Default app list ignoring newest version of installed software

I'm a photographer who uses Adobe Photoshop every day. It now works off the cloud.

RAW files (ie .orf) were set by default to open with Photoshop 2023 and worked great. However, recently Photoshop updated to version 2024. This does not appear in my default app list, even though both PS 2022 and PS 2023 are there. I can find it on my hard drive, but when I click to use it as the default app for opening .orf files Windows totally ignores my choice and insists on continuing to use Photoshop 2023 as the default app.

I've tried resetting all my default apps to Windows apps and resetting all my default apps from scratch, but the same thing happens. I get the option to search for Photoshop 2024 on my hard drive, but then the .orf files still open in Photoshop 2023 and 2024 is nowhere to be seen in the app list. It's driving me crazy!

I'm just an average laptop user - I wouldn't have a clue how to fiddle with the registry, so please answer in non techie language. Many thanks.

Silly question, are you able to open Photoshop 2024 without opening a file?

Just checking to make sure PS 2024 is properly installed and working.

If it is opening and all seems OK then go to Settings > Apps > Default apps and type .orf into the search box at the very top of the page.

1. Then click on the default app that will be listed below the search box (for me, that is MS Photos).
2. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the apps list and click on Choose an app on your PC and navigate to the 2024 Photoshop.exe file and select it. (Make sure you don't inadvertently select the 2022 or 2023 folders/files).
3. Click Set Default.

Fingers crossed, that should set .orf files to open with PS 2024.

Thanks for the reply. Yes I can open and work in Photoshop 2024 no issues.

I've already done as you suggest, several times. I navigate to PS 2024 on my hard drive and click to select it. But the default app choice stays at PS 2023 - see photo! It's like Windows thinks 2023 and 2024 are the same app and it just reverts back to 2023 every time.

It's driving me insane as I work with PS 2024 every day of my life and have to manually drag and drop RAW files in to get them to open in 2024 and not 2023.

I noticed in your image, you are pointing to the PS 2024 folder, you need to enter that folder and then, I believe, it is the bin folder where you will find the Photoshop.exe file, select the file, click OK etc. You cannot simply select the folder, that wont work, you must select the executable.

It is also a good idea to unhide file extensions. File Explorer > Ellipsis (3 dots) > Options > View tab and then uncheck Hide extensions for known file types. Click Apply, OK etc...



Then, right click on the Start menu and select Terminal (admin). Then click on the down arrow (triangle) on the tool bar and select command prompt.

Type in: sfc /scannow and hit enter.

When that is complete, reboot and try to associate the .orf file with PS 2024 using my previous instructions, again.

Fingers crossed, that will work.

If not, then are you able to uninstall PS 2023 and then reinstall it, likewise with PS 2024?

Note: if you have any custom actions, brushes, etc... make sure you save those before uninstalling PS 2023, likewise for PS 2024.

Uninstall PS 2023, reboot and try to associate PS 2024 with .orf files.

If that succeeds, then reinstall PS 2023 if you want to.

If not, then try uninstalling both PS 2023 and PS 2024.

Reboot and wait a few minutes for all drive activity to calm down, then reinstall PS 2024 and try re-associating the .orf file etc...

Let me know if anything out of the ordinary happens please.

Thanks, I knew you'd pick up on the fact I was pointing to a folder. I am clicking on the exe file within the folder, but it's just called Photoshop and I wanted to demonstrate I'm clicking on PS 2024.

Uninstalling PS would be a nightmare and take hours to reinstall and re-set all my plug-ins, brushes, actions, preferences, saved print and paper settings, associations etc. etc.

I'll try the command prompt and report back.

That is why it is a good idea to show the file extensions. Photoshop could be anything and while I am confident you are not making that mistake, you could easily select the wrong file. Showing file extensions should be the default IMO, but who am I to question ... lol

I also thought, being an artist, that you would have lots of customisations in place, hence my note and I do agree, it would be a lot of work to back all of that up.

Try sfc /scannow, it certainly can not hurt.

The only other way to handle it would be to hit the registry, but that brings it's own kind of headaches.

Fingers crossed, sfc will handle it and do let me know, thanks.

Thanks so much. I've done the sfc /scannow and no difference unfortunately. I double click to select PS 2024 to open files but it refuses to list it so that I can choose it as default and only lists 2023. I can't understand why windows just ignores PS 2024 like it doesn't exist .

I have hundreds of actions, brushes, paper profiles etc. so it would be a mare to have to re-install everything, so it looks like I'm stuck with having to manually drag RAW files into PS. Really irritatating, esp as I am a paid speaker for Photoshop and I can't even demonstrate how to quickly open a RAW file.

You could try doing what you need from the administrator account, although I am not sure how successful that would be.

Right click on Start, select Terminal (admin), make sure you are in Powershell and type in:
Get-LocalUser -Name “Administrator” | Enable-LocalUser

Then, click on Start > Your User (bottom left) and select Administrator. You may need to wait until Windows sets up the admin account, but after that you can try associating .orf files with PS 2024 as you have done previously.

I am not sure that will work, but it is worth a shot at least.

Sign out of the admin account when done and log back into your user account. You may need to reboot to see any changes though.

If talking about Photoshop Creative Cloud, what does this mean....

BAMimages said:

I'm a photographer who uses Adobe Photoshop every day. It now works off the cloud.

Click to expand...

How does it "now works off the cloud"???

BAMimages said:

RAW files (ie .orf) were set by default to open with Photoshop 2023 and worked great. However, recently Photoshop updated to version 2024. This does not appear in my default app list, even though both PS 2022 and PS 2023 are there. I can find it on my hard drive, but when I click to use it as the default app for opening .orf files Windows totally ignores my choice and insists on continuing to use Photoshop 2023 as the default app.

Click to expand...

This the question at top ^^^

So you’re keeping older versions installed? Or are you having them automatically removed with updates?
Previous versions are uninstalled by default but you can opt to keep them using Advanced options. I’m just curious due to the associations.

ADVANCED OPTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL APPS​

Once you enable the Auto-update feature, you get the option to retain or remove a specific version of any app.

• Import previous settings and preferences: Retains the previous settings and preferences for the updated apps.
• Remove older versions: Uninstalls the previous versions and saves your hard disk space.

Click to expand...

antspants said:

So you’re keeping older versions installed? Or are you having them automatically removed with updates?
Previous versions are uninstalled by default but you can opt to keep them using Advanced options. I’m just curious due to the associations.

Click to expand...

Per the image in the OP's #3 post, they're talking about the subscription-based app; so....

The fact that OP is behind and can't get the latest update to work begs questions per this statement: "It now works off the cloud."

Especially, since you need to be signed into the "Creative Cloud" to get updates as I am as shown via my avatar below the X (close button)...



You can also see "Photoshop 2024" in the Start Menu....

Dru2 said:

You can also see "Photoshop 2024" in the Start Menu....

Click to expand...

That's right and any other reference to older versions shouldn’t be showing unless he is purposefully keeping older versions installed. Could be the cause, might not have anything to do with the missing associations, I am not sure.

antspants said:

That's right and any other reference to older versions shouldn’t be showing unless he is purposefully keeping older versions installed. Could be the cause, might not have anything to do with the missing associations, I am not sure.

Click to expand...

No. Been there done that. I'll simply open the version you click. Anyway, I think it now removes old versions automatically. Don't remember.

Regardless, the app appears to be offline. Why is the question?

Firstly I'm a she, not a he.

I'm using the cloud based Adobe subscription to Photoshop.

Some features now work from the cloud, not from the desktop - see picture. I am not off line, if I were the parts of PS I've chosen to work from the cloud wouldn't work.

In terms of updates, PS updates itself automatically from its cloud based app platform. I haven't made any decisions regarding previous versions.

None of these observations, incorrect as they are, help my question.

Yikes! ... I think you need a chill pill or something, although I can understand your frustration.

I don't think anyone meant any disrespect, they are just voicing their opinions.

Did you manage to try my last suggestion of using the Administrator account?

BAMimages said:

Firstly I'm a she, not a he.

I'm using the cloud based Adobe subscription to Photoshop.

Click to expand...

Apologies for the mix up. Sorry.

Also re-reading your post again, I see "It now works off the cloud" to mean you're using the paid subscription(?)

With that, and if the program is legit, the first thing I would try is removing one of the older versions and trying the update again. It that doesn't work, remove Photoshop completely and try installing again via the CC app.

I know you said, you don't want to reinstall the apps, but that may be the only solution to your issue. As a last resort, you might give these tools a try - Uninstall the Creative Cloud desktop app.

You might also look to this tool, but it's for advanced users - How and when to use the Creative Cloud Cleaner tool | Advanced steps.

Let us know.

BAMimages said:

Firstly I'm a she, not a he.

Click to expand...

My apologies.

BAMimages said:

I'm a photographer who uses Adobe Photoshop every day. It now works off the cloud.

RAW files (ie .orf) were set by default to open with Photoshop 2023 and worked great. However, recently Photoshop updated to version 2024. This does not appear in my default app list, even though both PS 2022 and PS 2023 are there. I can find it on my hard drive, but when I click to use it as the default app for opening .orf files Windows totally ignores my choice and insists on continuing to use Photoshop 2023 as the default app.

I've tried resetting all my default apps to Windows apps and resetting all my default apps from scratch, but the same thing happens. I get the option to search for Photoshop 2024 on my hard drive, but then the .orf files still open in Photoshop 2023 and 2024 is nowhere to be seen in the app list. It's driving me crazy!

I'm just an average laptop user - I wouldn't have a clue how to fiddle with the registry, so please answer in non techie language. Many thanks.

Click to expand...

Hi BAMimages,

did you ever get a resolution to this?

I am having precisely the same issue with Illustrator. I use Illustrator all day every day pretty much.

I kept Illy 23 when the subscription based cloud automatically updated me to Illy 24 (2023 was left there and 2024 was also installed by Adobe automatically) and as far as I can tell, when I double clicked on Illustrator files they defaulted to the new version 2024.

I kept 2023 on as the CutStudio plugin isn't working with 2024 yet and I haven't had the time to fix it yet - because xmas orders (why o why must they do this upgrade every year just before xmas, our busiest time!)

Only in the past few days has this issue happened (I've been using the 2024 version happily since November ish).

So, I closed Illustrator, right clicked on an .eps file, selected Open with, Illustrator 2024 was not an option so I searched on my PC for it.

Found the Illustrator executable inside Program Files- Adobe - Adobe Illustrator 2024 - Support Files - Contents - Windows - Illustrator.exe

Selected Use Always on this file and then it still opened in Illustrator 2023.

But when I doubleclicked on the Illustrator.exe file in the path I just wrote out, it opened up Illustrator 2024.

cheers
fellow female :)
(Teresa)

@doublet
BAMimages tried what you suggested and it failed. Her files kept opening in PS 2023 instead of PS 2024.

I did ask her to try from the administrator account, but she never replied, so I do not know if she was successful or not.

Your suggestion is one way to associate files with certain programs though.