EPS is a graphical file format intended to protect vector images. If you are having trouble opening this type of file, this article provides you with a list of free EPS file viewing software. Take your pick…
Did You Know?
EPS files were the first to offer a thumbnail preview of images.
If you heard the saying ‘good things come in small packages’, then an EPS file accomplishes the same. Instead of displaying the design outright, it protects the file while being inserted into another document, hence its name ‘Encapsulated Postscript File’.
It is encoded using Postscript. This type of file is used in PDFs to protect the owner of its rights and prevent any infringement issues. An EPS file contains a combination of text, graphica, and images. That being said, EPS is a legacy format, and only used for vector files. So, if you experience trouble opening this particular file, here is a list of free EPS file viewing software.
EPS File Viewing Software
XnViewMP is the extended version of XnView, and supports up to 500 image formats, but can write 50 formats. It is compatible across all platforms, including Mac OS X and Linux. It charges only if it’s used commercially. It is really a good choice among the lot.
Website: XnViewMP
GIMP is an open-source raster editor that is used for retouching and editing photographs. It is available for free, and can open the EPS file format.
Website: GIMP
This software is named after its owner Irfan Skiljan, and works under all versions of Windows, from Windows 95 to Windows 8. It is also compatible with Mac OS X and Linux, and can be run using an emulator like Wine. It can open up to 100 formats, and can most definitely open the EPS file for easy viewing.
Website: IrfanView
Inkscape is a vector-based desktop publishing software that are used to manipulate images. Although its primary format is the Scalable Vector Graphics format, it supports other formats too. It is available for free and across all major platforms.
Website: Inkscape
As the name suggests, it’s made for opening the EPS file format. This can also be used to convert files into more popular forms, such as JPG.
Website: EPS Viewer
Scribus is another desktop publishing software that lets you view many image formats as well as the EPS file. It also has a portable version used for viewing the EPS file on cell phones. It has its own built-in scripting engine based on Python, and is available for free.
Website: Scribus
This is a software created to interpret the Adobe software suite and its associated files. Since Adobe was responsible for the EPS file, it can still open this legacy format. And most importantly, this software works on all platforms, including Unix, Linux, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Atari TOS, and AmigaOS.
Website: GSview
Another image-editing software that was intended to be a substitute for Microsoft Paint, it ended up being an open-source software, compared to the likes of Adobe Photoshop and CorelDRAW. It’s a lightweight program that supports a number of image formats, and can be used for viewing EPS files too.
Website: Paint.NET
This is a list of free software that can be used to view EPS files. Since EPS is a legacy format, many attempt to use newer software like PDF without knowing any information about the EPS file format. Try any of these and you won’t have to look any further.