How to Change File Associations in Windows

Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the SVP and General Manager of Lifewire.

• Western Governors University

Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.

What to Know

• Windows 11: Settings >Apps >Default apps >Choose defaults by file type > choose a program.
• Windows 10: Go to the same Default apps screen as W11, but select Choose default apps by file type.
• You can still use a different app to open the same file despite setting a program's default file association.

This article explains how easy it is to change a file type's program association in Windows. Instructions apply to Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.

How to Change File Associations in Windows 11

Windows can only open one program for a particular file extension automatically. To work with TXT files in Microsoft Word instead of Notepad, for example, changing the default file association for TXT files is required.

The Choose defaults by file type option is found in the Windows 11 Settings.

1. Right-click the Start button (or use the WIN+X keyboard shortcut) and select Settings. The hotkey WIN+i works, too.
   

Select Apps from the left panel, and then Default apps from the right.

Scroll to the very bottom, and select Choose defaults by file type.

Pick an installed program from the pop-up list, or choose Browse apps in the Microsoft Store.

How to Change File Associations in Windows 10

Like Windows 11, Windows 10 file association changes take place in Settings.

1. Right-click the Start button (or use the WIN+X hotkey) and choose Settings.

Select Apps from the list.

Choose Default apps on the left.

Scroll down a little and select Choose default apps by file type.

If you're not sure what extension the file is using, open File Explorer to find the file and use the View > File name extensions option to show file extensions.

In the pop-up window, pick a new program to associate with that file extension. Windows 10 will now open the program you chose each time you open a file with that extension from File Explorer.

How to Change File Associations in Windows 8, 7, or Vista

These older versions of Windows also let you change the default program for a specific file extension, but it's done through Control Panel.

1. Open Control Panel. In Windows 8, the Power User Menu (WIN+X) is the quickest way. Use the Start menu in Windows 7 or Windows Vista.

Select Programs.

You'll only see this link if you're on the Category or Control Panel Home view of Control Panel. Otherwise, choose Default Programs instead, followed by Associate a file type or protocol with a program link. Skip to Step 4.

Choose Default Programs.

Select Associate a file type or protocol with a program on the following page.

If you're not sure what extension the file in question has, right-click it (or tap-and-hold) the file, go to Properties, and look for the file extension in the "Type of file" line of the General tab.

Choose the Change program button, located just above the scroll bar.

What you see next, and the next step to take, depends on what version of Windows you're using. ​Windows 8:Look through the list and select the program you'd like to open when you double-click or double-tap these types of files. Try More options for the complete list. Windows 7 & Vista: Choose the app that should open for this extension. The Recommended Programs are probably the most applicable, but there may be Other Programs listed, too. Use Browse to manually locate a program.

How to Change File Associations in Windows XP

If you still have Windows XP, follow these steps instead:

1. Go to Start >Control Panel to open Control Panel.

Choose Appearance and Themes.​

You'll only see that link if you're using the Category View of Control Panel. If you're instead using the Classic View, choose Folder Options instead and then skip to Step 4.

Select Folder Options near the bottom of the window.

Select Change in the lower section.

From the Open With screen that you're now looking at, choose the program you'd like to open the file type with by default.​ If you don't see that screen, choose Select the program from a list, and then OK.

The most common programs that support this particular file type will be listed under the Recommended Programs or Programs list, but there may be other programs that support the file as well, in which case you can manually select one with the Browse button.

More About Changing File Associations

Changing a program's file association doesn't mean that another supporting program can't open the file, it just means that it won't be the program that opens when you double-tap or double-click on those types of files.

To use another program with the file, you'll just need to start that other program manually first, and then browse your computer for the particular file to open it. In most cases, this works by opening the program you want to use with the file and then navigating to a menu like File > Open, after which you can select the file. Doing this doesn't actually change the file association for that file as explained above.

Also, changing the file association doesn't change the file type. To change the file type is to change the structure of the data so that it can be considered to exist in a different format. Changing the file's type/format is usually done with a file conversion tool.

To zip a file in Windows 10, open File Explorer, then right-click the file and select Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder.

Whether you want to troubleshoot an issue or edit the HOSTS file, use File Explorer to locate the file. HOSTS can be found at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc.

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