How to Open Primavera P6 (.xer, .xml) and MS Project (.mpp) Files

XER Reader opens Oracle Primavera P6 (.xer, .xml) and Microsoft Project (.mpp, .xml, .mpx) schedule files without requiring database connections or proprietary software licenses.

Method 1: Open via the File Menu

1. Click the File menu in the top-left corner of the window.

   

2. Select Open.

3. In the file browser dialog, select your project file (e.g., Sample.xer or sample.mpp) and click Open.

The schedule parses instantly, displaying the hierarchical Activity Table on the left and the interactive Gantt Chart on the right.

Method 2: Open via Drag-and-Drop

You can drag any supported schedule file directly from Windows File Explorer or macOS Finder into the XER Reader window.

1. Locate your .xer, .xml, .mpp, or .mpx file on your computer.
2. Drag the file over the XER Reader application canvas until the drop zone highlight appears.
3. Release the mouse button to load and display the schedule immediately.

Method 3: Reopen from Recent Files

1. Click the File menu in the top-left corner.
2. Hover over Recents to view the list of recently opened schedules.
3. Click any project filename to load it instantly without browsing folders.
4. To clear your project history, select Clear at the bottom of the Recents list.

Supported File Formats

Format	Extension	Source Application
Primavera P6 Proprietary Export	.xer	Oracle Primavera P6 (all versions)
Primavera P6 XML	.xml	Primavera P6 XML Export
Microsoft Project Native	.mpp	Microsoft Project 2007 through 2024
Microsoft Project Exchange	.mpx, .xml	MSP XML & legacy MPX schedules

Opening via File Associations

You can set XER Reader as the default schedule viewer in Windows or macOS. Double-clicking any .xer, .mpp, or .xml file in your local file explorer will automatically launch XER Reader and open the schedule.