An XSN viewer for InfoPath templates
An .xsn file is the design of an InfoPath form, not a filled-in form. Opening one shows you how the form was built: its views, its fields, its rules. Opening the submissions with it shows you what people wrote.
To view an .xsn file without InfoPath, open it in FormArchive. It unpacks the template and shows each view as it was designed, the full list of fields from the schema with their types, and the default values. More usefully, it uses the template to render the .xml forms that were filled in from it, with their original layout, and to export those forms to PDF and Excel. You can also unpack an .xsn by hand, because it is a standard Windows cabinet (.cab) archive.
What an .xsn file is
An InfoPath template is a cabinet archive with a different extension. Inside are a manifest.xsf that describes the form, an XML schema (myschema.xsd) that defines its fields, one XSL stylesheet per view, a template.xml with the default values for a new form, and sometimes script or compiled code. Our guide to what's inside an .xsn file goes through each part.
What FormArchive shows you
- Views: each view rendered with the template's default data, so you can see the layout of the entry form, a print view or an approval view.
- Fields: every field and group in the schema, with its data type and whether it repeats.
- Forms: point it at the submissions and each one opens in the template's layout.
It does not edit or republish templates. If you are rebuilding a form in Power Apps or another tool, the field list is a useful starting specification.
Opening an .xsn by hand
Copy the file, rename the copy from .xsn to .cab, and open it. On Windows, File Explorer lists the contents and you can copy them out; the built-in expand command does the same from a prompt. On a Mac or Linux, an archive tool that handles cabinet files, such as 7-Zip or cabextract, will unpack it. You get the source files, but not a rendered form.
Open your InfoPath forms now
Drop in the template and a folder of submissions. Preview 10 forms free, on your own computer.
Enter your email to get the download link
Works with InfoPath 2007, 2010 and 2013 forms. Mac and Windows.
FAQ
Can I open an .xsn file on a Mac?
Yes, in FormArchive. You can also unpack it with a cabinet archive tool, but that gives you source files rather than a viewable form.
Does the .xsn file contain the submitted data?
No. The template holds the design and default values. Each submission is a separate .xml file, usually in the SharePoint form library.
Can FormArchive edit an .xsn template?
No. It reads templates to display and export forms. It doesn't change or republish them.