frustrating internal changes and modifications with every update

Client has a problem with finding/selecting his default apps other than what Microsoft wants.

Of course the ever changing and reorganizing anything in settings within every effing update doesn't make it much easier instead makes any online help pretty much useless because whatever is referred to is different or somewhere else with the next update! sadly this includes also the tutorials here.

Client needs to change to an specific email app for the MAILTO protocol.
Despot Microsoft now gives only the choice they want to give you. In his case installed browsers and of course Microsoft itself.
Before there was the option to select any installed email program respectively "search this PC".
No more.
Only other choice they give you now is to go their @#$%^&*! Microsoft store.
Hello! What if the app is not there what then? what if the app is installed on the PC and used?

It stumped me and I have so far not found a competent and/or valid relevant answer on how otherwise to change the MAILTO protocol to a desired app.

How can I change to an app for the MAILTO protocol, a different client, an app that is on the computer, but not on the Microsoft store?

It used to be until recently that one always could simply select an "other" APP, but now there is no option to do this, only the authoritarian suggestions and of course "SEARCH THE MICROSOFT STORE".
(I hope we never get cars that will only Drive on certain roads in certain directions to certain towns...)

Is there any work around to do this, some good old registry add on/edit?
Or am I missing something 'hidden' in plain sight?

Remember, the app to be used is not in the damn Microsoft store but it's installed and working happily on a computer.

Is there a way to go to pick any app for any protocol, without getting stonewalled with this "search Microsoft store* "?


*PS you know where this is going! Microsoft wants that in the near future any and all and every app are only available on the Microsoft store where they can decide how much you have to pay rent or pay for it! You'll see! Never mind the data mining they will be able to do.

1. Download SetUserFTA
2. From CMD, run the command "ftype" to find your client's preferred e-mail program.
3. Enter "SetUserFTA mailto [string]" where [string] is the program listed from ftype.

Important: it must MATCH the string provided by ftype, not any random program path you're thinking of.

The problem has been for all later W10 builds (and W11), the ftype value is a system-protected resource to prevent random malware from stealing the app preferences. There is a security hash which is applied in the registry to authenticate the value. To make any permanent changes, you need to use SetUserFTA -- which is the only tool which has reverse-engineered the hash function.

When you use Settings, it naturally updates the hash. But everything outside of the control panel doesn't perform this trick, even if you're the Administrator.

garlin said:

1. Download SetUserFTA
2. From CMD, run the command "ftype" to find your client's preferred e-mail program.
3. Enter "SetUserFTA mailto [string]" where [string] is the program listed from ftype.

Important: it must MATCH the string provided by ftype, not any random program path you're thinking of.

Thanks, will check it out.

dalchina said:

...I have no problem using Thunderbird (not from the store) with Mailto.

That is exactly where "the dog lies buried".
After the last update this does not work anymore and Thunderbird does not show any more!
I tried it on my systems and encountered the same issue my client encountered.

Thunderbird is gone! "Sovetskiy Apparatchik Mikrosoft" has eliminated that as they decided for you you're better off with their effing store. ( I guess you can sense in my cynicism my frustration with the ever-increasing authoritarianism of aforementioned company [just wait until you have to pay them to use your computer, that's what's coming next)

My client (has a slight visual impairment) uses Thunderbird, At older version, colorful and not in contemporary Stalinistic gray in gray, highly configured and customized. Any updates are blocked preventing the Mozilla update addict maniacs from messing everything up. (FYI though unrelated, once you use an app like foldermarker and have customized, colorful and iconized folders it is amazing how quickly you find everything because you have colorful visual cues)

Here's what happened: (I can reproduce the same issue on my systems)


You cannot get Thunderbird anymore! (who knows, in a future update you might have extensive 3 choices of bloatware Outlook, Edge or to look for an app in the Microsoft store...)

The same with "choose default apps by protocol"


"Mikrosoft apparatchik" says "niet"
Can I use what I need? "niet"
But I need to... "niet"