Take Control of Your Files: How to Change Open With Settings in Windows 7

Are you tired of Windows 7 opening your files with the wrong program? Do you want to take control of your file associations and choose the applications you want to use? Changing the “Open With” settings in Windows 7 is a simple process that can save you time and frustration. In this article, we will guide you through the steps to change the “Open With” settings in Windows 7 and provide you with some useful tips and tricks to manage your file associations.

Table of Contents

Understanding File Associations in Windows 7

Before we dive into the process of changing the “Open With” settings, it’s essential to understand how file associations work in Windows 7. File associations are the links between a file type and the program that opens it. When you double-click on a file, Windows 7 checks the file extension and opens it with the associated program. For example, if you have a file with a .docx extension, Windows 7 will open it with Microsoft Word.

Windows 7 uses a database to store file associations, and this database is updated every time you install a new program or change the file association for a particular file type. However, sometimes the file associations can get messed up, and you may find that your files are opening with the wrong program.

Why Change the Open With Settings?

There are several reasons why you may want to change the “Open With” settings in Windows 7:

You want to use a different program to open a file type: For example, you may want to use Adobe Photoshop to open image files instead of the default Windows Photo Viewer.
You want to remove a program from the Open With list: If you have uninstalled a program, you may want to remove it from the “Open With” list to avoid confusion.
You want to set a default program for a file type: If you have multiple programs that can open a file type, you may want to set a default program to avoid being prompted every time you open a file.

Changing the Open With Settings in Windows 7

Changing the “Open With” settings in Windows 7 is a straightforward process. Here are the steps:

Method 1: Using the Open With Dialog Box

Right-click on the file you want to change the association for and select “Open With” from the context menu.
Click on “Choose default program” from the Open With dialog box.
Select the program you want to use to open the file from the list of installed programs.
Check the box next to “Always use the selected program to open this kind of file” to set the program as the default.
Click OK to save the changes.

Method 2: Using the Control Panel

Click on the Start button and select “Control Panel” from the menu.
Click on “Programs and Features” in the Control Panel.
Click on “Default Programs” in the Programs and Features window.
Click on “Associate a file type or protocol with a program” in the Default Programs window.
Select the file type you want to change the association for from the list of file types.
Click on “Change program” and select the program you want to use to open the file.
Click OK to save the changes.

Method 3: Using the Registry Editor

Click on the Start button and type “regedit” in the search box.
Press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
Navigate to the following key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\OpenWithList
Right-click on the file extension and select “New” > “String value” from the context menu.
Name the new value “Program” and enter the path to the program you want to use to open the file.
Click OK to save the changes.

Tips and Tricks for Managing File Associations

Here are some tips and tricks for managing file associations in Windows 7:

Use the “Open With” dialog box to change file associations: The “Open With” dialog box is a quick and easy way to change file associations. You can access it by right-clicking on a file and selecting “Open With” from the context menu.
Use the Control Panel to manage file associations: The Control Panel provides a centralized location for managing file associations. You can access it by clicking on the Start button and selecting “Control Panel” from the menu.
Use the Registry Editor to edit file associations: The Registry Editor provides a powerful way to edit file associations. However, it requires advanced knowledge of the Windows registry and should be used with caution.
Backup your registry before making changes: Before making any changes to the registry, it’s essential to backup your registry to prevent any potential problems.

Common File Associations in Windows 7

Here are some common file associations in Windows 7:

Conclusion

Changing the “Open With” settings in Windows 7 is a simple process that can save you time and frustration. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can take control of your file associations and choose the applications you want to use. Remember to use the “Open With” dialog box, Control Panel, and Registry Editor to manage your file associations, and don’t forget to backup your registry before making any changes.

What is the purpose of changing the ‘Open With’ settings in Windows 7?

Changing the ‘Open With’ settings in Windows 7 allows you to choose which program you want to use to open a specific file type. This is useful when you have multiple programs installed that can open the same file type, but you prefer to use one over the others. By changing the ‘Open With’ settings, you can set your preferred program as the default for opening that file type.

For example, if you have both Adobe Reader and Foxit Reader installed on your computer, you can set Adobe Reader as the default program for opening PDF files. This way, whenever you double-click on a PDF file, it will automatically open in Adobe Reader instead of Foxit Reader.

How do I change the ‘Open With’ settings for a specific file type in Windows 7?

To change the ‘Open With’ settings for a specific file type in Windows 7, you need to right-click on a file of that type and select ‘Open With’ from the context menu. Then, select ‘Choose Default Program’ from the submenu. This will open the ‘Open With’ dialog box, where you can select the program you want to use to open that file type.

In the ‘Open With’ dialog box, you can select a program from the list of recommended programs or browse for a program on your computer. If you want to set the selected program as the default for all files of that type, make sure to check the box next to ‘Always use the selected program to open this kind of file’. Then, click ‘OK’ to save your changes.

Can I change the ‘Open With’ settings for multiple file types at once in Windows 7?

Yes, you can change the ‘Open With’ settings for multiple file types at once in Windows 7. To do this, you need to open the ‘Default Programs’ window. You can do this by clicking on the ‘Start’ button and selecting ‘Default Programs’ from the ‘Start’ menu.

In the ‘Default Programs’ window, you can select a program from the list of installed programs and then click on ‘Set this program as default’. This will set the selected program as the default for all file types associated with that program. Alternatively, you can click on ‘Associate a file type or protocol with a program’ and then select the file types you want to associate with a specific program.

How do I reset the ‘Open With’ settings to their default values in Windows 7?

To reset the ‘Open With’ settings to their default values in Windows 7, you need to open the ‘Default Programs’ window. You can do this by clicking on the ‘Start’ button and selecting ‘Default Programs’ from the ‘Start’ menu.

In the ‘Default Programs’ window, click on ‘Set your default programs’. Then, select a program from the list of installed programs and click on ‘Set this program as default’. This will reset the ‘Open With’ settings for all file types associated with that program to their default values. Alternatively, you can click on ‘Associate a file type or protocol with a program’ and then reset the file associations to their default values.

Will changing the ‘Open With’ settings affect other users on my computer?

No, changing the ‘Open With’ settings will not affect other users on your computer. The ‘Open With’ settings are stored in the user’s profile, so each user can have their own set of ‘Open With’ settings. This means that if you change the ‘Open With’ settings for a specific file type, it will only affect your user account and not other user accounts on the computer.

However, if you are an administrator and you want to set the ‘Open With’ settings for all users on the computer, you can do so by using the ‘Local Group Policy Editor’. This will allow you to set the ‘Open With’ settings for all users on the computer, regardless of their user account.

Can I change the ‘Open With’ settings for a file type that is not listed in the ‘Open With’ dialog box?

Yes, you can change the ‘Open With’ settings for a file type that is not listed in the ‘Open With’ dialog box. To do this, you need to open the ‘Default Programs’ window and then click on ‘Associate a file type or protocol with a program’. Then, select the file type you want to associate with a program and click on ‘Change program’.

Are there any risks associated with changing the ‘Open With’ settings in Windows 7?

Yes, there are some risks associated with changing the ‘Open With’ settings in Windows 7. If you set a program as the default for a file type, but that program is not designed to open that file type, it may cause problems when you try to open a file of that type. For example, if you set a text editor as the default program for opening PDF files, it may not be able to open the file correctly.

To avoid these risks, it’s a good idea to only set programs as the default for file types that they are designed to open. You should also be careful when browsing for programs on your computer, as some programs may not be compatible with the file type you are trying to open.