Format guide

MXL

Compressed MusicXML

MXL is the compressed (zipped) variant of MusicXML, a zip containing the inner XML score plus a META-INF/container.xml manifest pointing at it. Most digital sheet music ships as MXL because it's typically 70-80% smaller than the uncompressed MusicXML. Every notation app that reads MusicXML reads MXL.

How to open a MXL file

Same as MusicXML, Finale, Sibelius, Dorico, MuseScore, Notion all read MXL natively.

Primary use

Compressed sheet music distribution.

Convert other formats to MXL

MusicXML → MXL

Convert MXL to other formats

MXL → MusicXML

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