Choose Default Apps in Windows 10  

Steve C said:

I just discovered the method I normally use in Options 7 & 8 no longer works. This was much better designed, faster and easier to use than the Settings option designed for idiots! How typical of MS to take another step backwards.

You ca create the following shortcuts to restore the previous more useful functionality is restored.

"Set your default programs": control /name Microsoft.DefaultPrograms /page pageDefaultProgram
"Associate a file type or protocol with a program": control /name Microsoft.DefaultPrograms /page pageFileAssoc
I suggest Options 7 & 8 in this Tutorial are updated to show these options.

Hello Steve, :)

Thank you, but both commands are already in Options 7 & 8.

In Windows 10 build 17604 (since W10 FCU), both commands opens the same as in Option Six for me. It appears all Default Program Control Panel type commands have been hard coded to redirect and open in Settings instead now.

Brink,

I appreciate from what you say that these shortcuts are on their way out at some stage but, as Steve mentions, they work on Ver 1709, the "FCU".

Mine are currently all Ver 1709 [Build 16299.431] - 3 are Home x64 & 1 is Pro x86
- I have just successfully used the Associate a file type or protocol with a program shortcut to change an association.
- [Added a few hours later] I have now also tested the Set your default programs shortcut. It appears to be correct and it lets you go through the procedure for adding another file extension to an application but the Save button does not save anything - file associations do not change.

So your warning about Build 17604 indicates that the problem will occur at, perhaps, Ver 1811 {if I understand other users correctly, Ver 1803 is Build 17134}. So I am puzzled by your references to the problem happening since the "FCU".

Denis

Thank you Denis.

I have updated the tutorial to have the warning for version 1803 instead.

Brink - About "warning for version 1803 instead", shouldn't it be a "warning for a future version some time after 1803 instead"? Denis

The warning is for starting with version 1803, so it won't work with 1803 and later.

At least the shortcuts don't work for me in version 1803.

Brink,

And I have now found out that the Set your default programs shortcut does not work for me in Ver 1709.

This shortcut appears to be correct and it lets you go through the procedure for adding another file extension to an application but the Save button does not save anything - file associations do not change.

So, on my Ver 1709 computers, it is only the Associate a file type or protocol with a program shortcut that still works.

Denis

Hey Steve,

Is the program listed when you use Option Two for "Open with" > Choose another app > More apps?

Steve C said:

The method for setting default apps from v1803 is now rubbish. The old Control Panel method was fine since you had precise control over which file types were associated with each program. The new method doesn't even list many important programs e.g. Photoshop so the control you have over file associations is very limited. Is this what MS calls progress? Is there a third party utility I can use to regain control?

Noted you have posted the same here:
Setting File Associations - Another Step Backwards - Page 4 - Windows 10 Forums