How to set your default programs
Thu, 11/08/2007 - 21:12 — George
In this short tutorial we will show you how to set the default programs that Windows Vista will use to open certain files or protocols. This can be very useful especially when you install similar programs on your PC and you want to open certain things with an application and others with a secondary application.
In the Start Menu search box type the word default and then click on the first result.
The Default Programs main window will open and you will see four options.
Click on the Set your default programs link.
After a short Loading... screen you will see a list with all the programs that you can configure.
Here you can set a program as default for a specific file type, extension or protocol. Let's pick Internet Explorer as an example. Click on it and on the right side of the window you will see a small description of the program. Lower, there is a note that informs you if the program is set as the default for all the file types and protocols it can open.
As you can see, for this example, Internet Explorer is set as default for 3 out of a total of 9. If you want to set this program as default for every file type, protocol or extension it can open, click on the Set this program as default link.
When you have finished, click on
If you want to edit what file types a program will open by default, select it and then click the Choose defaults for this program link.
A new window will open where you can set the program associations.
Here you can see all file types, extensions and protocols that Internet Explorer can open by default. If you want Internet Explorer to be the default for a specific extension or protocol, check the appropriate box right next to it. After you have made your selections click on Save and then on OK.
Related articles:
How to customize AutoPlay
How to set program access and computer defaults
How to open files using a different program than the default
How to add and remove Windows Vista features
Add/Remove Programs - nowhere to be found?
How To Clean Up & Enhance The Right-Click Context Menu
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Comments
tutorial
very informative...thank you.
heres how its done boys
if any1 is wondering, i figured out how to allow firefox to get on the list. Reinstall firefox. Next go on internet explorer and get the downloader or:
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/products/download.html?product=firefox-2.0....
Next, when it asks you to install standard or custom, pick custom and leave the checked marks things alone. At this point, mozilla should be on the list. (make sure to have the programs set as custom not non-microsoft or microsoft). Now, uninstall firefox and install the standard way. Now if you are wondering why you click a link on AIM or MSN and it goes internet explorer. select firefox on the default programs and say set as program as default. that will allow the protocols to change. Now go on the internet one and see what defaults it has. For me it was 3/9, html,mhtml, and url. Now go back to the default programs page and click the second thing changing assosiate something something with a program. Now those programs that internet explorer has, manually set them to firefox. Now reboot your computer and this should work.
Sorry if it didnt but it worked for me =]
thanks
this is great, thank you. i just got a windows vista and it's very different from all other windows models.
default programs
How do you add programs to the list?
I need to add a program to
I need to add a program to the list, when getting pics from my cam it does not show up in the box and i dont know how to export the pics to that program
Eudora as Default Email Program
I use Windows Vista and want to use Eudora which I have installed as my default email program but it is not on the list of options
Firefox will not show up in
Firefox will not show up in the choices to make . How can i add it ?
new article
In the upcoming days I will write a tutorial about how to add different programs to the list.
Adding programs to the list
Hi...
If you're referring to the new tutorial at http://www.vista4beginners.com/set-program-access-computer-defaults that sort of doesn't really answer the question... Not for me, anyway.
Sure, you can "enable" and "disable" access to Firefox, Opera and Internet Explorer there, but I don't see that you can add a program to the list.
I have quite the collection of browsers, and "Firefox", "Opera" and "Internet Explorer" is not in my eyes as much three programs, as three version trees.
The other day Windows Vista decided that default: Opera means Opera 7 and Opera 9 stopped being the default. Now I can transfer the "default" status between Firefox and Opera 7, but I want to specify a program that is not in the list - Opera 9. I can only assume the same problem would be there if you have Firefox 2 and Firefox 3 installed side by side. And what about my other browsers that aren't even listed?
I realize that I am not a beginner and thus looking for answers at the wrong place. But this was the closest to an answer I could find on google.
So, is there some way that we can add (and remove) programs from this list? I won't uninstall Opera 7 but I won't have it as my default browser either.
Thanks for the tutorials, anyway. :)
can you please post how to
can you please post how to add programs to the list ASAP?
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