How to set default apps in Windows 11

Every time you double-click a file or click a link, the default application will be used to open it.

In many cases, this is normal: it makes sense to open a PSD file in Adobe Photoshop or a PDF downloaded from the Internet so that it is available, for example, in the same browser.

But if you open something in File Explorer, the default app might not work for you. Microsoft understandably prioritizes its own apps in Windows 11, but what if you want to change it to a third-party option?

Fortunately, this process is relatively simple. With a few clicks, you can set default apps for all the files and links you open most often. Here’s how it’s done.

How to Set Default Windows 11 Apps by File or Link Type

The first method involves choosing a specific type of file or link and then choosing the application you want to use for it. This is the best option if you only have a few annoying default apps that you want to change:

1. Open settings

2. Go to Apps > Default Apps.

3. In the search bar under “Set default value for file type or link type” enter whatever you want to change. “Jpg” and “pdf” are usually a good place to start.

4. Click the relevant search result and you will see the current default displayed on the screen. Click anywhere in the field to open the default application selection window.

5. Select any of the available applications, then “Set as default” to confirm. “Suggested Apps” will work best, but you can choose something from “More Options”, download something new, or even choose your own from File Explorer.

Eniron Koopman / Foundry

6. Repeat for all file types or links you want to change.

You will need to do this for each file type option you use. Jpg and jpeg are separated here, and Adobe’s version of pdf (pdfxml) is different from the regular one.

All web links will use either “http” or “https”.

How to set default Windows 11 apps per app

But the above method can soon become tedious, and it’s easy to forget a file type you only use occasionally. If you have an application that you need in all available scenarios, it’s best to focus on that one instead.

This is most often used to change the default browser, but there are many other situations where it can be useful:

1. Open settings

2. Go to Apps > Default Apps.

3. Scroll or use the search bar to find the specific app you’re looking for.

4. Click on it and you will be taken to a screen that looks like the one below. Click the bar below all the file types you want to change, then select the appropriate application.

Eniron Koopman / Foundry

5. Repeat for all apps you want to be the default.

How to open a Windows 11 file in a non-default app

But what if there is a situation where you prefer to use an application other than the default one? This happens most often in File Explorer, where there are often many different suitable applications, each with its own set of features. Here’s how to use a specific app as a one-time use:

1. Open File Explorer and find the file you want to open.

2. Right-click it, then hover your mouse over the “Open With” option.

Eniron Koopman / Foundry

3. A list of all eligible applications will open. Click on any of them to open it.

Will setting the default app get easier soon?

The process of installing default apps in Windows 11 can sometimes feel clunky, but that could change soon. In a March 2023 blog post titled “A principled approach to app pinning and app defaults in Windows,” Microsoft confirmed the following:

“In terms of default settings, we will soon be introducing a new Direct Link URI in Settings so that apps can direct their users directly to the appropriate location in Settings so that the user can change their default settings.”

What this essentially means is that third-party apps will be able to go straight to their respective default apps section in the Windows 11 settings menu with a single click, allowing you to set it as default much faster.

When this feature begins to roll out will depend on individual app developers, with no timeline specified. Hopefully it will be before the 23H2 update later this year.

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