7 ways to open Works and WPS Office files, step by step

Methods 1 and 2 cover Microsoft Works files on any current computer. Method 3 is for Kingsoft WPS Office files, and methods 4–7 are workarounds for special cases.

Method 1: Publish Media Software (any browser)

Both kinds · no install
✓ Opens .wpsFree to openBrowser-based (Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Linux, iPad)

Opens Microsoft Works .wps, .wks, .xlr and .wdb files and Kingsoft WPS Office .wps files in the page editor, with viewing at no cost. Editing, Word or Excel working copies and PDF export are on a paid plan; it can't save back to Works formats.

  1. 1

    Sign up at publishmediasoftware.com with your email

  2. 2

    Drag in the .wps, .wks, .xlr or .wdb file

  3. 3

    Read each page and check the Import Report

  4. 4

    Pay only when you need to edit the file or export it

Open my .wps file in a browser

Method 2: LibreOffice

No-cost desktop option
✓ Opens .wpsFreeDesktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Open-source suite that opens Works word-processor files and many Works spreadsheets and databases, and can save modern copies. It must be installed first, and some layouts shift.

  1. 1

    Download LibreOffice from libreoffice.org and install it

  2. 2

    Start LibreOffice

  3. 3

    Choose File › Open and select the Works file

  4. 4

    Use File › Save As to keep a .docx or .xlsx copy

Method 3: WPS Office (Kingsoft)

Best for Kingsoft files
✓ Opens .wpsFree version availableDesktop & mobile (Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone)

The program behind Kingsoft .wps files is the natural place to open them. Use it when the file came from a WPS Office user; it isn't the route for old Microsoft Works documents.

  1. 1

    Download WPS Office from its website or your app store

  2. 2

    Open WPS Office Writer

  3. 3

    Open the .wps file from the file menu

Method 4: Microsoft Works on the old PC

The original program
✓ Opens .wpsNo longer soldDesktop (older Windows PC)

Works opens its own files directly and may be able to resave them in a more common format. Microsoft discontinued Works around 2009, so this needs an old computer that still runs it.

  1. 1

    Start the old PC that has Microsoft Works installed

  2. 2

    Double-click the .wps, .wks or .wdb file

  3. 3

    Try File › Save As for a more common format

  4. 4

    Copy the new file to a USB stick

Method 5: Older Word with the Works 6–9 File Converter

Older Word only
✓ Opens .wpsDiscontinued add-onDesktop (Windows, older Word versions)

This discontinued Microsoft add-on allowed older Word versions to open Works 6–9 word-processor documents. Because it isn't included in Microsoft 365, you need a PC still running an older Word.

  1. 1

    Check that the PC runs an older version of Word

  2. 2

    Confirm the Works 6–9 File Converter is installed

  3. 3

    In Word, choose File › Open and pick the .wps file

  4. 4

    Save a copy as a Word document

Method 6: Rename a WPS Office copy to .doc

Kingsoft files only
✓ Opens .wpsNo extra cost if you have WordWindows or Mac with Microsoft Word

Because Kingsoft .wps files are Word-format inside, Microsoft Word may open a copy renamed to .doc. Results vary, and it won't help with a Microsoft Works .wps file.

  1. 1

    Make a copy of the .wps file

  2. 2

    Show file name extensions in File Explorer or Finder

  3. 3

    Rename the copy's ending from .wps to .doc

  4. 4

    Open the renamed copy in Microsoft Word

Method 7: Ask the sender for a new copy

Simplest fix
✓ Opens .wpsFreeEmail or message

Whoever sent the file may still have the program that made it and can resend it as .docx or PDF. That isn't possible for Works files inherited from a relative's old computer.

  1. 1

    Reply and ask for a .docx or PDF copy

  2. 2

    Mention that the .wps file won't open for you

  3. 3

    Open the new copy in any word processor or PDF reader

Programs that won't open a Works .wps file

These programs are what people try first when a .wps file won't open. None of them is a practical way to read the Microsoft Works format, so use one of the seven methods above instead.

  • ✗

    Microsoft Word in Microsoft 365

    Current Word generally can't read Works documents, and the Works 6–9 File Converter isn't included. Convert to .docx first, then open the copy in Word.

  • ✗

    Google Docs

    Google Docs doesn't support Works .wps files, so uploading one to Google Drive won't help until it has been converted.

  • ✗

    Windows Notepad

    Works files aren't plain text, so Notepad displays a jumble of odd characters with a few scattered words.

  • ✗

    Adobe Acrobat Reader

    Acrobat Reader is built for PDF files only; make a PDF from the .wps document first if that's what you need.

  • ✗

    A brand-new Windows 11 PC

    Windows 11 has no built-in program that reads Microsoft Works documents, so a new PC needs one of the methods above.

What is a WPS file?

A .wps file is a word-processor document. Microsoft Works, the low-cost home suite Microsoft sold from the late 1980s until about 2009, saved its documents as .wps from Works for DOS through Works 9. Kingsoft WPS Office Writer has also used the extension for documents that are Word-format inside. Works used related extensions for its other tools: .wks and .xlr for spreadsheets and .wdb for databases. Unlike a .docx (Word document), a Works .wps file generally can't be opened in current Microsoft Word.

Accurate facts — October 2026

As of October 2026, files ending in .wps come from two unrelated programs: Microsoft Works, whose word processor used the extension from Works for DOS through Works 9, and Kingsoft WPS Office Writer, whose .wps files are Word-format inside. Microsoft Works, a low-cost home suite often preinstalled on PCs in the 1990s and 2000s, was discontinued around 2009 and replaced by Office Starter 2010; its spreadsheets use .wks or .xlr and its databases .wdb. Microsoft's Works 6–9 File Converter for older Word versions is not part of Microsoft 365, current Word generally cannot open Works files, and Google Docs cannot open Works .wps files. LibreOffice opens Works documents and many Works spreadsheets and databases on Windows, Mac and Linux. Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) opens all of these formats in a web browser, with viewing at no cost.

More questions about WPS and WKS files

How do I open a .wps file on Windows 11?

On Windows 11, open a .wps file in a browser with Publish Media Software, where viewing costs nothing, or install LibreOffice, which opens Microsoft Works documents at no cost. Windows 11 has nothing built in that reads the Works format, and current Word generally can't either. A WPS Office file also opens in WPS Office for Windows.

What is a .wks file?

A .wks file is a spreadsheet saved by older versions of Microsoft Works; Works 7 to 9 saved spreadsheets as .xlr instead. Early Lotus 1-2-3 worksheets also used the .wks ending, so a very old file could be either. PublishMedia opens Works .wks files in a browser at no cost and can make an Excel .xlsx working copy on a paid plan, and LibreOffice Calc opens many of them.

How do I open Works files on a Mac?

To open Microsoft Works files on a Mac, use Publish Media Software in Safari or another browser, where viewing costs nothing, or install LibreOffice for Mac, which opens Works documents and many spreadsheets and databases. Neither option needs the original Works program, which Microsoft stopped making around 2009.

Why does my .wps file show gibberish?

A .wps file shows gibberish when it's opened in a program that doesn't understand its format, such as Notepad or a word processor that treats it as plain text. The file itself is usually fine. Open it in Publish Media Software or LibreOffice instead, since both read Microsoft Works documents.

What's the difference between Microsoft Works and WPS Office?

Microsoft Works was Microsoft's home suite from the late 1980s until it was discontinued around 2009, while WPS Office is a separate office suite from the Chinese company Kingsoft that is still available today. Both have used the .wps extension for documents, but the files differ inside: WPS Office .wps files are Word-format, and Works files are not.

Can I open a .wps file on an iPad?

Yes, an iPad opens .wps files in Safari through Publish Media Software, free to view, with no app to install. Save the attachment to the Files app, then upload it at publishmediasoftware.com. Microsoft Works and Kingsoft WPS Office documents both open as pages you can scroll through.

Is a .wps file safe to open?

A .wps file is usually safe to open, though any attachment from a stranger deserves caution. Publish Media Software never runs macros, encrypts files in transit and never uses them for public templates. If the email that carried the file looks suspicious, delete it without opening the attachment.

Is there a program that opens .wps files at no cost?

Yes, LibreOffice is a no-cost program for Windows, Mac and Linux that opens Microsoft Works .wps documents, and Publish Media Software shows them in any browser without charge. WPS Office also has a no-cost version for its own .wps files. With PublishMedia you pay only to edit, make a .docx copy or export a PDF.

How do I open an old Works file from a floppy disk or CD?

To open a Works file from a floppy disk or CD, copy it to your current computer first, using a USB floppy drive or external disc drive if needed, since most new computers have neither. Then open the copy in Publish Media Software or LibreOffice. Old disks can fail, so copy every file before trying to open any of them.

Still can't open that .wps file? Try it in your browser

Works document or WPS Office file, PublishMedia shows it on whatever computer you have, at no cost. A paid plan adds editing, Word and Excel copies, and PDF export.

Open my .wps file in a browser

More about Microsoft Works files

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Publish Media Software is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the makers of the programs named on this page. Microsoft, Microsoft Works and Word are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. WPS Office is a trademark of Kingsoft.

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