Can't choose default software / choices won't get saved

I did some more testing upon getting back home, can clarify some things further. Here's the gist, for affected people:

If you use a local account to log in to Windows, and for any reason you authenticate into some OS-tied application with your MSA (xbox app, windows store app, and such), your "Default apps" settings will no longer be able to be changed.

If you use a local account to log in to Windows, change to using your MSA to log in (even after doing the above), suddenly your "Default apps" settings will behave as they should.

If you revert from using MSA to log in and go back to your local account, they will once again be unable to be changed. But if you swap back to MSA login again, the "Default apps" settings will behave as they should for the duration that you continue to log in with your MSA.

I've bounced back and forth multiple times rebooting here and there testing various things. Tried changing my sync settings to see if maybe that was causing it, still have no idea of the underlying mechanics, but those are the events.

So I guess another "solution" is to swap your local login to an MSA one, make the changes you need, then un-link it once you're done. While tedious, it's a lot less drastic than having to do a major system restore or a reinstall. Can just bounce on, make your defaults changes, and bounce back out. Most people probably aren't changing those all the time anyway.

Given that this is dealing with settings being 'locked' in a sense, I'm kind of getting the feeling that this is a new bug introduced by the patch that solved the bug where Windows 10 was forcibly resetting users' defaults repeatedly. Just a guess though.

Anyway, go forth with this limited resolution. I do hope it works out for the other people who have experienced it in this thread, and maybe any other random folks that hit this via google can get something out of it. Fingers crossed it gets fixed for real in the next major update.

Thank you all this was driving me up the wall. A work around I found that sticks is to use the "set default by App" approach.

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1. Open "Settings"
2. Choose "System"
3. Select "Default apps"
4. Select "Set default by app" at the bottom
5. Select "Google Chrome"
6. Select "Choose defaults for this program"
7. Click "Select All"
8. Then "Save" The computer will indicate it is saving for about 2-4 seconds.
9. Click "Ok" and close out any windows associated with this process and your done.

davidhk said:

Right click at the Start button > select Control Panel > top right, click View by > select either large or small > select Default Programs > select Set your default programs > wait for it to load > left side, find Google Chrome > click it > right side, click Set this program as default <bottom right, click OK when done.

Thank you, I faced that inability to change the default programs through the Parameters window (the choice was just ignored whenever I clicked on the name of the program I wanted to set), but it did changed those default programs when I used the way you explained (and it updated instantly my choices in the Parameters window)!

Tepec said:

Thank you, I faced that inability to change the default programs through the Parameters window (the choice was just ignored whenever I clicked on the name of the program I wanted to set), but it did changed those default programs when I used the way you explained (and it updated instantly my choices in the Parameters window)!

Nice to know you have it sorted.

You are welcome.

Hannah890 said:

Sorry if this same question has been asked many times already, I seriously didn't find any threads about it I was probably not searching with the right keywords, but thanks for providing me with some now! Apologies. my OS is in Finnish so sometimes finding the right words and terms in English is a bit of a challenge.

I've done exactly this, but it doesn't stick. Doesn't let me choose any of the browsers.

Hi Hannah - I was pulling my hair out, but in one of these forum strings I found the fix. You have to go OLD SCHOOL. Don't use the Win 10 settings route... Pull up settings/System and THEN... in the search bar (top right) type Control Panel. Click Control Panel when the drop down menu gives you the option. Then pick Programs / Default Programs / Set your default programs and then a list of all programs will appear on the left. Click Google Chrome and then at the bottom (in light blue) choose "Set this program as default". I don't know why it works this way and not the other... but for now, this fixed it for me. You may need to repeat this process for other programs you'd like to change the default on, as well... like your viewer. Good luck.

I've only been using Windows 10 for 1 day after upgrading and I have this problem already in my local user account! I'm not too bothered since I can change the associations in other ways, but it indicates poor software testing from MS.

It's the associations in PC Settings I can't change. I can change the detailed associations the old way in Control Panel and then PC Settings will show the right program if the majority of associations have been made. Someone above mentioned this is a bug when using a local account so I'll just wait and see if it is fixed.