Default Programs

How to Associate a File Extension Type With a Program in Vista​

   Information

This will show you how to associate a file extension type or protocol to open with a program that you want it to open with by default.

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

   Note

The program you select will need to be able to support that file extension for it to open it. For example, .TXT with Notepad or Wordpad. It would not open with MSPaint.

METHOD ONE

Through a Download

1. Go to the link below to select a file extension to download a .reg file for to merge and restore it's default associations for.​

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Restore Default Vista File Extension Type Associations​

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METHOD TWO

Through Open With

   Tip

To add a program to the Open With menu list, see METHOD TWO here: How to Add a Program to Open With in Vista

1. Right click on a file, with the file extension type you want to change, that you want to open.​

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2. Click on Open With and click on the program you want to open it if listed. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: This will only open the file with the selected program for just this one time.​

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3. If the program is not listed, then click on Choose Default Program. (See screenshot above)​

A) Click on the Browse button. (See screenshot below)​

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B) Navigate to the program's .exe location that you want to open the file and select it. (See screenshot below)​

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C) Click on Open.​

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4. To Make this the Default Program to Open this File Extension -​

A) Check the Always use the selected program to open this kind of program box. (See screenshot below step 3A)​

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B) Go to step 6.​

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5. To Open this File Extension with this Program for just this Time Only -​

A) Uncheck the Always use the selected program to open this kind of program box. (See screenshot below step 3A)​

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6. Click on OK. (See screenshot below step 3A)​

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METHOD THREE

Through Default Programs

1. Open the Control Panel. (Classic View)​

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2. Click on the Default Programs icon.​

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3. Click on the Associate a file type or protocol with a program link. (See screenshot below)​

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4. Click on the file extension type you want to change the association for what .exe program opens it. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: It may take a moment to load up.​

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5. Click on the Change Program button.​

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6. If listed, select the program you want to be associated with (opens) the file extension. (See screenshot below)​

A) Check the Always use the selected program to open this kind of program box and click OK.​

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7. If the program is not listed, then click the Browse button and navigate to the .exe of the program you want as the default to open the file extension.​

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A) Select the program.​

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B) Click on the Open button. (See screenshot below)​

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C) Check the Always use the selected program to open this kind of program box and click on OK to apply. (See screenshot below step 7)​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Set Default Associations For a Program in Vista
• How to Add Back and Set Windows Mail Default Associations
• How to Unassociate a File Extension Type in Vista
• How to Show and Change a File Name Extension in Vista
• How to Add a Program to Open With in Vista
• How to Change a File Extension Type Icon in Vista
• How to Restore or Remove Windows Media Player from Default Programs
• How to Restore or Remove Windows Media Center from Default Programs
• Restore Default Vista File Extension Type Associations
• How to Change the Default Program of the "Edit" Context Menu in Windows

 

[Brink]

Nhnt11,

Here's a .reg file in the ZIP download below from my computer with all of the default registry entries for the .dll file extenstion. It should fix the icon issue for you.

 

[nhnt11]

Worked perfectly. thanks for everything!

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Nhnt11.

Shawn

 

[AnimaKun]

I'm in a bit of a quandary here.

The image shows that I've got TWO Windows Photo Galleries. I accidentally opened the photo gallery .exe file instead of the .dll which only opens a single image when fixing a file type association. Now that I have that fixed, I can't find a way to remove a program from the Open With list. This affects all my files.

Please help me find out what's wrong here as I'm kinda familiar with windows but I can't figure this one out.

 

[Brink]

Hello AnimaKun, and welcome to Vista Forums.

You can open regedit, and look in this location below. In the right pane, right click on the Name that is the extra OpenWith item listed under the Data column and click on Delete and Yes. In your case, delete the one with the .exe file. You may need to log off and log on to apply though.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\(file extension)\OpenWithList



Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[AnimaKun]

Now I really think I've screwed up my file type associations here....

I'm using this stupid program called Creative Elements Power Tools, which I regret using. I've tried to fix my file type associations, but I've deleted things I shouldn't have, and now when I right click on .jpg's and .png's it's stupidly screwed up...

I need to find out how to restore my file type associations here!!!

 

[Brink]

AnimaKun,

If there are not to many that are messed up, then you can use a download in METHOD ONE of this tutorial to see if it can restore it for you.

If there are to many, then you can do a System Restore using a restore point dated before you made these changes with the program.

Hope this helps,
Shawn