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.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, May 13th, 2007 at 2:47 am and is filed under Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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

Pages: « 5 4 3 2 [1] Show All

  1. Ananth
    November 5th, 2007 11:55
    25

    Thanks a lot dude. very helpful.

  2. Eric Campos
    November 1st, 2007 17:36
    24

    Helpful, thanks for the advice friend!

  3. jb
    October 31st, 2007 05:58
    23

    This is the first place that said to select “Run all from my computer”. That was the first time I was able to get MODI to actually show up as an option for opening TIFs

  4. abid
    October 30th, 2007 17:20
    22

    how can we edit the document.
    i need to edit a MDI file.

  5. Vickie
    October 29th, 2007 10:39
    21

    Thank you so much! Very helpful!

  6. Ram
    October 16th, 2007 04:10
    20

    Most useful information, Thanks.

  7. Sam
    October 15th, 2007 03:58
    19

    Thank You Thank You Thank You… Thank You!

  8. JT
    October 9th, 2007 03:49
    18

    Thanks for the tip about OneNote - I’m glad someone RTFM ;-) - nice !

  9. Gautam
    September 29th, 2007 02:12
    17

    Thanks very usefull. Funny that Office 07 does not install this feature by default.

  10. admin
    September 14th, 2007 00:30
    16

    Ensure that you select everything under the “Microsoft Office Document Imaging”.

  11. Eduardo
    September 13th, 2007 23:03
    15

    Muchas Gracias.

  12. Manuel
    September 13th, 2007 02:18
    14

    I did the steps, and it loaded the image writer as a printer, but I still can’t open the file. I have rebooted my computer, still not luck,

  13. Mark
    September 8th, 2007 05:29
    13

    Very helpful. Thank you.

  14. Brinley
    September 3rd, 2007 20:19
    12

    Thanks for great tip. Its easy when you know how. Cheers

  15. Vivi
    August 26th, 2007 07:15
    11

    What a life saver! I’ve been trying to figure this out since I bought my new computer in March. It worked immediately–didn’t even have to restart. THANK YOU.

  16. Ashwin
    August 14th, 2007 23:57
    10

    Thank you very much.
    This is an excellent information.
    I was able to open .tiff files immediately.
    Thanks a lot again.

  17. Kim
    August 1st, 2007 00:45
    9

    Thanks a bunch I was able to open the file immediately . Very helpful and uaeful.

  18. Ken
    July 28th, 2007 13:53
    8

    Thank loads… I can’t believe even Microsoft’s web page that describes the mdi format doesn’t include these simple instructions… Hello…

  19. Chiranjivee DEVKOTA
    July 21st, 2007 22:28
    7

    Its great. I was able to open the MDI files immediately.

    Thanks a lot.

  20. TJN
    July 15th, 2007 06:45
    6

    Free mdi viewer with office 2000
    http://www.hot.ee/mdiviewer

  21. Joann Nieman
    July 11th, 2007 05:39
    5

    Can you publish directions for Windows XP and Office 2007? I lost the mdi capability with Office 2007 but am still running XP. Thanks for this post. At least I know I’m not crazy.

  22. Dan
    June 24th, 2007 02:31
    4

    Excellent! Thanks for solving this pesky problem.

  23. Steve
    June 22nd, 2007 18:41
    3

    Brilliant, not a clue why it’s not in the default config but I’m glad someone knows how to get it back!

  24. Sri
    June 8th, 2007 04:37
    2

    You are a life saver dude

  25. Mike
    June 4th, 2007 06:39
    1

    Most useful info. Many thanks!

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