How to Set Default Programs in Windows 8

In Windows 8, there are three ways to set the default program used to open a specific file type. First, you can make a specific program a default program. Second, you can change the default program for a specific file type. Third, you can change the associated program in the file context menu for a specific file.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Choosing a Default Program in the Control Panel

  1. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 1
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    Open the Start screen. Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start screen.
    • If you're using a touch screen, swipe in from the right edge of the screen to open the Charms menu, and then touch Start.
  2. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 2
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    Find the Default Programs utility. On the Start screen, in the Search field, type default program, and then press Enter.
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  3. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 3
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    In the search results, touch Default Programs to open it.
  4. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 4
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    Find a program you'd like to use as a default. In the Set Default Programs window, in the Programs sidebar, find a program you'd like to set as a default, and then click or touch the program to select it.
  5. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 5
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    Click or touch Set this program as default. This makes the selected program the default program for all of the file types the program can open.[1]
    • Click here for steps on choosing specific file types for a default program.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Setting a Default Program by File Type

  1. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 6
    1
    Open the Start screen. Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start screen.
    • If you're using a touch screen, swipe in from the right edge of the screen to open the Charms menu, and then touch Start.
  2. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 7
    2
    Find the Set Associations utility. On the Start screen, in the Search field, type file associations, and then press Enter.
  3. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 8
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    In the search results, touch Make a file type always open in a specific program.
  4. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 9
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    Find a file type. In the Set Associations window, find the file extension for the file type you'd like to change the default program. Click or touch to select it.
    • In the Current Default column, you can see what program is currently set as the default program for that file type.
  5. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 10
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    Click Change program.
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    Choose a new default program. If you don't see the program you'd like to use, click More options to see more programs. When you're done, click OK.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Setting a Default Program in the File Context Menu

  1. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 12
    1
    Open the Start screen. Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start screen.
    • If you're using a touch screen, swipe in from the right edge of the screen to open the Charms menu, and then touch Start.
  2. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 13
    2
    Open File Explorer. On the Start screen, in the Search field, type file explorer, and then press Enter. Click or touch File Explorer to open it.
  3. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 14
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    In File Explorer, find a file or file type that you'd like to change the default program.
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    Right-click the file icon, and then click Properties.
    • If you're using a touch screen, press and hold the file icon until the context menu opens.
  5. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 16
    5
    Click or touch Open with, and then click or touch Choose default program.
  6. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 17
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    Choose a new default program. If you don't see the program you'd like to use, click More options to see more programs. When you're done, click OK.
    • If you'd like to change the default for this specific file, but not other files of this type, uncheck the Use this app for all check box.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Choosing Specific File Types for Default Programs

  1. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 18
    1
    Open the Start screen. Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start screen.
    • If you're using a touch screen, swipe in from the right edge of the screen to open the Charms menu, and then touch Start.
  2. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 19
    2
    Find the Default Programs utility. On the Start screen, in the Search field, type default program, and then press Enter.
  3. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 20
    3
    In the search results, touch Default Programs to open it.
  4. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 21
    4
    Find a program you'd like to use as a default. In the Set Default Programs window, in the Programs sidebar, find a program you'd like to set as a default, and then click or touch the program to select it.
  5. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 22
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    Click or touch Choose defaults for this program.
  6. Image titled Set Default Programs in Windows 8 Step 23
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    Choose specific file types for the program. In the Set Program Associations window, find the file types you'd like to open with this program, and check the boxes for those file types. Click or touch Save.
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References

  1. ↑ http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/choose-programs-windows-uses-default

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 26,225 times.
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Co-authors: 5
Updated: April 29, 2021
Views: 26,225
Categories: Windows 8
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