How to Change File Associations in Windows (original) (raw)

The Default Apps area of Settings is how you change what program opens a file in Windows 11 and Windows 10

Updated on February 24, 2022

What to Know

• Windows 11: Settings > Apps > Default apps > Choose defaults by file type > choose a program.
• Windows 10: Go to the same Default apps screen as W11, but select Choose default apps by file type.
• You can still use a different app to open the same file despite setting a program's default file association.

This article explains how easy it is to change a file type's program association in Windows. Instructions apply to Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.

How to Change File Associations in Windows 11

Windows can only open one program for a particular file extension automatically. To work with TXT files in Microsoft Word instead of Notepad, for example, changing the default file association for TXT files is required.

The Choose defaults by file type option is found in the Windows 11 Settings.

1. Right-click the Start button (or use the WIN+X keyboard shortcut) and select Settings. The hotkey WIN+i works, too.
2. Select Apps from the left panel, and then Default apps from the right.
3. Scroll to the very bottom, and select Choose defaults by file type.
4. Click or tap one of the file types in the list.
5. Pick an installed program from the pop-up list, or choose Browse apps in the Microsoft Store.
6. Select Set default to save. From now on, Windows will open that program when you open a file with that extension from File Explorer.

How to Change File Associations in Windows 10

Like Windows 11, Windows 10 file association changes take place in Settings.

1. Right-click the Start button (or use the WIN+X hotkey) and choose Settings.
2. Select Apps from the list.
3. Choose Default apps on the left.
4. Scroll down a little and select Choose default apps by file type.
5. Locate the file extension for which you want to change the default program.
   If you're not sure what extension the file is using, open File Explorer to find the file and use the View > File name extensions option to show file extensions.
6. Select the program to the right of the file extension. If there isn't one listed, select Choose a default instead.
7. In the pop-up window, pick a new program to associate with that file extension. Windows 10 will now open the program you chose each time you open a file with that extension from File Explorer.

How to Change File Associations in Windows 8, 7, or Vista

These older versions of Windows also let you change the default program for a specific file extension, but it's done through Control Panel.

1. Open Control Panel. In Windows 8, the Power User Menu (WIN+X) is the quickest way. Use the Start menu in Windows 7 or Windows Vista.
2. Select Programs.
   You'll only see this link if you're on the Category or Control Panel Home view of Control Panel. Otherwise, choose Default Programs instead, followed by Associate a file type or protocol with a program link. Skip to Step 4.
3. Choose Default Programs.
4. Select Associate a file type or protocol with a program on the following page.
5. Once the Set Associations tool loads, which should only take a second or two, scroll down the list until you see the file extension that you want to change the default program for.
   If you're not sure what extension the file in question has, right-click it (or tap-and-hold) the file, go to Properties, and look for the file extension in the "Type of file" line of the General tab.
6. Select the file extension to highlight it.
7. Choose the Change program button, located just above the scroll bar.
8. What you see next, and the next step to take, depends on what version of Windows you're using.
   ​Windows 8:Look through the list and select the program you'd like to open when you double-click or double-tap these types of files. Try More optionsfor the complete list.
   Windows 7 & Vista: Choose the app that should open for this extension. The Recommended Programs are probably the most applicable, but there may be Other Programs listed, too. Use Browse to manually locate a program.
9. Select OK if you see it, and Windows will refresh the list of file associations to show the new default program assigned to this file type.
   From this point forward, when you double-click or double-tap on any file with this particular file extension, the program you chose to associate with it in Step 8 will automatically launch and load the particular file.

How to Change File Associations in Windows XP

If you still have Windows XP, follow these steps instead:

1. Go to Start > Control Panel to open Control Panel.
2. Choose Appearance and Themes.​
   You'll only see that link if you're using the Category View of Control Panel. If you're instead using the Classic View, choose Folder Options instead and then skip to Step 4.
3. Select Folder Options near the bottom of the window.
4. Open the File Types tab.
5. Under Registered file types, scroll down until you find the file extension that you want to change the default program association for.
6. Choose the extension to highlight it.
7. Select Change in the lower section.
8. From the Open With screen that you're now looking at, choose the program you'd like to open the file type with by default.​
   If you don't see that screen, choose Select the program from a list, and then OK.
   The most common programs that support this particular file type will be listed under the Recommended Programs or Programs list, but there may be other programs that support the file as well, in which case you can manually select one with the Browse button.
9. Select OK and then Close back on the Folder Options window. Going forward, any time you open a file with the extension you chose back in Step 6, the program you chose in Step 8 will be opened automatically and the file will be loaded within that program.

More About Changing File Associations

Changing a program's file association doesn't mean that another supporting program can't open the file, it just means that it won't be the program that opens when you double-tap or double-click on those types of files.

To use another program with the file, you'll just need to start that other program manually first, and then browse your computer for the particular file to open it. In most cases, this works by opening the program you want to use with the file and then navigating to a menu like File > Open, after which you can select the file. Doing this doesn't actually change the file association for that file as explained above.

Also, changing the file association doesn't change the file type. To change the file type is to change the structure of the data so that it can be considered to exist in a different format. Changing the file's type/format is usually done with a file conversion tool.

FAQ

• To zip a file in Windows 10, open File Explorer, then right-click the file and select Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder.
• Whether you want to troubleshoot an issue or edit the HOSTS file, use File Explorer to locate the file. HOSTS can be found at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc.

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