NDPI viewer

NDPI Viewer: NDP.view2 Download, Mac Version and Alternatives

NDP.view2 is Hamamatsu's free viewer for the NDPI slides its NanoZoomer scanners write, and it runs on both Windows and Mac. Download it from Hamamatsu if NDPI is all you open. Its free edition does not open other vendors' slides, though: SVS, MRXS or CZI need the paid NDP.view2 Plus. If your lab receives NDPI next to slides from other scanners, SlideScope opens them all in one desktop viewer on macOS and Windows, with nothing uploaded.

Download SlideScopeWhere to get NDP.view2
macOS and WindowsNDPI, NDPIS, SVS, MRXS, CZI, ND2Slides stay on your computer

Where to download NDP.view2 (Windows and Mac)

  1. Go to Hamamatsu's NDP.view2 product page (U12388-01). Version 2.10.1 was offered for Windows and for Mac on 20 October 2026, as direct ZIP downloads with no registration form.
  2. Check your computer: the product page lists Windows 10 and 11 (32-bit or 64-bit) and macOS 26 Tahoe, 15, 14 and 13 on Intel or Apple Silicon. A Mac on macOS 10.15 to 12 needs the older version 2.9.29.
  3. Unzip, install, and open the .ndpi file. Installing NDP.view2 makes it the default viewer for Hamamatsu slides.

NDP.view2 is free to use with Hamamatsu format slides and is for research use only, not for in vitro diagnostic use. Download it from Hamamatsu: download-site listings we found still offered the older 2.9.25.

What NDP.view2 opens, and what needs NDP.view2 Plus

Hamamatsu's NDP.view2 manual (version 2.10) lists NDPI, NDPI with JPEG XR compression, NDPIS fluorescence sets and VMU files. Formats from other scanner makers, such as Aperio SVS, Leica SCN, 3DHISTECH MRXS, ZEISS CZI and Olympus VSI, need the paid NDP.view2 Plus (U12388-02), and Hamamatsu notes that loading of all image data is not guaranteed there. LUT control, the histogram and line profiles are also Plus features; the fluorescence tools are listed for the NanoZoomer S60.

That makes the free NDP.view2 a good single-vendor viewer and a weaker fit for a lab or core facility that receives slides from several scanners, which is the job SlideScope is built for.

How to open an NDPI slide on a Mac or Windows with SlideScope

  1. Download SlideScope for macOS 14 or later (Apple Silicon or Intel) or Windows 10/11 and install it. The free preview needs no account or card.
  2. Copy the slide to a local disk and let the copy finish: an NDPI slide is one large file, and a partial copy will not open. For an NDPIS fluorescence set, copy the .ndpis file together with all of its .ndpi channel files, in one folder, with their names unchanged.
  3. Open the .ndpi (or .ndpis) file in SlideScope, or drag it into the viewer.
  4. Use the overview navigator to move around the slide, check the pixel size in the file details, and make calibrated measurements or annotations that stay with the slide.

SlideScope reads NDPI through the open-source OpenSlide library, opens JPEG XR-compressed NDPI slides as well, and opens NDPIS sets since version 1.10.0. Full limits are on the file compatibility page and in the NDPI guide.

NDP.view2 and SlideScope compared

 Hamamatsu NDP.view2SlideScope
PlatformsWindows 10/11 (32/64-bit); macOS 13 to 26, Intel and Apple SiliconmacOS 14 or later (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows 10/11
PriceFree with Hamamatsu format slides; NDP.view2 Plus is paidFree preview (5 images to open, measure and annotate; no card); 3-day free trial, then paid subscription (pricing)
Slide formatsNDPI (including JPEG XR), NDPIS, VMU; other vendors' formats only in the paid Plus editionNDPI, NDPIS, VMS, VMU, SVS, MRXS, SCN, BIF, DICOM, TIFF and OME-TIFF, plus CZI, ND2, LIF and IMS microscopy files
Intended useResearch use only, not for in vitro diagnostic useResearch, teaching and review; not a diagnostic device
Measurement and annotationLength and area measurement, annotationsCalibrated measurements and saved annotations, exported as GeoJSON or CSV
Other listed toolsMultiview, focus-plane changes on Z-stack scans, exportOverview navigator, metadata panel, brightness, contrast and channel controls

NDP.view2 facts come from Hamamatsu's product page and manual, checked on 20 October 2026; see the sources below.

When NDP.view2 is still the better choice

If your slides all come from Hamamatsu NanoZoomer scanners, NDP.view2 is free on both Windows and Mac and built by the company that makes the format. It is also the safer choice for Z-stack NDPI scans, where it changes the focus plane through the stack, and for NanoZoomer S60 fluorescence work. If you need a free, open-source viewer that also runs analysis, QuPath reads NDPI on Windows, Mac and Linux. SlideScope fits best when NDPI is one of several formats your lab has to open, measure and annotate. For a wider look, see the whole slide image viewer comparison.

NDP.view2 and NDPI questions

Where can I download NDP.view2?

From the NDP.view2 product page (U12388-01) on hamamatsu.com, which offered version 2.10.1 for Windows and for Mac as direct ZIP downloads, with no form, when we checked on 20 October 2026. NDP.view2 is free to use with Hamamatsu format slides and is for research use only, not in vitro diagnostic use.

Is there an NDP.view2 for Mac?

Yes. Hamamatsu offers a Mac download of NDP.view2 2.10.1 next to the Windows one, and lists macOS 26 Tahoe, 15, 14 and 13 on Intel or Apple Silicon. Older Macs on macOS 10.15 to 12 need the earlier version 2.9.29.

Can NDP.view2 open SVS, MRXS or CZI files?

Not the free edition. Hamamatsu says other formats such as SVS, SCN, MRXS, CZI and VSI need the paid NDP.view2 Plus (U12388-02), and that loading of all image data is not guaranteed. A viewer such as SlideScope or QuPath opens NDPI next to those formats.

Why won't my NDPI file open?

Most often the file did not finish copying: NDPI slides are large single files, and a partial copy or an interrupted download cannot be read. Copy it to a local disk and check that its size matches the original. For a fluorescence NDPIS set, the .ndpis file only lists the per-channel .ndpi files, so keep all of them in the same folder with their original names.

Is SlideScope free?

SlideScope is a paid app with a free preview (open, measure and annotate a few of your own images) and a 3-day free trial.

Free preview: open, measure and annotate up to 5 of your own images. No account or card needed. Export, sharing, comparing slides and AI Analysis come with the 3-day free trial: $0 today, then $25/month unless you cancel before it ends. PayPal or card required, and you can cancel anytime from your account. Annual billing is available at $249.99/year, which works out to about two months free.

Does SlideScope upload my slides?

No. SlideScope reads NDPI slides from your own disk. Optional features such as AI Analysis or shared links are separate, and only run when you choose to use them.

Sources and non-affiliation note

SlideScope is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Hamamatsu Photonics. NDP.view2, NDP.view2 Plus and NanoZoomer are names of Hamamatsu products and are used here only to describe comparison and alternative search intent. Facts about NDP.view2 were taken from Hamamatsu's own pages on 20 October 2026:

Try it free on your own files

Open your own NDPI slides in SlideScope and decide from real review work, not a feature list. Already decided? Subscribe now.

Download SlideScope