Apps Reset and Clear Open with Context Menu for File Types in Windows 11


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Open_with_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to reset the "Open with" context menu for a file type back to default for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

The Open with context menu allows you to choose an app to open a file with by default.

When you use Open with to select to open a file with an app, that app is added to the "Open with" context menu for only your account.

If wanted, you can reset the "Open with" context menu back to default for a file type to clear all the apps you added from the "Open with" context menu.

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 22579, is reverting the Open With dialog box redesign. Microsoft plans to bring this back in the future after addressing some performance issues identified by Windows Insiders.

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Apps in the "Open with" context menu for a file type are stored in the OpenWithList and OpenWithProgIds keys at:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\<file type>\OpenWithList

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\<file type>\OpenWithProgids



EXAMPLE: Before and after reset "Open with" context menu for ".txt" file type

The current default app will always show in the "Open with" context menu.


Open_with_before.png Open_with_after_reset.png



Here's How:

1 Click/tap on the file type link in the table below you would like to reset and clear "Open with" for to download its REG file.

2 Save the REG file to your desktop.

3 Double click/tap on the downloaded REG file to merge it.

4 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

5 You can now delete the downloaded REG file if you like.

The list of file types available to download in the table below is just a start for now, and is a work in progress. I will constantly be adding more to the list, but if you need one that is not yet listed, then please post a request for it. I'll be happy to get it added to the list.



File Type
Description
batWindows batch file
bmpBitmap image file
dllApplication extension
exeExecutable application file
icoIcon file
isoDisk image file
jpgJoint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) image file
lnkShortcut
logText document file that Windows writes a record of events to.
mp3MP3 sound format file
mp4MPEG-4 movie file
msiWindows Installer Package
pdfPortable Document Format (PDF) file.
pngPortable Network Graphics (PNG) is a lossless bitmap compression method for image files.
ps1Windows PowerShell Script
txtText document file
urlInternet shortcut
wavWave audio file
zipCompressed (zipped) folder


That's it,
Shawn Brink


 

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  • Open_with.png
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  • reset_open_with_for_dll.reg
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  • reset_open_with_for_exe.reg
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  • reset_open_with_for_ico.reg
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  • reset_open_with_for_iso.reg
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  • reset_open_with_for_jpg.reg
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  • reset_open_with_for_lnk.reg
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  • reset_open_with_for_log.reg
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  • reset_open_with_for_mp3.reg
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  • reset_open_with_for_mp4.reg
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  • reset_open_with_for_msi.reg
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  • reset_open_with_for_pdf.reg
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  • reset_open_with_for_png.reg
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  • reset_open_with_for_ps1.reg
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  • reset_open_with_for_txt.reg
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  • reset_open_with_for_url.reg
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  • reset_open_with_for_wav.reg
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