Have you ever tried to open a file inWindows 11, only for the completely wrong application to fire up and start loading it? That’s pretty frustrating, right? Well fortunately, there’s a cool little workaround we’d like to teach you that will prevent this issue from occurring altogether. Your key to success is a setting called file associations, and we’re going to teach you where to access this tool, and how to use it.
Difficulty
What You Need
Windows 11
If you aren’t sure which file type you want to change the association of, right-click your desired file and clickPropertiesfrom the resulting menu. Look forType of Fileat the top of the window. The three-letter designation next to that is its file type - for example, for images, that might beJPG or PNG. You can do it on an individual file-type basis or change all of them from one location.
Changing one file type
The quickest method to change a single file type is to do it from the Open With menu. If you want to change more than one file type at a time, skip to the next section.
Step 1:Right-click on a file of the type you wish to change the association for.
Step 2:SelectOpen Withfrom the resulting menu.
Step 3:Windows will then offer you an app or a list of apps that can act as the default for that file type. If you see the one you want, select it, and Windows will open that file in the app you’ve chosen.
Step 4:If you don’t see your preferred app, then from the menu that appears when you selectOpen With, either search for one by selecting theSearch the Microsoft Storeoption or clickChoose Another Appfor an expanded list of already-installed applications.
Step 5:When you’ve found the app you want and it has been selected, simply click the grayOKbutton. You can also tick the box labeledAlways Use This App to Open [Type of File] Filesbefore you hit theOKbutton if you want that app to open all files of that type going forward.
Step 6:From now on, any files of that type will be opened with your chosen application.
Changing any and all
If you want to change a few different file types — or even all of them — then the Settings menu is the best place to go.
Step 1:Press theWindows + Xkeys and clickSettingsfrom the resulting menu. Alternatively, search forSettingsin the Windows search bar and click the relevant result.
Step 2:SelectAppsfrom the list of options.
Step 3:ClickDefault Appsfrom the left-hand menu.
Step 4:Scroll down if needed, and clickChoose Default Apps by File Type.
Step 5:You’ll then be presented with a list of all of the file types Windows 11 supports, with their associated applications on the right-hand side. If a file type doesn’t have a particular application set up to handle it, there will be a gray plus sign (+) icon instead.
Step 6:Scroll through the list to find the file type you want to change the file association for. Click the application orPlusicon to its right.
Step 7:Choose your preferred application from the list that appears and click its corresponding icon. In the case of some file types, there will be multiple options, whereas others may have none.
Alternative options
There are two other avenues available should you not find an offered option. Either download a compatible application from the web or select theLook for an App in the Microsoft Storeoption, which brings you to the Microsoft Store.
Note:In some cases, the Microsoft Store may not return any results for relevant applications for a particular file type, or it may return search results that aren’t relevant. If this happens to you, you have to decide which app will work with the file type you want to change.
Once you’ve chosen your preferred application, you’re all set. This simple change has successfully reset the default application for your targeted file type; now this program will consistently open when you select a certain type of file.
If you find that you need to change back to the original application, you can use the steps above to get back to the default settings. Alternatively, you can return to theDefault Appssection of theWindows 11 Settingsmenu, scroll down, and then click on theResetbutton located under the phraseReset to the Microsoft Recommended Defaults.
