"Default Apps" settings broken after update

Going to Settings -> System -> Default Apps and trying to change some default app.

Firstly, none of the entries immediately reflect the change of the app. For example, if one changes the default Web Browser from Google Chrome to Edge, visually nothing will change - the corresponding entry on the Default Apps screen will still show Google Chrome. One will have to leave the Default Apps screen and re-enter it again to see the change. Apparently the change sticks, but the GUI for some reason does not update itself right away.

Secondly, trying to change the default Photo Viewer from Photos to Paint also works as above - the GUI does not reflect the change. However, after leaving and re-entering the Default Apps screen, it shows an empty '+' entry for Photo Viewer. The machine continues to use Photos for photos, i.e the change does not stick.

I don't remember having this problem before the Anniversary Update.

I've found it best to set default programs using Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Default Programs\Set Default Programs which gives more control. Once a program has the majority of its defaults allocated, I then find Settings -> System -> Default Apps reflects the correct default program. However, I noted someone recently posted MS eventually plans to remove Control Panel so this approach may not be possible.

Steve C said:

I've found it best to set default programs using Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Default Programs\Set Default Programs which gives more control. Once a program has the majority of its defaults allocated, I then find Settings -> System -> Default Apps reflects the correct default program. However, I noted someone recently posted MS eventually plans to remove Control Panel so this approach may not be possible.

There's no need to go into the control panel. Go Settings -> System -> Default Apps scroll right to the bottom and the shortcut is already there. :)

Yes, doing it through Control Panel works.

I also noticed that creating a fresh user account seems to "fix" the original problem, as well as the crash in Sticky Notes app I reported here: Additional post-Anniversary update kills Sticky Notes app - Windows 10 Forums. Under the new user everything works fine (at least at first).

So, to repair things in a more radical fashion I just did a full Windows reset erasing all user files and programs. Once Windows reset itself, both Default Apps settings page as well as Sticky Notes app worked correctly for a while.

However, some time later it all began again in a freshly created account in a freshly reset Windows. Sticky Notes no longer launches and Default Apps again misbehaves as I described in the original post above. Even though these problems appear unrelated, it seems that both began simultaneously.

Just tried a clean install of 1607 from ISO on a Lenovo W541 laptop.

The original admin account (local) I created during the install process seems to work fine so far. Both Sticky Notes and Default Apps screen appear to work properly under that account. The only extra bit of software I installed was Chrome.

However, an additional admin account (also local) I created after the install went sour pretty quickly with the same symptoms. Sticky Notes don't lauch, Default Apps don't change apps. I don't know yet which specific action under the new account triggers the failures.

I found that just in the past day or two, my file type associations for MS Office programs are all broken. Can't double click on any Office file but if I right click and choose the application, it opens, but won't remember the association. If I go into settings and try to do it by program, my MS Office programs don't show in the list. I had to replace all my desktop shortcuts as they didn't work, and the menu shortcuts don't work anymore. If I try to do the settings by file type, it won't let me click on any file type to create the associations with the file types. Do I need to reinstall Office (2010)? I have media and can do it. I just don't want to if there is a simpler way to fix this. Thanks!

dalchina said:

Hi, you should be able to repair your Office installation

I did repair it - found my installation media - and after a reboot it seems to have cleared up the problem. Thanks!