Windows 10: Default programs repeatedly reset to "MS" programs/apps

Hi, all:

After about a week with Win10 on this OEM box, a few annoyances continue to nag.

First, despite having set Adobe Acrobat 11 (latest, fully licensed version) as the default program for PDF files (confirmed directly in Control Panel, in Settings and in File Associations), I periodically receive notifications from Windows that a "problem with an app" has led to "default being reset" to Edge (or another M$ default app).

There have been several like this (Firefox getting switched to IE, etc.).
I reset back to *my* chosen defaults, apparently successfully.

A few days later, randomly, Windows sets them back again.*Mad

Is there any way to beat Windows into submission to get my *my* settings for default programs and file associations to stick??

Thanks,
MM

:)

 

How to add a program to the default list in Windows 10

This will work for a while. - until MS overrides your set program at the next reboot or Win update. Why is it necessary, MS, to repeatedly interfere with the desired default set up? You certainly will not gain favors among users by pressing for what you
would want users to use. In fact, the option "Always use this app.." is not even offered in current win 10. MS provides annoying instructions to reset programs through the Control Panel (your resets then to be again and again overridden by MS set up as described
above.)

 

unassociate file types in windows 10 completely

I haven't seen a way of doing that in the "new & improved" Settings dialogs. But it is still possible in the control panel dialogs: Control Panel > Default Programs > Set Default Program > Single click on Notepad > Choose default for this program > in
there you can deselect the incorrect file type. As well, in MS Office you can do a "Repair" to reset the default file associations. I don't know if it is possible with autocad, but it is worth a look: Control Panel > Programs and Features. Find autocad in
the list of programs. Right click on it. If the option to "Repair" or "change" is offered click on it.

 

I don't know the answer, but I'm seeing the same problem on my old laptop which I upgraded from Windows 8.1 a week ago.

 

Hi MM,
have you also set your 3rd party programs to default, during initial install, or later in options(if the option is given)?
I use Sumatra for PDF, but had to set it to default during an update, and then just used the settings app, to make sure it was set.








This is just an example, I did the same with MediaMonkey, Outlook 2016 and so on.

 

Hi, @Cliff S:

I think you are on the right track.*Smile
Acrobat did not offer a chance to select a preference during the setup wizard, but I did find a similar setting in "Preferences".
And I also verified the "choose default apps by file type".

I'll see what happens...
Needless to say, my Windows user account is an Admin account, and I am not getting any sort of "permissions" error.
It's just that my changes only stick for a day or so, before Windoze foists its own choices on me.*Mad

Surely, I cannot be the only person having this problem??

Thanks for the tips, I'll keep you posted....

MM

 

I had the same problem.
Possible causes:

• Acrobat preference does not work and if you click on it, it will reset to Windows default acrobat reader with the message:
  
  
  
• If Windows has update for Acrobat reader App, it will reset it to default.

Just set it from Control Panel->Default Programs->Set Your default programs
High lite Acrobat then click on: Set this program as default.

 

No such error, at least so far. I think I was able to change that Acrobat preference OK.

Good idea, but I don't think Acrobat should be auto-updating on its own or through Windows (I do my updates manually).
And this is a fresh install of Acrobat, fully patched.

Yes, I change it and the settings "take". But then Windows changes some of them back, a day or so later. It feels like a game of Whack-A-Mole.

>>I think @Cliff S's idea about setting the preference in Acrobat may be the key.
>>I also turned off the Edge live tile (this "live tile" thing is new to me) and turned off Edge as a background app.

Will monitor and report back.

Thank you!
MM

 

Hi:

I will tentatively mark this as "solved".*Smile

I'm not sure if it was changing the preference in Acrobat, or turning off Edge and the Edge live tile, or some combination thereof.
But I have not had Win10 change my default program from Acrobat to Edge in ~24 hours.

Thanks very much to all for the helpful suggestions,

MM

 

Darn.

The problem returned the other day.
I think I have isolated the cause to the fact that the Edge Live Tile re-enables on system startup.
(I have verified that Edge is still disabled from running as a background app and that Acrobat is the default program for PDF files.)

So it seems that, when the Edge Live Tile is "on", that permits Edge to try to reassert itself as the default program for PDF files. If I keep the Edge Live Tile "off" (and all the other, related settings "as is"), things work fine.

My clumsy workaround thus far has been to manually turn off the Edge Live Tile with each cold system start.

Other workarounds might be:
1) Globally disable ALL Live Tiles using this tutorial: Live Tiles - Turn On or Off for Apps on Start in Windows 10
OR
2) Installing Classic Shell and doing away with Live Tiles and the Win10 Start Menu altogether? (I have been trying to force myself to learn the Win10 Start Menu without Classic Shell, at least until after Redstone.)
OR
3) Is there no way to permanently disable ONLY the Edge Live Tile during start up? In other words, Live Tiles On/Off is "all or none"?

Thanks again,

MM

 

I'm sorry to hear that MM*Sad
I don't have this problem really.
But, then again, I have Sumatra set for PDF's(it is default for downloaded PDF's),
and for online PDF's I use my browser, because, between its safety features and MBAE, I think I'm better protected for, you know, "just in case".

 

Hi:

Thanks, @Cliff S.
I do not think the underlying cause is Acrobat vs. Sumatra.
I could be wrong, but it seems that Edge only takes control of PDFs when its Live Tile turns on with a system start.
If I turn off the Live Tile when I restart the system, all is good.
But it is a cumbersome workaround.

So, my question for you: do you have Live Tiles disabled (via GP edit or reg edit), or have you ditched the Win10 Start Menu altogether, using Classic Shell? (I think either of those would be a more robust fix.)

My questions for everyone else:
1) I know I can globally disable ALL Live Tiles using this tutorial: Live Tiles - Turn On or Off for Apps on Start in Windows 10
OR
2) Install Classic Shell and do away with Live Tiles and the Win10 Start Menu altogether? (I have been trying to force myself to learn the Win10 Start Menu without Classic Shell, at least until after Redstone.)
OR
3) Is there no way to permanently disable ONLY the Edge Live Tile during start up? In other words, Live Tiles On/Off is "all or none"?

I am going to remove the "solved" tag from the thread for now, to see if anyone has any ideas.

Thanks!
MM

 

I'm pretty much the opposite, I give windows 10 permission for everything, and don't turn anything off or uninstall or tweak. If I don't want a tile, I just unpin it, and it's off. Nothing running in the background, off.
Only pinned tiles stay on in the background as far as I have seen.

 

OK, that's another good idea.*Smile
Since I do not intend to use Edge, I will just unpin the tile and see how it goes.

Thanks!
MM

 

You're welcome. Keep us posted how it's going, setting up your new machine*Smile