Photos keep opening in "print pictures" app instead of the photos app

Dugong · Feb 10, 2023

Whenever I tried to open photo from search instead of opening in photo app, windows open in print pictures. I've already set the default app to open any image files with photo app. Any solution ?

spapakons · Feb 10, 2023

Right-click on one photo and select Open with. Then Select to choose more applications at the bottom to get a list. Select Photos application and click on Always button to make this application always open this type of photos.

glasskuter · Feb 10, 2023

If the above method does not fix your issue, you can use the reg file method option 2 in this tutorial.

Reset and Restore Default Apps for File Types in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to reset and restore the default app association of a file type for your account in Windows 10 and 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...

www.elevenforum.com

Try3 · Feb 10, 2023

Whilst I know that this problem has been reported at least twice in TenForums, I cannot find those threads.
Perhaps you're better at searching than I am - Advanced Search - Windows 10 Help Forums

There are some hits in a general search engine for
windows photo opens in print dialog
including
Images Open in “Print Pictures” Instead of the Photos App - WinHelpOnline
but no useful-looking ones for
windows photo opens in print dialog site:www.tenforums.com
or
windows photo opens in print dialog site:www.elevenforum.com

Best of luck,
Denis

synergy549 · Jul 11, 2025

Dugong said:
Whenever I tried to open photo from search instead of opening in photo app, windows open in print pictures. I've already set the default app to open any image files with photo app. Any solution ?

View attachment 52347

View attachment 52348

I had the same problem after converting Windows 10 to Windows 11. Solution is to go to a picture file, right click and open PROPERTIES. Then click on the "Change" button and choose "Photos" and click "Set Default". That worked for me!

spapakons · Jul 12, 2025

synergy549 said:
I had the same problem after converting Windows 10 to Windows 11. Solution is to go to a picture file, right click and open PROPERTIES. Then click on the "Change" button and choose "Photos" and click "Set Default". That worked for me!

Or right-click on a picture file, select Open with, then choose other app, click on Photos (or whatever else you want) and click on Always. Repeat that for all picture types (png, jpg etc) you want.

SenileOtaku · Feb 3, 2026

There **IS NO** "Change" button for "Open With" in the Properties dialog. Microsoft in their infinite ARROGANCE has decided you are not allowed to use anything that Central CCP Command has dictated you should use.

spapakons · Feb 3, 2026

SenileOtaku said:
There **IS NO** "Change" button for "Open With" in the Properties dialog. Microsoft in their infinite ARROGANCE has decided you are not allowed to use anything that Central CCP Command has dictated you should use.

How to permanently change the default application:

You right-click the file, select Open with and then Choose another app at the bottom or similar (I am typing this from mobile). You see a list of applications. Choose the application you want and then click Always. That's how is done in Windows 10 and 11. If I am not sure if the application I want is suitable for the specific file type, I click Once first to check it. Then I repeat the procedure and click Always to make it default.

PS: Similarly for Android. You find the file in the file manager you are using and tap-hold (the equivalent of right-click on touch device) or you select Open with from the menus. Select new app, tap on Just Once to check it or Always to make it default.

Edwin · Feb 3, 2026

SenileOtaku said:
There **IS NO** "Change" button for "Open With" in the Properties dialog.

spapakons · Feb 3, 2026

Just another case of complaining about something without being sure what they are talking about. Well done showing how it is done.

PS: What I miss from Windows 7 is the ability to change the default icon for a file type without having to open Registry Editor or use a third-party app. I remember using a different icon per video format to see what type it is at a glance. Now all videos have the same icon. Same for photos and other files. Also I miss from Windows 10 the ability to make an application default for all the file types it can open at once. In Windows 11 you have to change the default application one-by-one for each file type. Very tedious.

Edwin · Feb 3, 2026

I think I know why it sometimes happens, though, I've had the glitch before, ages ago.
I suspected that, after Windows Photo Viewer got depreciated and a default had not been set yet, Open would default to Print...

spapakons · Feb 3, 2026

See this to restore Windows Photo Viewer. It works in both Windows 10 and 11. You can use the current user or the all users registry patch. The former might not work, I prefer using the latter.

Restore Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10

How to Restore Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10

www.tenforums.com

SenileOtaku · Feb 3, 2026

spapakons said:
Just another case of complaining about something without being sure what they are talking about. Well done showing how it is done.

Well you can't change the file association for a file type/extension if the file type/extension does not show up in the app settings in the first place! You can't change a setting that isn't there.

Eventually had to install Photos from the MS Store, and then force the Photos app into a repair & reset. That put all the settings back in, but the downside is eventually MS will screw with the preferences and make their useless P.o.S. Photos app the default. Because Microsoft can never leave things well alone.

(seriously, I need to fix/redo the Linux install on my brother's computers so he won't have to deal with this nonsense anymore).

spapakons · Feb 3, 2026

SenileOtaku said:
Well you can't change the file association for a file type/extension if the file type/extension does not show up in the app settings in the first place! You can't change a setting that isn't there.

Eventually had to install Photos from the MS Store, and then force the Photos app into a repair & reset. That put all the settings back in, but the downside is eventually MS will screw with the preferences and make their useless P.o.S. Photos app the default. Because Microsoft can never leave things well alone.

(seriously, I need to fix/redo the Linux install on my brother's computers so he won't have to deal with this nonsense anymore).

And you will sacrifice compatibility just because something in Windows isn't the way you like it? Despite how hard Linux fanboys try to convince us, Linux is a totally different OS with much less applications and hardware support. I prefer getting the most out of my precious PC, so Windows 11 is the only sensible choice. Anything else is compromise.

DennyZenny · Feb 3, 2026

spapakons said:
And you will sacrifice compatibility just because something in Windows isn't the way you like it? Despite how hard Linux fanboys try to convince us, Linux is a totally different OS with much less applications and hardware support. I prefer getting the most out of my precious PC, so Windows 11 is the only sensible choice. Anything else is compromise.

What a real quote!

spapakons · Feb 4, 2026

This is to see why most PC users, including me, would rather use Windows 7 or older, than mess with Linux:

Linux vs Windows compatibility

Linux vs Windows ease of use

PS: There is no use to start a Windows vs Linux debate. Anything you Linux lovers will say is not enough to make us change our minds and completely irrelevant with this thread. So stop right there. Don't post anything to defend Linux and waste our time. We simply don't care. Thanks.

Photos keep opening in "print pictures" app instead of the photos app

Member

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computers

aka Mama Glass

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computer

Member

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computers

New member

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computers

♦ ♦

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

♦ ♦

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

New member

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computers

the green man

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

Similar threads