How To Change What Program Opens A File In Windows 10
When Microsoft introduced Windows 8 dorsum in 2012, they likewise introduced a whole slew of apps that came pre-installed or that you could buy from the Windows Store. These apps are more than like ones you lot install on your smartphone or tablet than the desktop applications you used to install from .exe files on CDs (or downloaded from a software visitor's website). But yous could however install the latter, making your organisation a hybrid of traditional programs and new apps. Windows 10 continues this hybrid model, which isn't a bad thing since information technology lets you choose which version of each program y'all prefer to work with.
The trouble arises when in that location'south a Windows 10 app that does the same basic function (due east.g. email, graphic pattern, video thespian etc.) equally a traditional program and decides to make its ain app the default for opening and using those files.
What practise I mean by default programs?
The best instance for me is Microsoft's Reader app for reading PDF files. I prefer to use Adobe Acrobat (or Adobe Reader if I'm on a computer where Acrobat isn't installed) to read PDFs because I'm more familiar with it. And while I tin can just open Acrobat and then browse for the PDF file I want to read/piece of work on, there are times when I just double-click on a PDF file to open up it, e.g. when I become a PDF attachment in an email or from a link on a website.
When I did that before it would automatically open Acrobat, but subsequently I installed Windows 8 and then 10, it opened Microsoft's Reader app instead. That app would also open automatically when I create a PDF file from some other program similar Word.
And it'southward not but Reader. Most of the defaults are set to congenital-in Microsoft apps instead of third-party programs that yous may prefer, e.one thousand. the Edge browser instead of Firefox, Chrome, Safari, etc. And it even happens with Microsoft's own standalone programs—for example, I use Outlook for electronic mail but the default for Windows 10 is its Mail app.
Ugh.
Changing the default programme for specific file types
Note: The following instructions will but work if you have the plan installed locally on your computer. If you lot're using a deject-based version of a program —including Microsoft'due south own Office 365 applications— in that location doesn't seem to be any way to make those the default. Update: I've since discovered that even though I'm using Office 365 (version 2016), I do have a local version of the programme as well, only it does crave 1 of the steps outlined further down this post to make it the default.
At that place are two means you can change what program opens by default for any given file type.
Click the Commencement button and start typing "Default".
After a few messages, "Default Programs" will appear in the search results. Click that.
The window that opens has a few of the more than popular apps listed, like e-mail and browser, but not i for opening PDF files.
Scroll down and click the Choose Default Apps past File Type link.
A screen volition appear list all the different file types and the default programs they're currently associated with.
Scroll downwards to the file type for which yous want to change the default programme.
Click the icon for the electric current default programme.
A carte volition open up up that lets you select from programs installed on your computer that can open up that file type.
NOTE: If the one y'all want isn't listed, yous can coil downwardly and click the link to look for a new app in the Windows Store.
At present when I double-click on the PDF file in my electronic mail, Adobe Acrobat automatically launches instead of Microsoft Reader.
Woo-hoo!
BUT Look…
The procedure above has one major limitation. Sometimes the plan yous want isn't already listed in the dropdown menu and if information technology's not a Windows Store app, y'all're stuck. In that case, we tin become back to a archetype Windows tool: Control Panel.
UPDATE: Thank you to several readers for bringing this to my attending, only unfortunately it looks like Microsoft has establish a way to eliminate the Control Panel workaround too as one I had explained previously using the Run command to get to the onetime File Association screen by having the relevant screens redirect to the standard Settings page. I have no thought why they're so expressionless set up against people choosing the programs they want as their defaults merely they keep picking off solutions one by 1. *sigh*
At present what?
I have a few concluding options to endeavor that have worked for me to switch the default from Give-and-take 2016 (from Part 365) to Word 2010 and back over again. I make no guarantees they will work for other applications or fifty-fifty these ones for everybody, but they're worth a try, at least until Microsoft decides to break them too…
Utilise the Open With command.
In File Explorer, correct-click on a file whose default program you want to modify. Select Open With > Cull Some other App.
Check the box that says "Ever use this app to open up .[file extension] files." If the program y'all want to utilise is displayed, select information technology and click OK.
If the programme isn't listed, curlicue down and click on More Apps. If information technology *withal* isn't listed, ringlet down and click on "Expect for another app on this PC".
That will open a dialog box that will permit you drill down to observe the .exe file for the application yous want to make the default.
Notation: When the Browse dialog opens, it may automatically start at the Program Files folder on your estimator. Depending on the awarding you want, you may have to go up a level to the Program Files (x86) folder and find your .exe file under that path.
Also, some .exe files can have actually weird paths that make them difficult to observe. For example, here are my paths for Discussion 2010 and Discussion 2016 respectively:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\WINWORD.EXE
C:\Plan Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\WINWORD.EXE
Utilise the Program Repair Office
This is what has worked for me with the two dissimilar versions of Word I have. I "repaired" the one I want as the default and that seems to get in the priority of the two of them. And in one case I repaired both programs, they now both prove up in the list of Open With apps so I tin can more easily switch betwixt them over again.
To become to the repair feature, click the Windows button and get-go typing "Apps & features" until it appears in the search results.
Click it to go to that screen, then on the right-manus side under Related Settings, click on Programs & Features.
That will bring you lot to the Command Panel screen where y'all tin can select the program yous want to make the default. Click change and follow the instructions to repair the plan (they volition be dissimilar depending on the application).
Uninstall and Reinstall the Program
This is evidently the option of final resort but if nothing else works, it'southward worth trying to reinstall the program yous want to be the default. Originally I only had Word 16 on this computer, but when I installed Word 2010, it became the default. The Repair option above is what let me switch dorsum and along betwixt these two versions without having to reinstall over again.
Select the program you lot want to be the default.
Having no default
Occasionally you may discover yourself with a file type that yous don't want to acquaintance with any default program at all only somehow gets one assigned to it. Unfortunately, I accept not yet been able to discover a manner to remove a default that has been set. 🙁
Setting different programs for opening and editing files
A T4L reader commented below that in Windows XP (aka Microsoft'due south Best Operating System Always) yous could prepare different programs for opening a file vs. editing it. You can't do it easily in Windows x, only I did find 1 article that shows how to change the program for the Edit card for one application by editing a registry entry. I haven't tested it myself and you always take to be careful when making changes to the registry, only if you demand to do this, you lot can check information technology out to come across if it volition piece of work for your purposes:
How to Use the Windows Right-Click 'Edit' to Launch Photoshop Instead of MS Paint (TekRevue, 08/07/15)
You may too be interested in:
Windows 8.1: Change the Default Program for Opening Files
Microsoft Products: News, Views, & How-Tos
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Source: https://techforluddites.com/windows-10-change-the-default-programs-for-opening-files/
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