How to associate 3gp files with VLC

fortree · Apr 3, 2022

Have Windows 11 22000.593 and would like to associate .3gp files with Videolan VLC. The 3gp file extension is not listed in Apps - Default apps - Choose defaults by file type and there is no option to add a new one. Contextual menu for properties on file, in General tab, has no option either to change default app.

Any idea how to do it?

Bree · Apr 3, 2022

fortree said:
would like to associate .3gp files with Videolan VLC. The 3gp file extension is not listed in Apps - Default apps - Choose defaults by file type and there is no option to add a new one.....

Any idea how to do it?

Right-click on any .3gp file and select Open with > Choose another app. Tick the box for 'Always use this app to open .3gp files'. Scroll down and pick VLC from the list, if it's not there click on 'More apps' at the bottom of the list. It should be in that list, but if not you can click 'Look for another app on this PC' and browse to find vlc.exe.

Once you have opened your .3gp in VLC this way it will not only become the default, but will also have added .3gp to the list of file types for Default apps.

fortree · Apr 3, 2022

Bree said:
Right-click on any .3gp file and select Open with > Choose another app. Tick the box for 'Always use this app to open .3gp files'. Scroll down and pick VLC from the list, if it's not there click on 'More apps' at the bottom of the list. It should be in that list, but if not you can click 'Look for another app on this PC' and browse to find vlc.exe.

Once you have opened your .3gp in VLC this way it will not only become the default, but will also have added .3gp to the list of file types for Default apps.

The option 'Always use this app to open .3gp files' is not available.

Bree · Apr 3, 2022

fortree said:
The option 'Always use this app to open .3gp files' is not available.

That is odd, it should be there.

You should also have .3gp in Default apps, with Films & TV (aka Movies & TV) already set as the default.

fortree · Apr 3, 2022

Maybe the registry is messed up, or there's something odd since the operating system was upgraded from first builds of Windows 10.

fortree · Apr 3, 2022

There's some missconfiguration in the system. Any idea how can I return good values to it?

glasskuter · Apr 3, 2022

Did you try Bree's second suggestion.
settings-apps-default apps-scroll all the way to bottom
select 'choose defaults by file type'
scroll down list to .3gp
click on it and a selection of apps pops up
select VLC from list

fortree · Apr 3, 2022

glasskuter said:
Did you try Bree's second suggestion.
settings-apps-default apps-scroll all the way to bottom
select 'choose defaults by file type'
scroll down list to .3gp
click on it and a selection of apps pops up
select VLC from list

.3gp is missing, and there's no option to reset this list or to add/remove items from it:

glasskuter · Apr 3, 2022

Here is my .3gp registry entry with VLC as default if you want to import it into your computer. Unzip the zipped file and double click on the .reg file.

Contents of the file

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.3gp]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.3gp\OpenWithList]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.3gp\OpenWithProgids]
"WMP11.AssocFile.3GP"=hex(0):
"VLC.3gp"=hex(0):

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.3gp\UserChoice]
"ProgId"="VLC.3gp"
"Hash"="JfECNTgSEhU="

fortree · Apr 3, 2022

glasskuter said:
Here is my .3gp registry entry with VLC as default if you want to import it into your computer. Unzip the zipped file and double click on the .reg file.

Contents of the file

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.3gp]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.3gp\OpenWithList]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.3gp\OpenWithProgids]
"WMP11.AssocFile.3GP"=hex(0):
"VLC.3gp"=hex(0):

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.3gp\UserChoice]
"ProgId"="VLC.3gp"

That's not working, says preferences were reset because of some error.

glasskuter · Apr 3, 2022

My VLC is the installable full feature 64 bit program, not the VLC app from the app store.

fortree · Apr 3, 2022

glasskuter said:
My VLC is the installable full feature 64 bit program, not the VLC app from the app store.

Mine also.

glasskuter · Apr 3, 2022

Try opening it this way. Open VLC-click media-click open file-browse to your file and select it. If that doesn't work I would uninstall and reinstall VLC

fortree · Apr 3, 2022

glasskuter said:
Try opening it this way. Open VLC-click media-click open file-browse to your file and select it. If that doesn't work I would uninstall and reinstall VLC

Of course that works, what I would like is to restore the ability to associate .3gp to any program from Windows Settings. As far as I know Windows itself doesn't offer this capability.

glasskuter · Apr 3, 2022

fortree said:
As far as I know Windows itself doesn't offer this capability.

Yes Windows does, but .3gp file type has to show up in the list of file types before you can associate it with a program and it doesn't for you. I do not know if these file types are native Windows (meaning that they are installed with the operating system) or if they are populated by VLC. From what you posted in post#8 that is not the only file type that is missing. That's why I suggested uninstall and reinstall VLC to see if it would populate all the file types it can open. Restart before reinstall.

badrobot · Apr 3, 2022

If you click "More Apps" or "Choose another app"..

The next window will you that option to associate...

imanlien2020 · Apr 3, 2022

fortree said:
Have Windows 11 22000.593 and would like to associate .3gp files with Videolan VLC. The 3gp file extension is not listed in Apps - Default apps - Choose defaults by file type and there is no option to add a new one. Contextual menu for properties on file, in General tab, has no option either to change default app.

Any idea how to do it?

3gp? isnt that for the Software Guitar Pro?

fortree · Apr 3, 2022

badrobot said:
If you click "More Apps" or "Choose another app"..

The next window will you that option to associate...

It doesn't appear, it's like #3

fortree · Apr 3, 2022

imanlien2020 said:
3gp? isnt that for the Software Guitar Pro?

No, it's the video format for older Nokia phones when they had Symbian S60 and alike. But maybe other apps also use the same extension for other unrelated formats.

badrobot · Apr 3, 2022

fortree said:
It doesn't appear, it's like #3

Did you click "Open with" instead of just "Open"?

How to associate 3gp files with VLC

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