How to Change File Associations in Windows 11

To change which app opens a file type in Windows 11, open Settings > Apps > Default apps, type the file extension (such as .pdf) in the Set a default for a file type or link type box, select the current app, pick a new one, and select Set default. You can also right-click a file, select Open with > Choose another app, pick an app, and select Always.

These steps cover current Windows 11 releases on Home and Pro editions, checked against Microsoft’s change default apps in Windows page in October 2026. Windows 10 steps are in their own section near the end.

A file association is the link between a file extension, like .docx or .jpg, and the app Windows uses when you double-click that file. Changing it doesn’t change the file itself, only which app opens it.

Which Method Should You Use?

You want to	Use
Change one file type, like .pdf or .jpg	Settings > Default apps, or Open with > Always
Open one file in another app without changing anything	Open with > Just once
See or change every file type one app handles	Settings > Default apps > the app’s page
Change which app opens a link type, like mailto	Settings > Default apps, search for the link type
Undo every change you’ve made	Reset all default apps

Before You Start

• Install the app first. Windows can only assign a file type to an app that is installed on the PC. A website or a browser shortcut to a web app won’t appear in the list.
• Your choices are per user. Each Windows account keeps its own file associations, so changing them on your account doesn’t change them for other people on the same PC.
• Work and school PCs may be locked. An organization can set default apps by policy. If your change doesn’t stick or the option is unavailable, ask your IT department.

Find a File’s Extension First

Windows hides extensions by default, so you may not know if a picture is a .jpg, .png, or .heic.

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Select View > Show.
3. Select File name extensions.

Extensions now appear at the end of file names. You can also right-click a file and select Properties to see its Type of file. Showing file extensions in Windows covers more ways to turn them on.

If the extension is .ica, Windows needs the Citrix Workspace app before it can open an ICA file on Windows 11.

If a .heic photo from an iPhone won’t open where you need it, you can convert HEIC to JPG on Windows 11 instead of renaming it.

Change a File Association in Settings

1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
2. Select Apps, then Default apps.
3. In the Set a default for a file type or link type box, type the extension, such as .pdf, .jpg, or .txt. Include the period. Select the matching result.
4. The app that opens that file type now appears below the box. Select it.

5. Choose a different app in the Select a default app window. If the app isn’t listed, scroll down and select Choose an app on your PC, then browse to the app’s program file.
6. Select Set default. The new app’s name now shows under the extension.

To confirm it worked, double-click a file of that type in File Explorer. It should open in the app you picked.

Change a File Association From File Explorer

1. Right-click a file of the type you want to change.
2. Select Open with, then Choose another app.
3. Pick the app you want and select Always. Windows now uses that app for every file with the same extension. Select Just once if you only want to open this one file with it.

Another way: right-click the file, select Properties, and on the General tab select Change next to Opens with. Pick the app and select OK. If only one desktop icon opens the wrong thing, you can change what that shortcut opens instead.

Change All the File Types for One App

1. On the Default apps page, search for an app under Set defaults for applications.
2. Select the app to see every file and link type it can open, with the current default app under each one.
3. Select any file type and choose a different app, or leave it as it is.

For browsers, a Set default button at the top assigns all the web file types at once. For more detail, read about changing the default browser in Windows 11.

Change a Link Type

Link types (Microsoft also calls them protocols) control what opens when you click a special link, such as mailto for email addresses. On the Default apps page, type the link type, such as mailto, into the same search box, select it, and choose an app. This is how you make an email link open your preferred mail app instead of the one Windows uses now.

Reset All File Associations

Resetting changes every file type and link type at once, including your browser and PDF app.

1. Open Settings > Apps > Default apps.
2. Scroll to the bottom and select Reset next to Reset all default apps.
3. Confirm if Windows asks.

Windows puts back Microsoft’s recommended apps for every file type, so you’ll need to set your preferred apps again. If only one or two types are wrong, change those types instead of resetting. A common one to set first is PDFs, so start by choosing your default PDF viewer.

If Your File Association Won’t Stick

1. Set it in Settings > Apps > Default apps rather than through the app’s own prompt.
2. Check the app’s own settings for an option like “make default” or “check if default,” and turn off any prompt that keeps taking over.
3. Update or reinstall the app you want to use, since a broken install can stop it from registering as a choice.
4. Sign out and back in, or restart the PC, then check the association again.
5. On a work or school PC, ask IT whether a policy sets default apps. A policy can put its choices back after you change them.
6. As a last resort, use Reset all default apps and set your choices again.

Windows Keeps Asking “How Do You Want to Open This File?”

This prompt usually appears after you install an app that can open the same type, or when no default is set. Pick the app you want, select Always, and the question stops for that extension.

The App You Want Isn’t in the List

Select Choose an app on your PC and browse to the app’s .exe file, usually in C:\Program Files. If the app still doesn’t appear, it may not support that file type, and opening the file with it won’t work even if Windows allows the choice.

Check an Association From Command Prompt

To see which file type Windows links to an extension, open Command Prompt and type assoc .txt (use your extension). Microsoft’s assoc command reference says displaying an association doesn’t need admin rights. Use this only to look: the command shows the system-wide file type, which can differ from the app you picked in Settings for your account, and changing associations this way requires administrator rights. Settings is the safer place to make changes.

File Association or File Extension?

Changing the association changes which app opens a file. Renaming the extension, for example from .png to .jpg, doesn’t convert the file and can make it unreadable. If the file has the right extension and you only want a different app, change the association. If you really need a different format, convert the file instead. Changing a file extension in Windows 11 explains when renaming makes sense.

Change a File Association in Windows 10

Windows 10 uses a slightly different Default apps page:

1. Open Settings > Apps > Default apps.
2. Select Choose default apps by file type.
3. Find the extension, select the app next to it (or Choose a default), and pick the app you want.
4. Double-click a file of that type to check that it opens in the new app.

From File Explorer, right-click a file, select Open with > Choose another app, check Always use this app to open files of that type, and select OK.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Windows keep changing my default app?

Some apps ask to become the default when you install or update them. Check the Default apps page after installing a new PDF reader, photo app, or browser.

Can I remove a file association completely?

Settings doesn’t have a “no app” option. You can switch the file type to a different app, or use Reset under Settings > Apps > Default apps to put every association back to Microsoft’s defaults. Removing one completely requires editing the registry, which we don’t recommend for most people.

Do I need administrator rights to change a file association?

No. Changing a default app in Settings or with Open with only affects your own account, so a standard account can do it. A work or school policy can still block the change.

Can I still use Control Panel to change file associations?

In Windows 11, the Default Programs links in Control Panel send you to the Default apps page in Settings. Use the steps above.

What’s the difference between default apps and file associations?

They’re the same setting viewed two ways. Default apps is organized by app, and file associations are organized by file type. To set your default browser, email, or PDF app, follow the steps to change default apps in Windows 11.

Next step: double-click one file of each type you changed to make sure it opens where you expect.