Windows 7 - Open With - Change Default Program

**Brink**

How to Change the Default Program a File Type Opens With in Windows 7

Information

A default program is the program that Windows 7 uses when you open a particular type of file extension. This will show you how to change a file type to open with a different default program for just this one time or always using the context menu in Windows 7.

These Default Programs association settings are a per user setting and not applied to all users.

Here's How:

1. Right click on the file type (ex: .txt file) that you want to change the default program for, then click on Open with. (see screenshot below)

Note

If you do not have Open with in the context menu, then this means this file does not have a program associated to open it with.
Instead, click on Open.

Select (dot) Select a program from a list of installed programs, and click on OK.

Go to step 3.

2. To Select a Program that is Already Listed in Context Menu
A) After you have expanded Open with, select a listed program (ex: Notepad or Wordpad) that you want to open the file with for just this one time. (see screenshot below)

B) Go to step 4.

3. To Select a Program that is Not Listed in Context Menu
NOTE: This option will allow you to select to have the file type to always open with the selected program by default if you like.
A) After you have expanded Open with, select Choose default program. (see screenshot below step 1)

B) Under Other Programs, click on the drop down arrow to the far right to exapnd it and see more programs to select from. (See screenshot below)

C) Select the program that you want to open the file with. (See screenshot above)
NOTE: If the program you wanted to select is still not listed, then click on the Browse button and navigate to the program's exe file. Select it, and click on the Open button to add it to be able to select it.

D) To Always Open this File Type with the Selected Program
Check the Always use the selected program to open this kind of file box. (See screenshot below step 3B)

Go to step 3F.

E) To Only Open this File Type Temporarily with the Selected Program for Just this One Time
Uncheck the Always use the selected program to open this kind of file box. (See screenshot below step 3B)

F) Click on OK. (See screenshot below step 3B)

4. The file will now be opened by the selected program.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

**steephan** · 07-20-2009

What to do if I do this on shortcut? :]
I done this accidently and non of my shortcuts dosn't work anymore :/

**Brink** · 07-20-2009

Hello Steephan, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You can download and run this REG file below to restore the default lnk (shortcut) associations in Windows 7.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

**steephan** · 07-20-2009

Thx for fast reply
wrrr dosnt work at all :/
I have enought of this problem

**Brink** · 07-20-2009

Steephan,

You can do a System Restore using a restore point dated before this happened to hopefully fix it then.

**steephan** · 07-26-2009

If I only made backup before :/
Any other options?
Reinstal system only?

**Brink** · 07-26-2009

I would do a repair install instead of a clean install instead. This way you will not lose anything.

**steephan** · 07-27-2009

SO i need boot from windows dvd and there is that option?

**Dwarf** · 07-27-2009

No, you do not boot from the DVD. Instead, boot into Windows 7 and then insert the DVD. The following image is from the beginning of this Tutorial - you just need to follow the rest of the instructions from there.

Open With - Change Default Program-capture.png

**steephan** · 07-28-2009

made repair install and didnt help :/

Windows 7 - Open With - Change Default Program

Open With - Change Default Program

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