How to Open MDI (Microsoft Document Imaging) Format with Office 2007

When using Microsoft Office 2003 System Suite, you may see a printer named Microsoft Office Document Image Writer in your list of printers. In a situation such as when you don’t have access to a printer, but must print out some transient documents such as booking confirmation for concert, flight or train tickets, or receipt for online purchase, or you simply want to keep a soft copy of the documents in unmodifiable format so that the file can later be printed elsewhere, you can make sure of MS Office Document Image Writer by printing to this virtual printer which will subsequently create a file with .MDI extension.

MDI is a proprietary file format of Microsoft for storing raster images of scanned documents together with optional annotations or metadata, and can only be produced or read by certain Microsoft software, such as Microsoft Office Document Imaging (MODI) module included in Microsoft Office 2003 and later. However, when you upgrade to Windows Vista and Office 2007, or bring the MDI files via USB flash drive or email to another computer with only Office 2007, you will encounter an error of “Windows cannot open this file”, and subsequently ask you to either let Windows to go online to look it up automatically, or manually select from a list of programs that are installed on computer.

The problem happens because “Microsoft Document Image Writer” feature is not installed by default when you run Office 2007 setup. So in order to open and view or print the MDI files with Office 2007 installed, try one of the following workaround or resolution.

Firstly, you can insert the file or drag and drop the MDI file into a OneNote page to view it instantly.

Second is a permanent solution, by installing Microsoft Document Imaging Writer and its corresponding support for the file format.

  1. Go to Control Panel, select “Uninstall a program” link under Programs section.”
  2. High Microsoft Office 2007 (it may show Ultimate, Enterprise, Professional, Small Business, Home and Student, etc).
  3. Click on “Change” located on the navigation link near the top of the window.
  4. Select “Add or Remove Features”, then click “Continue”.
  5. Expand “Office Tools” section.
  6. Click on the drop down list for “Microsoft Office Document Imaging” and select “Run all from My Computer”.
  7. Click “Continue”.
  8. Click “Close” when installation done.

A new virtual printer “Microsoft Office Document Imaging Writer” is created and allows you to print to MDI format (a TIFF variant). And from now onwards you should be able to open any MDI files by simply double click on them. If you still can’t, try to restart your computer.


224 Responses to “How to Open MDI (Microsoft Document Imaging) Format with Office 2007”

Pages: [9] 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 » Show All

  1. Jams
    November 7th, 2009 05:14
    224

    OMG! THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH! I have been going crazy trying to down load all sorts of Supposed “dixes” that end up being sneaky ploys to try and get me to buy someone’s software! Thank you! I am now going to upgrade all my office’s computers with this! You have just saved me 6 hours of work time! :)

  2. h
    November 4th, 2009 16:06
    223

    THANKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

  3. JJ
    November 2nd, 2009 13:58
    222

    TACK!

  4. malyn
    October 31st, 2009 21:15
    221

    wow, thanks so much! very helpfuL!!!

  5. Ramy
    October 31st, 2009 03:35
    220

    Many thanks, that was was useful

    Regards,
    Ramy

  6. Nandita
    October 28th, 2009 22:55
    219

    Thank You so much.
    I needed the information, n I got from this site.
    Microsoft was unable to help me!

    Thanks once again, for the step by step procedure.

  7. Karen
    October 27th, 2009 00:28
    218

    Thank you for the step by step instructions…it now works. I was wondering why my MDI files would not open on my Vista laptop. I have no idea why MS likes to make things so difficult. I wonder if I will run into the same problems when I eventually upgrade my XP to Windows 7.

  8. abdull
    October 22nd, 2009 23:03
    217

    thanks guys, it worked

  9. Jude
    October 22nd, 2009 10:56
    216

    Thank you! It worked!

  10. Anis Lughmani
    October 21st, 2009 18:45
    215

    thank you very much for the support. It came in handy
    Anis

  11. Dr. M. K. Hassan
    October 14th, 2009 15:29
    214

    Thanks a lot this saved me a lot of trouble trying to downgrad from Office 2007 to Office 2003. Best regards

  12. Lynne Waggoner
    October 12th, 2009 21:09
    213

    Thank you so much!

  13. perry
    October 12th, 2009 02:25
    212

    Thanks for the solution that microsoft couldnt give me

  14. Mert
    October 10th, 2009 02:24
    211

    Excellent! Thanks a lot!

  15. Ankit G.
    October 5th, 2009 03:21
    210

    that was very handy!! thanks dude!

  16. Sandra
    October 5th, 2009 01:35
    209

    Thanks so much!!!I thought I would never have MDI again when I purchased microsoft office 2007. I’m glad I searched online and found this site!!! This is so helpful!!!Thank you!!

  17. Ramon
    October 1st, 2009 03:39
    208

    Thanks! This was _exactly_ what I needed!

  18. rick
    September 26th, 2009 03:01
    207

    another option is to click the “open file with” button when the error pops up… choose windows picture and fax viewer and now you can look at these files

  19. Susan
    September 12th, 2009 23:14
    206

    great instructions! clear, concise and correct! thanks!

  20. Bob
    September 12th, 2009 07:48
    205

    AbFab – clear instructions, and instructions that work. In My Favourites.
    Many Thanks

  21. Mike
    September 10th, 2009 04:35
    204

    Hiii, thanks buddy..it was really helpful tip, i was trying this for many days. Thanks again

  22. ACR
    September 5th, 2009 23:20
    203

    Thx just what I needed and easy to follow. Microsoft shud be embarassed by poor svc to their sw.

  23. Alexander
    September 3rd, 2009 09:32
    202

    Tks!

    Again proving what a BAD sw company microsoft is when it comes to actually helping customers.

    Thanks again,

    AD

  24. Aaron
    August 20th, 2009 10:21
    201

    Champions!

    Concise instructions that solved the problem. Mircosoft site was useless in helping.

    Cheers!

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