Selecting the default application in Windows 10. How to change default applications in the Windows Control Panel

We all have our favorite apps that we use all the time: a web browser, a music player, text editor etc. They also store other necessary things that we value. By default, our files open in them, but...

One day you will discover that the document you were working on, say, in Word, has been loaded into another program. It does not have the usual functions, there are no settings, and the text structure itself does not look the same. Why did this happen? But because the application that was associated with Word documents changed for some reason. Fortunately, not forever. Let's talk about how to configure default programs in Windows 10 and associate them with specific file types to quickly and easily fix such errors. And also what to do if the setting is not saved.

What are the default programs in Windows 10?

Default programs are applications native to the system or installed by the user that are associated with files of a certain type. For example, a notepad is associated with text notes txt, with documents doc and docx – , with web pages htm – EDGE browser, with jpg pictures – “Windows Photos”, etc. When you click on such an object, the system does not ask how you want open it, but immediately loads it into the software that is associated with it. Data about linking files to applications is stored in the Windows registry.

You can find out which program is associated with a specific file type by looking at the icons of the latter, as, for example, in the screenshot below.

The types of objects that the operating system itself uses - cmd, js, lnk, exe, inf, vbs, etc., are strictly associated with Windows components. If this is changed, some system functions will be disrupted. For example, when you click on any shortcut on the desktop, the player will launch Windows Media or browser Internet Explorer, not what you expect.

It is relatively safe to change user application file associations - system functions will not be disrupted. In case of an error, you can easily return everything to its place.

2 Easy Ways to Reassign Defaults

Let's consider the situation. Let's say you're used to using the Opera Internet browser to surf the web, but then you installed another one and mistakenly designated it as your main one. How to return the previous setting?

Go to Start and run system utility « Options» (click on the gear icon).

Go to the section " System».

Then - in " Default programs».

Find the item " Web browser", click on it and select Opera.

In the case of Opera, everything is simple, but what to do if the necessary software is not in the “Options”? Let's imagine another situation: we are faced with the task of making the default browser Google Chrome, which, judging by the screenshot, is on the list available options absent.

Click on Start right click mouse or press the key combination Windows + X and select “ Control Panel».

Let's go to the section " Default programs».

Next - in " Setting programs...».

From the table of all applications installed on your computer, select Google Chrome and click “ Use».

3 ways to change file and program associations

The application assigned to be the default one binds to itself all types of files that it is intended to open. But sometimes we want some of them to run in something else. In Windows 10 there are at least 3 ways that give us the opportunity to do this.

First:

Right-click on the file that you want to unlink from one program and link to another. Click " To open with" And " Select another application».

Find in the list " Use» the required program. If it is not displayed (that is, it is not suitable according to the Windows developers), click " More applications" If it is not in the additional list, click " Find another application installed on your computer"and, using Explorer, specify the path to the exe file of the desired program.
Return to the previous window and check the box " Always use to open such and such files».

Second:

Go to Start and run " Options" Go to the default settings section. Click on the " Selecting standard programs for file types».

In the left column of the window that appears next, find the object of interest. Opposite it, on the right, it is indicated how it will open. Click on the icon (in my example - Opera) and select another program.

Third:

Open the already familiar section of the control panel, where we designated Google Chrome as the main web browser. Go to " Matching file types or protocols...»

Find the extension of the desired object in the left column and click the “ Change program».

What to do if Windows 10 does not save the setting

A little over a year ago, users of the “dozens” version 1511 were faced with the problem of constantly resetting applications to default to initial settings. The cause of the error, as it turned out, was the KB3135173 update - it returned the registry settings to their original values if they turned out to be incorrect. According to Microsoft representatives, in Windows 10 file associations are set differently than in previous releases of the system, and the problem only occurred with software whose developers did not take this into account.

The solution was found in the spring of 2016. For correction Microsoft errors released another update - KB3140743. After installing it custom settings they don't fly off anymore.

Today, this problem is usually faced by people who, for one reason or another, have refused to install Windows updates 10. I think it’s clear how they can get out of the situation - just update the system to the latest version or, as a last resort, limit yourself to installing only KB3140743.

The new Windows 10 has many features, small and large. Windows 10, like other versions of this OS, allows you to install many applications for processing various types files (for example, Windows Media Player and VLC for audio/video). Having several applications installed to work with files provides flexibility, but has certain inconveniences; each time you have to choose which application to process the file.

But you can easily bypass this and set default applications for handling files in Windows 10. Once the default applications are set, you will no longer be prompted to select an application with which to open the file. And most importantly, you can set default programs both traditional and Metro style.

How to set default apps for files in Windows 10?

Setting default apps to handle various files in Windows 10 is quite easy.

Step 1: Open the application PC Settings - PC Settings. In the left column, select Search and apps - Search and applications.

Step 2: Now several more relevant sub-options will appear in the left column. Select an option Defaults - By default.

Step 3: The right column now shows default applications for processing major file types (audio, video, web pages, etc.). To specify (or change) the default application for a specific task/file, simply click on it and select the desired application option. The list of available applications includes both traditional software applications, and applications in a new style. If you can't find the app you need, you can directly search for it in the Windows App Store.

That's it: this way you have specified the default applications to handle all file types.

Leave your comment!

Tired of choosing an application to open the same files every time? Or you once set the default program and don’t know how to change it? Computer literacy will tell you how to configure default applications in Windows 10.

Applications are configured through the “Settings” window, which opens by clicking the gear in the Start menu or by pressing the Win + I key combination. From the proposed categories, select the very first one – “System” and then “Default Applications”.

In the main settings window you are asked to select or change default applications for Email, cards, music player, photo viewer, video player and web browser. Just click on the application icon and select another program from the drop-down list if the current solution does not suit you.

In some cases, the operating system marks its recommendations, but it is far from certain that this will best choice just for you. There's also a Reset button at the bottom of the window, which will automatically set default apps according to its own recommendations.

More flexible settings are available via the “Select standard applications for file types” link. The new window will offer numerous file extensions in the area on the left, and the names of the applications that are currently selected by default for them on the right. Similar to the previous point, just click on the application icon and select another value from the drop-down list.

For many file types, the program may not be specified at all. Then instead of the application icon there will be a plus icon and the inscription “Select default value”. For example, even after installing the 7-Zip archiver, its standard archives with the .7z extension may not have a default opening application. But you can add it manually.

In this article, we will take a step-by-step look at the process of designating any program in Windows 10 as the default one. This will allow you to launch certain types of files (images, music, videos) immediately in the required application by double clicking the mouse.

Assigning defaults for programs via the context menu

The most obvious and simple way set any program as default- do this through the context menu of the file itself that you want to open in this moment. For example we will take music file mp3 format. By default, in Windows 10, such items open in the newest metro app, Groove Music. Let's say we don't like it and we want to replace this program with good old Winamp. To do this you need:

Click on the file with the RIGHT mouse button. Will open context menu.
Select the item " To open with" Here we already see Winamp in the list, but if we select it right away, the file will simply open in this application, but it will not be assigned by the program by default. Therefore, here we need...
Click on the item " Select another application».
In the newly opened window “How do you want to open this file?” mark the name of the program, which we now want to use as the default (in this case Winamp).
Check the box “Always use this application to open... files.”
Click OK.

In some cases, a window listing with the title “How do you want to open this file?” The required program does not appear. Then you need to scroll the contents of the window to the bottom and click the “More applications” link. And, if the program you are looking for is there, repeat the steps already described: select it, check the box and OK.

In some, very rare cases, the program needed to be assigned by default does not appear under the “More applications” spoiler. Then you need to find it manually. To do this you need:

Click on the “Find another application on this computer” link at the very bottom.
Explorer will open. In it you need to find the desired program (Winamp). It may be located in just one of two folders on system disk C - Program Files or Program Files (x86). Inside you need to find a folder with the name of your program (or less often the name of the company that released it - for example, Adobe), open and mark the launch file.

After this, a window will open in which the desired program can already be assigned as default.

Perhaps the file will simply open in the program of choice (Winamp) instead. Don't think that everything went wrong. Now you just need to repeat the steps described at the very beginning of the article and the program will appear in the list of the “How do you want to open this file?” window.

For greater clarity, here is another picture diagram demonstrating how Make it the default program in Windows 10 free photo editor PhotoScape:

Another way to set default programs in Windows 10 is to make changes to the settings operating system via Settings. To do this you need:

Open the Settings menu (Win+i or the gear icon in the Start menu).
Select "Applications".
In the left column, click “Default Applications”.

Here you can quickly and easily change the most basic default programs: for watching videos or photos, listening to music, as well as a web browser. All you need to do is click on the name of the program under the desired heading and change it to the required one. There is no need to save the changes in any way.

You can also try assigning necessary programs by default, using tools more fine tuning. There are three links for this at the bottom of the same page:

Select default apps for file types - allows you to change the default apps for specific file extensions in Windows 10. For example, for png images, jpg, gif; for audio mp3, video mp4b text documents doc, etc.
Selection of standard applications for protocols.
Set default values by application - this item is perhaps the most useful in this small list. It allows you to see a list of all file formats that can potentially be opened by the selected program and assign defaults for them. For example, the Paint program offers the following list of file extensions for installation by default: bmp, dip, emf, gif, ico, jfif, jpe, jpeg, jpg, png, rle, tif, tiff, wmf. Unfortunately, not all installed applications presented in this settings item.

Default programs in Windows 10 using the Options menu is currently the most in a modern way. However, in some cases, the applications the user needs are simply not there. This usually applies to programs that have not been updated for a long time, latest versions which came out even before the advent of Windows 10. We took just these as an example: Winamp and PhotoScape. Such programs can be made basic only through the context menu - in the manner described at the very beginning of this article.