Open With - Change Default Program

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
NOTE: This option will only open the file type with this program for just this one time and not everytime by default.
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 be able 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 by Default

• 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 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

---

• How to Add "Open with" to Context Menu of URL Files in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Add "Open with" to Context Menu of BAT Files in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Associate a File Type or Protocol Default Program in Window 7
• How to Unassociate a File Extension Type in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• Restore Default Windows 7 File Extension Type Associations
• How to Set Default Associations for a Program in Windows 7
• How to Hide or Show Known File Type Extensions in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove "Always use selected program" in Open with
• How to Have "Always use selected program" Always Checked or Unchecked in "Open with"
• How to Remove or Restore the Open With Context Menu Item in Windows
• How to Change the Default Icon of a File Extension in Windows 7
• How to Create a Default Programs Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove "Open with Notepad" from the Context Menu of Files
• How to Clean Up and Remove Programs from the "Open with" Context Menu
• How to Add a Program to "Open with" in Windows 7
• How to Create a "Set Program Access and Computer Defaults" Shortcut
• How to Enable or Disable the "Set Program Access and Computer Defaults" Page
• How to Fix "Open with" Opening with Notepad or Error Message

 

[Brink]

Hello Leeroy, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Downloading and merging the .lnk (LNK) option in the tutorial below will restore .lnk (shortcuts) back to it's default associations automatically for you.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[leeroycooley]

thankyou, your a life saver! anyway to get icons back to normal? its not as important, but it is a bit of a pain in the arse!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.

It depends on if it's the actual shortcut's icon or the overlay arrow on the icon. If you would, please post a screenshot showing them to see if it may help ID what may be wrong with them

 

[leeroycooley]

here we go

 

[Brink]

It's hard to tell what the shortcuts are for with the text garble and blurry, but you might see if rebuilding the icon cache may help now since the default association has been restored.

 

[zuckie]

not working for me

I'm following these steps to try to add Audacity to the list of programs I can use to open an audio file, but when I choose "audacity.exe" and click "open" it does not appear on the list! Anyone have any ideas as to why that would be or how I can successfully add it to the list of programs? Thanks!

 

[Brink]

Hello Zuckie, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Did you expand Other Programs in "Open with" at step 3B to see if it was listed there?

 

[zuckie]

Yes I did. I clicked on "browse" found the "audacity.exe" file, clicked open and nothing happened - it did not appear in the list of programs I could open audio files with, it was as if I hadn't done anything. Any ideas are welcome!

 

[Brink]

The exe file may not be the correct file from the program to run the audio file with, or the exe doesn't support running that audio file. Are you able to open the file from within the program itself to run it? If so, then it may be another file from the program that runs it instead. What does the program's shortcut target point to?

 

[drugo]

thanks
but this doesn't work with VLC.exe and FLV extension

 

[Brink]

thanks
but this doesn't work with VLC.exe and FLV extension

Hello Drugo,

Are you able to select the VLC media player in "Open with" instead?

In addition, in VLC media player, you can click on Tools (menu bar) and Preferences, then do what's in the screenshot below to set FLV to open with VLC media player.

 

[drugo]

Hello Drugo,

Are you able to select the VLC media player in "Open with" instead?

yes

In addition, in VLC media player, you can click on Tools (menu bar) and Preferences, then do what's in the screenshot below to set FLV to open with VLC media player.

i downloaded the zip file
i doesn't work

 

[Brink]

What ZIP file are youy referring to?? :huh:

If you mean from the link below, then no it will not work since .flv files do not have a program associated to open with by default in Windows.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html

Were you able set VLC as the default for FLV files using the second part of my post above through the Tools -> Preferences menu?

 

[drugo]

What ZIP file are youy referring to?? :huh:

If you mean from the link below, then no it will not work since .flv files do not have a program associated to open with by default in Windows.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html

Were you able set VLC as the default for FLV files using the second part of my post above through the Tools -> Preferences menu?

sorry
i downloaded vlc zip version
and it doesn't work

 

[Brink]

Give the exe version a try instead.

 

[farmerbb]

I find it hard to believe, here it is Dec/2015, and this issue has not been fixed by Microsoft as part of a Win7 update. I have a favourite text editor, and I want my Win7 PC to recognise it as one of the "Open with" applications, and for file associations. NOTHING I have seen or tried works, unless I am willing to try to edit the registry. When I do not see it listed among the choices, I use Browse, locate it on another drive/folder and choose it, with the box ticked for 'Always use' and my choice does not "stick". Win7 seems to forget my choice as soon as I leave the browse function. This was easy in XP. Why is it impossible in Win7 ? It is getting annoying that each time I want to open one of several file types, I have to drag the file icon out to the Desktop icon, and use Open With. When I go to the Install Programs menu, all I see is CD/DVD or Web. Why is there no choice for "Already installed and running on drive X:" ? I downloaded that DefaultProgramsEditor program and that is useless. Doesn't do what it seems to advertise. Or maybe I am just dim.

 

[Brink]

Hello farmerbb, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Is the text editor program installed, or is it a portable standalone program? Usually, only installed programs will stay listed in Open with.

This also depends on the program being compatible with Windows 7, and properly registers itself when installed.

What's program is this for? I'll see if I may be able to test it on my system.

 

[farmerbb]

Thanks for the response. The text editor is called Lpex, it IS installed, and I doubt it registered itself when installed. (evfwlx40.exe) I just copied it and unzipped it from a previous machine. As for compatibility, every thing I use in it seems to work, other than I just can't get Win7 to recognise it. XP handled it fine. I don't know if it is available anywhere, as it was developed by IBM, maybe 20 years ago. I continue to use it because I am familiar with it, and need nothing else to do my work. I have written many million lines of code with it and with the predecessor, EPM for OS/2.

As for "staying listed in Open With", this has NEVER appeared in Open With. Not for a second. I use Browse to tell what the application is, and Win7 just forgets my choice as soon as I leave the panel where I chose it. A thought....please tell me Windows will accept an application installed on drives other then C:.....

 

[Brink]

Yeah, with it being that old, it's not fully compatible to work with this properly.

If you like, post back with the full path of the evfwlx40.exe file, and I'll post back with a modified version of the tutorial below so that you will have a "Open with Lpex" in the context menu of all files.

You can then test to make sure it works properly for you with it.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/90686-open-notepad-add-remove-context-menu-files.html

 

[farmerbb]

Thanks for the offer, I truly appreciate it. I have two copies installed, for some reason. How about either this path

c:\lpex\bin\evfwlx40.exe or c:\utilities\lpex\BIN\evfwlx40.exe

I wonder how many others will read this thread and use your response to fix a problem they too have ?