Apps Choose Default Apps in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you different ways to set default apps used to open file and link types for your account in Windows 11.

A default app is the program that Windows has assigned to open a file or link type with by default when you open it.

Default apps you choose will only apply to your account and will not affect other accounts on the PC.

Reference:

Starting with Windows 11 build 22567, Microsoft has updated the “Open with” dialog box to align with Windows 11 design principles. The updated dialog box honors light/dark theme. We have also simplified the experience by making it possible to update your default app with just one click.

Starting with Windows 11 build 23419, Microsoft is introducing a new Settings deep link URI for applications to take their users directly to the appropriate location in Settings for the user to change their defaults. This is an extension to our existing ms-settings: URI scheme.

Starting with Windows 11 build 22631.5549 (23H2) and build 26100.4484 (24H2) Microsoft is rolling out some small changes for your setting your browser defaults in Windows 11 via Settings > Apps > Default apps:

1. Additional file and link types will be set for the new default browser, if it registers them.
2. The new default browser will be pinned to the Taskbar and Start menu unless you choose not to pin it by clearing the checkboxes.
3. There is now a separate one-click button for browsers to change your .pdf default, if the browser registers for the .pdf file type.

Starting with Windows 11 build 26120.4162 (Beta 24H2) and build 26200.5622 (Dev 24H2), to help you quickly find the right app for opening files, Microsoft is trying out showing recommendations from the Microsoft Store app within the “Open with…” dialog. These recommendations are denoted by a Store icon next to apps in the dialog.

Starting with Windows 11 build 26220.7344 (Dev & Beta), when you try to open a file in Windows with no associated app, the Open With dialog box pops up to suggest apps you can use by clicking on “see more apps in the Microsoft store”. Now, apps from the Microsoft Store are included directly in this list, so you don’t have to navigate to the Microsoft Store to find the right one. This makes it faster and easier to find and install the app you need.








1 Right click or press and hold on a single file, click/tap on Open with. (see screenshots below)

2 Perform one of the following steps for what you want to do:

If the file does not have a default app assigned to it (aka: unassociated), you will only have Open with available in the context menu.

• Click/tap on an available app (ex: "Notepad") to open the file "Just once" with this app (ex: "Notepad"), and go to step 4.
• Click/tap on Choose another app, and go to step 3.

3 Perform one of the following actions to select an app: (see screenshot below)

If this file type has a default app currently assigned to it, the default app (ex: "Notepad") will show under Default app.

• Select a listed app to open the file with, and click/tap on Always (open with and set as default app) or Just once (open with without setting as default app).
• Click/tap on Browse apps in the Microsoft Store to select, download, and install an app from the Microsoft Store. You will need to go back to step 1 to select the new app from the Microsoft Store.
• Click/tap on the Choose an app on your PC link, browse to and select an app (.exe, .pif, .com, .bat, or .cmd) you want to open this file with, click/tap on Open, and click/tap on Always (open with and set as default app) or Just once (open with without setting as default app).

4 The file will now open with the selected app.





1 Right click or press and hold on a single file, and click/tap on Properties. (see screenshot below)


2 In the General tab on the Properties page, click/tap on the Change button to the right of Opens with. (see screenshot below)

If this file type has a default app currently assigned to it, the default app (ex: "Notepad") will show to the right of Opens with.

3 Perform one of the following actions to select an app: (see screenshot below)

If this file type has a default app currently assigned to it, the default app (ex: "Notepad") will show under Default app.

• Select a listed app to open the file with, and click/tap on Set default (open with and set as default app).
• Click/tap on Browse apps in the Microsoft Store to select, download, and install an app from the Microsoft Store. You will need to go back to step 2 to select the new app from the Microsoft Store.
• Click/tap on the Choose an app on your PC link, browse to and select an app (.exe, .pif, .com, .bat, or .cmd) you want to open this file with, click/tap on Open, and click/tap on Set default (open with and set as default app).

1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Apps on the left side, and click/tap on Default apps on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3 Search or scroll for the app (ex: "Notepad") you want to choose defaults for, and click/tap on the app (ex: "Notepad"). (see screenshots below)


4 Click/tap on the file or link type (ex: ".txt") you want to set a default app for. (see screenshot below)

The current default app (ex: "Notepad") for a file or link type will show under the file or link type.

5 Perform one of the following actions to select an app: (see screenshot below)

If this file type has a default app currently assigned to it, the default app (ex: "Notepad") will show under Default app.

• Select a listed app to open the file with, and click/tap on Set default (open with and set as default app).
• Click/tap on Browse apps in the Microsoft Store to select, download, and install an app from the Microsoft Store. You will need to go back to step 2 to select the new app from the Microsoft Store.
• Click/tap on the Choose an app on your PC link, browse to and select an app (.exe, .pif, .com, .bat, or .cmd) you want to open this file with, click/tap on Open, and click/tap on Set default (open with and set as default app).

6 When finished, you can close Settings if you like.





1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Apps on the left side, and click/tap on Default apps on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3 Click/tap on Choose defaults by file type towards the bottom of the right side. (see screenshot below)


4 Search or scroll for a file type (ex: ".txt") you want to choose defaults for, and click/tap on the file type (ex: ".txt"). (see screenshots below)

The current default app (ex: "Notepad") for a file type will show under the file type.

5 Perform one of the following actions to select an app: (see screenshot below)

If this file type has a default app currently assigned to it, the default app (ex: "Notepad") will show under Default app.

• Select a listed app to open the file with, and click/tap on Set default (open with and set as default app).
• Click/tap on Browse apps in the Microsoft Store to select, download, and install an app from the Microsoft Store. You will need to go back to step 4 to select the new app from the Microsoft Store.
• Click/tap on the Choose an app on your PC link, browse to and select an app (.exe, .pif, .com, .bat, or .cmd) you want to open this file with, click/tap on Open, and click/tap on Set default (open with and set as default app).

6 When finished, you can close Settings if you like.





1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Apps on the left side, and click/tap on Default apps on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3 Click/tap on Choose defaults by link type towards the bottom of the right side. (see screenshot below)


4 Search or scroll for a link type (ex: "MAILTO") you want to choose defaults for, and click/tap on the link type (ex: "MAILTO"). (see screenshots below)

The current default app (ex: "Mail") for a file type will show under the file type.

5 Perform one of the following actions to select an app: (see screenshot below)

If this file type has a default app currently assigned to it, the default app (ex: "Notepad") will show under Default app.

• Select a listed app to open the file with, and click/tap on Set default (open with and set as default app).
• Click/tap on Browse apps in the Microsoft Store to select, download, and install an app from the Microsoft Store. You will need to go back to step 2 to select the new app from the Microsoft Store.

6 When finished, you can close Settings if you like.

Starting with Windows 11 build 26120.4520 (Beta 24H2) and build 26200.5670 (Dev 25H2), in addition to the small changes that we made in the EEA region for default browsers via Settings > Apps > Default apps with Build 26120.4151 (Beta 24H2) and Build 26200.5603 (Dev 24H2), Microsoft is also making this change:

> The new default browser will be pinned to the Taskbar and Start menu unless you choose not to pin it by clearing the checkboxes.

1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Apps on the left side, and click/tap on Default apps on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3 Click/tap on the web browser (ex: "Google Chrome", "Mozilla Firefox", "Microsoft Edge", etc...) you want to set as the default web browser. (see screenshot below)


4 Click/tap on the Set default button at the top. You will see a check mark indicating it has been set as the default web browser for your account. (see screenshot below)


5 You can now close Settings if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink