XML-based recording profile for Microsoft Windows Performance Recorder
File type: Configuration file, Text file
A WPRP file is an XML-based profile used by Microsoft Windows Performance Recorder to define how system performance data is collected. It can specify providers, recording modes, buffer settings, event keywords, and other parameters for a performance trace.
These profiles are used by WPRUI.exe, the Windows Performance Recorder graphical interface, and by the command-line WPR.exe utility. Because the format is XML, it can also be viewed or edited with a text editor, although incorrect changes may prevent a recording from starting.
File type category:
Configuration file
Text file
Date updated: November 2, 2026
A WPRP file is a structured text document based on XML. It describes one or more recording profiles and the Windows event providers that should be enabled during a performance recording. Profiles may collect information about CPU activity, disk and file I/O, networking, memory, processes, and other system components.
Windows Performance Recorder uses WPRP profiles to configure recordings that are normally saved as ETL trace files. The profile controls data collection; it is not itself a performance trace and does not contain the recorded event data.
Profile files commonly include XML elements for profiles, collectors, providers, keywords, stack-walking options, logging modes, and buffer configuration. Microsoft supplies built-in profiles with the Windows Performance Toolkit, and advanced users can create custom profiles for specialized diagnostics.
Native support is provided on compatible versions of Microsoft Windows through Windows Performance Recorder and the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit. macOS and Linux do not generally provide native WPRP recording tools; on those platforms, the files can usually be read as XML with a text editor or XML editor, but they cannot normally be used to start a Windows Performance Recorder session.
On Windows, install the Windows Performance Toolkit, which is included with the Windows ADK, and use Windows Performance Recorder or WPR.exe to work with the profile. A WPRP file can also be opened for inspection in Notepad, Notepad++, or another XML-aware editor. Editing the file should be done carefully because WPR expects a valid profile structure.
On macOS or Linux, use a text editor or XML editor such as Visual Studio Code, Vim, or Emacs to view the XML content. These applications can inspect the file but do not provide the Windows Performance Recorder functionality required to run the profile.
There is no general-purpose conversion needed or widely supported for WPRP files. They are XML configuration profiles, so an XML editor can be used to modify or reorganize the content while preserving its required schema. A profile can be saved with a different text encoding or XML formatting, but it should remain valid XML and retain the expected WPR elements.
WPRP profiles are used to create performance recordings rather than converted into recordings directly. When a profile is run with WPR.exe or WPRUI.exe, the resulting trace is typically saved as an ETL file, which can be analyzed with tools such as Windows Performance Analyzer. Online converters generally cannot reliably convert WPRP files to another performance-trace format.
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