How to Change File Associations in Windows

Here's How to Change What Program Opens a File in Windows

How to Change File Associations in Windows

Ever double-tap or double-click on a file and then it opens in the wrong program, or in a program that you don't want to use? 

Many file types, especially common video, document, graphics, and audio file types, are supported by many different programs, several of which you may have installed on your computer at the same time. 

Windows can only open one program for a particular file extension automatically, so if you like to work with your PNG files in Photoshop Elements, for example, and not Paint, then changing the default file association for PNG files is what you need to do. 

Follow the easy steps below to change a file type's program association in Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista. Directions for Windows XP are further down the page.

Time Required: It'll take less than 5 minutes to change the program that's associated with a particular file extension, no matter which Windows operating system you're using or what file type we're talking about.

How to Change File Associations in Windows 10, 8, 7, or Vista

Note: Setting a program's default file association does not restrict other programs that support the file type from working with them in other situations. More on this at the bottom of the page.

Open Control Panel. In Windows 10 & Windows 8, the Power User Menu (WIN+X) is the quickest way in. Try the Start Menu in Windows 7 or Vista.

 
Tap or click on the Programs link.

Note: You'll only see this link if you're on the Category or Control Panel Home view of Control Panel. Otherwise, tap or click Default Programs instead, followed by Associate a file type or protocol with a program link. Skip to Step 4. 

Tap or click the Make a file type always open in a specific program link, located under the Default Programs heading.

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.

Tap or click on the file extension to highlight it.

Tap or click the Change program... button, located just above the scroll bar.

What you see next, and the next step to take, depend on what version of Windows you're using. See What Version of Windows Do I Have? if you're not sure which set of instructions to follow.

Windows 10 & 8: 

From the "How do you want to open this [file extension] file from now on?" window you see now, look through the programs and apps in Other options and find, and then tap or click on, the program you'd like to open when you double-click or double-tap these types of files. Try more apps for the complete list.

Tap or click the OK button. Windows will refresh the list of file associations to show the new default program assigned to this file type. You can close the Set Associations window if you're done making changes.

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 7 will automatically launch and load the particular file.