How to Remove Programs from "Open with" Context Menu in Windows


The Open with context menu allows users to choose an app to open a file with.

Sometimes your "Open with" context menu may include programs you no longer want listed for a file extension. For example, an uninstalled program, or if you mistakenly opened a file with the wrong program.

This tutorial will show you how to remove third-party programs from the Open with context menu for only your account in Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10.


EXAMPLE: "Open with" context menu




Here's How:

1 Press the Win + R keys to open Run, type regedit into Run, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.

2 Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts

3 Expand open the FileExts key, expand open the file extension (ex: ".jpg") key you want to remove an "Open with" item from, and click/tap on the OpenWithList key under it. (see screenshot below)

4 In the right pane of the OpenWithList key, make note of the string value name letter (ex: "i") for the third-party program (ex: "Screenpresso.exe") data you want to remove, right click or press and hold on the string value (REG_SZ) of the third-party program (ex: "Screenpresso.exe") you want to remove, and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot below)

5 Click/tap on Yes to confirm. (see screenshot below)

6 In the right pane of the OpenWithList key, double click/tap on the MRUList string value to modify it. (see screenshot below)

The order of the letters in the MRUList string value is the same order how the programs are displayed in "Open with".

7 Edit out the same letter (ex: "i") from step 4 above from the other letters in the value data leaving no spaces, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshots below)

Removing the letter (ex: "i") of the removed "Open with" program from the MRUList string value allows apps in "Open with" to get sorted and shown properly when a new value gets added.

8 Repeat steps 3 to 7 for any other programs you want to remove from the "Open with" context menu for any file types.

9 When finished, you can close Registry Editor if you like.


That's it,
Shawn

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