Export and Import Default App Associations for New Users in Windows  

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    Export and Import Default App Associations for New Users in Windows

    Export and Import Default App Associations for New Users in Windows

    How to Export and Import Custom Default App Associations for New Users in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Installation & Upgrade
    11 May 2020
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Export and Import Custom Default App Associations for New Users in Windows 10


    You can use the default application association-servicing commands to import, export, list, and remove the settings that specify which application opens a file based on the file name extension type or protocol.

    See also: Export or Import Default Application Associations | Microsoft Docs

    This tutorial will show you how to export and import your custom default app associations in Windows 10 to be applied for each new user afterwards during their first sign in.

    You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to export, import, and remove default app associations.



    Contents

    • Option One: To Export Custom Default App Associations
    • Option Two: To Import Custom Default App Associations for New Users
    • Option Three: To Remove Custom Default App Associations






    OPTION ONE

    To Export Custom Default App Associations


    This option exports the custom default app associations from your account to an .xml file.


    1 Choose all of the default apps you want to open files with. This is what will be exported.

    2 When finished, open an elevated command prompt.

    3 Copy and paste the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    dism /online /Export-DefaultAppAssociations:"%UserProfile%\Desktop\MyDefaultAppAssociations.xml"

    Export and Import Default App Associations for New Users in Windows-export_default_app_associations.png

    4 You will now have a MyDefaultAppAssociations.xml file on your desktop that is your custom default app associations.

    5 You can now close the elevated command prompt if you like, or continue on to Option Two below to import the .xml file.






    OPTION TWO

    To Import Custom Default App Associations for New Users


    This option imports your exported custom default app associations from Option One to be applied for each new user afterwards during their first sign in instead of using Windows default app associations.

    Users will still be able to make changes to their default apps.


    1 If you have not already, copy the exported MyDefaultAppAssociations.xml file from Option One to your desktop.

    2 Open an elevated command prompt.

    3 Copy and paste the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    dism /online /Import-DefaultAppAssociations:"%UserProfile%\Desktop\MyDefaultAppAssociations.xml"

    If you renamed the MyDefaultAppAssociations.xml file or it's at another location than your desktop, then you will need to change the part of the command in red below for the new name and/or full path.

    Export and Import Default App Associations for New Users in Windows-import_default_app_associations.png

    4 You can now close the elevated command prompt if you like.






    OPTION THREE

    To Remove Custom Default App Associations


    This option removes the imported custom default app associations from Option Two to have Windows default app associations applied for each new user afterwards during their first sign in instead of your custom default app associations.


    1 Open an elevated command prompt.

    2 Copy and paste the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    Dism.exe /Online /Remove-DefaultAppAssociations

    Export and Import Default App Associations for New Users in Windows-remove_default_app_associations.png

    3 You can now close the elevated command prompt if you like.


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 6
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #1

    you test the import option after Windows reinstallation?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Hello VandIT,

    As long as the apps you have set as default are installed, it'll work. :)
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 6
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #3

    it does not work, after reinstalling and import of MyDefaultAppAssociations.xml, I am asked what program, I want to set as the default ...
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Is the app you had set as default selected to continue to use as the default app?

    Just to note, this will only affect new accounts that you added after importing.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 6
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #5

    Brink said:
    Is the app you had set as default selected to continue to use as the default app?
    NO

    Brink said:
    Just to note, this will only affect new accounts that you added after importing.
    how can I understand that? Create an account? Why it does not work with existing account?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #6

    I'm not sure what you mean by how you can understand that?

    It doesn't work with existing accounts, because this will only set the default associations for new users created afterwards. See the information box at the top of the tutorial to help.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 5
    Windows 10 Pro
       #7

    Brink said:
    I'm not sure what you mean by how you can understand that?

    It doesn't work with existing accounts, because this will only set the default associations for new users created afterwards. See the information box at the top of the tutorial to help.
    Does it work if add the exported commands in autounattend.xml file, for clean install?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    SunLion said:
    Does it work if add the exported commands in autounattend.xml file, for clean install?
    Hello SunLion, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)

    I've never tried it, but it won't hurt to give it a try.

    If you do, please let us know how it went.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 147
    Windows 10 x64
       #9

    SunLion said:
    Does it work if add the exported commands in autounattend.xml file, for clean install?
    I've never used it in an unattend file, but I do have it run in a script on first login, so I suspect it would work in an unattend file, too.

    This is the only automated way to keep default file associations for new users after Sysprep is run. This was actually changed in Windows 8 (and kept the same in Windows 10), but since so few people deployed Windows 8, few people know about this change from Windows 7.
      My Computer


 

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