DEVICEMETADATA-MS File

What are DEVICEMETADATA-MS files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a DEVICEMETADATA-MS file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your DEVICEMETADATA-MS files.

What is a DEVICEMETADATA-MS file?

A .DEVICEMETADATA-MS file is a Windows Device Metadata file.

Windows Device Metadata files store descriptive information supplied by original equipment manufacturers so that Windows can show friendly names, icons, and actions in its Devices and Printers view. They are created by the vendor to give extra "device experience" details (manufacturer name, model, supported functions) beyond just the driver data.

Created using Microsoft's Device Metadata Package tools, these files bundle multiple XML documents plus graphical assets into a single compressed cabinet archive. The XML files include one named PackageInfo (describing package identity, schema version, locale, timestamp etc.), DeviceInfo (device model, category, descriptions), WindowsInfo (information about how Windows should present or handle the device) and often an icon file. Vendors typically build them using Microsoft's Cabarc utility.

Windows reads these metadata packages via a component called the Device Metadata Retrieval Client (DMRC), which searches either the local DeviceMetadataStore or a Microsoft metadata service to match the device's hardware or model IDs. If a matching package is found, Windows displays the metadata in the user interface; otherwise it falls back to generic descriptions.

File begins with the ASCII header MSCF (bytes at offset 0x0), indicating a CAB-like archive. Internally the archive contains XML files named PackageInfo.xml, WindowsInfo.xml, DeviceInfo.xml, and fields like HardwareID, ModelID etc.

How to open DEVICEMETADATA-MS files

Important: Different programs may use files with the DEVICEMETADATA-MS file extension for different purposes, so unless you are sure which format your DEVICEMETADATA-MS file is, you may need to try a few different programs.

We have not yet verified any programs for Windows that work with this specific file format. If you know one, please use the 'Suggest a program' link below. Thanks!

Last updated: October 22, 2026

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