Windows 10: Export and Import Default App Associations for New Users in Windows

How to: Export and Import Default App Associations for New Users in Windows

How to Export and Import Custom Default App Associations for New Users in Windows 10


You can use the default application association-servicing commands to import, export, list, and remove the settings that specify which application opens a file based on the file name extension type or protocol.

This tutorial will show you how to export and import your custom default app associations in Windows 10 to be applied for each new user afterwards during their first sign in.

*Warning You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to export, import, and remove default app associations.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Export Custom Default App Associations
• Option Two: To Import Custom Default App Associations for New Users
• Option Three: To Remove Custom Default App Associations

OPTION ONE [/i] To Export Custom Default App Associations

*note This option exports the custom default app associations from your account to an .xml file.
1. Choose all of the default apps you want to open files with. This is what will be exported.

2. When finished, open an elevated command prompt.

3. Copy and paste the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

*Arrow dism /online /Export-DefaultAppAssociations:"%UserProfile%\Desktop\MyDefaultAppAssociations.xml"



4. You will now have a MyDefaultAppAssociations.xml file on your desktop that is your custom default app associations.

5. You can now close the elevated command prompt if you like, or continue on to Option Two below to import the .xml file.





OPTION TWO [/i] To Import Custom Default App Associations for New Users

*note This option imports your exported custom default app associations from Option One to be applied for each new user afterwards during their first sign in instead of using Windows default app associations.

Users will still be able to make changes to their default apps.
1. If you have not already, copy the exported MyDefaultAppAssociations.xml file from Option One to your desktop.

2. Open an elevated command prompt.

3. Copy and paste the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

*note If you renamed the MyDefaultAppAssociations.xml file or it's at another location than your desktop, then you will need to change the part of the command in red below for the new name and/or full path.

*Arrow dism /online /Import-DefaultAppAssociations:"%UserProfile%\Desktop\MyDefaultAppAssociations.xml"



4. You can now close the elevated command prompt if you like.





OPTION THREE [/i] To Remove Custom Default App Associations

*note This option removes the imported custom default app associations from Option Two to have Windows default app associations applied for each new user afterwards during their first sign in instead of your custom default app associations.
1. Open an elevated command prompt.

2. Copy and paste the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow Dism.exe /Online /Remove-DefaultAppAssociations




3. You can now close the elevated command prompt if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Choose Default Apps to Open Files with in Windows 10
• How to Restore Default Apps for File Extension Type Associations in Windows 10
• How to Add a New User Account in Windows 10
• How to Fix 'An app default was reset' Error in Windows 10

:)

 

How Can I Change The File Of A File Destination?

Please see Method 3 here:

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/8744-export...

Hope that helps!

 

Setting default applications for new users with Windows 10 Pro

You can do this in powershell scripting.

Now I have not tried this so can't say for sure but did read over it and it looks to me this will work.

So run it with your post installation scripts after imaging.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/8744-export...

 

Hello VandIT,

As long as the apps you have set as default are installed, it'll work. *Smile

 

it does not work, after reinstalling and import of MyDefaultAppAssociations.xml, I am asked what program, I want to set as the default ... *Sad

 

Is the app you had set as default selected to continue to use as the default app?

Just to note, this will only affect new accounts that you added after importing.

 

NO

how can I understand that? Create an account? Why it does not work with existing account?

 

I'm not sure what you mean by how you can understand that?

It doesn't work with existing accounts, because this will only set the default associations for new users created afterwards. See the information box at the top of the tutorial to help.

 

Does it work if add the exported commands in autounattend.xml file, for clean install?

 

Hello SunLion, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

I've never tried it, but it won't hurt to give it a try.

If you do, please let us know how it went.

 

I've never used it in an unattend file, but I do have it run in a script on first login, so I suspect it would work in an unattend file, too.

This is the only automated way to keep default file associations for new users after Sysprep is run. This was actually changed in Windows 8 (and kept the same in Windows 10), but since so few people deployed Windows 8, few people know about this change from Windows 7.

 

You can show your script that uses the first login?
This would help me a lot.
Thanks to you and the Brink for the answers.

 

It's literally what is in this tutorial.

Just make a script to import your XML file associations on first login.

In my unattend file, I have it set to automatically login to the Administrator account 1 time on deployment And I have the script run automatically on first login. The script deletes itself at the end so it doesn't run on the next login.

 

OK, I'll do that and see if it works.
Thanks for the help

 

WOW THIS IS A LIFE SAVER!!! Thank you so much Brink!