How do I seize control of my computer from Microsoft?

jcloversX · 22 Jun 2018

I am so mad right now I cannot think straight. I hate MS photo viewer!!!! I hate Groove Music!!!!
Up until today I used Irfanview for all image files. Up until today I used Microsoft Media Player as default music program.

In Settings >Apps> Default Apps> Photo Viewer is empty. If I hit the plus sign irfanview does not come up as an option. Now every time I choose an image file Microsoft is not smart enough to distinguish between a jpg file or a jpeg file. If the extension is jpeg it goes to photo viewer.

I want my music files to play under MMP 12 not Grove Music. If I try to change it under MMP player it will not accept it. THIS IS MY COMPUTER NOT MICROSOFT COMPUTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bree · 22 Jun 2018

If you don't see the app you want in Default Apps, then you can use another method to set the default.

Right-click on a .jpg and select 'Open with > Choose another app'. Tick the 'Always open with...' box and pick the app you want (Irfanview) from the list. If you don't see it there, scroll to the bottom of the list and click 'More apps'. When you have selected the app you want, click OK. It is now the default app for .jpg. Repeat for other image file types as required (.png, .bmp, etc.).

Do the same for .mp3 files and select your player of choice.

Personally, I find Groove Music an acceptable player, but my image viewer of choice is the old Windows Photo Viewer.
Restore Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

PS: how old is your Irfanview? the reason I ask is that older versions are known to trigger the 'An App Default Was Reset' notification, which may be how you lost it as the default in the first place.

Steve C · 23 Jun 2018

1ThursdayJC said:

I am so mad right now I cannot think straight. I hate MS photo viewer!!!! I hate Groove Music!!!!
Up until today I used Irfanview for all image files. Up until today I used Microsoft Media Player as default music program.

In Settings >Apps> Default Apps> Photo Viewer is empty. If I hit the plus sign irfanview does not come up as an option. Now every time I choose an image file Microsoft is not smart enough to distinguish between a jpg file or a jpeg file. If the extension is jpeg it goes to photo viewer.

I want my music files to play under MMP 12 not Grove Music. If I try to change it under MMP player it will not accept it. THIS IS MY COMPUTER NOT MICROSOFT COMPUTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I you spent a few minutes learning how to set file associations then you wouldn't be so angry

See Choose Default Apps in Windows 10
The old method of setting associations via Control Panel was superior but MS in its infinite wisdom has now dropped this method.

dalchina · 23 Jun 2018

If I try to change it under MMP player it will not accept it.

From Win 8 onwards it has not been possible to set a default association from within a program.
It is unfortunate that some programs still offer this option, when it doesn't work. That's the author's responsibility.

You need to work within the available rules.

margrave55 · 23 Jun 2018

I, too, don't like any of the current (or former) Microsoft image and video viewers.

It doesn't work from Win 8 onwards? It worked here (Win 10).
I installed the K-Lite suite, especially the "classic" media player. I installed it and it became the default for .wav, .mp4, .mp4, .avi, and .mpg files.
I installed Futurix Imager and it became the default for .jpg, .png, and .gif.
I used these on Win 7 and Win XP ... and they work just fine on Win 10.