Windows 10: How can I change default apps when the options are not there?

At the moment I am unable to change default apps by any of the known routes. If I go to Settings > Apps > Default Apps and fill in the search box I do not get anything showing in Choose a Default. If I go to an app and try to change the file extension it can open, nothing happens. If I go through explorer and right click on a file and then Open With and click on Choose Another App nothing happens.Not sure how long this has been going on and I've tried a number of different things to remedy the situation but nothing has helped.

:)

 

Windows 10 1803 default app change bug

When right clicking a file and going to "Open With", no matter what file it is, I can't change its default. The box is checked, and the app doesn't change.

This is also true of right clicking and going to "Properties". When I click change, the default doesn't change.

This is happening to me on 3 computers now. Steps to reproduce? I could probably do it by:

Installing Windows 8.1, and upgrading to 10 with the media creation tool.

This does not happen with a fresh install from a USB with Windows 10.

Don't tell me to go to "Settings" and change the defaults. The file type list is horrible, and some of my file types are not listed. The registry is not an option on multiple PCs as it is not just one file type. It is ALL file types. No matter what one I
try, it's always the same result.

Are there any suggestions? I know how to navigate computer, so please do not suggest that I need to go to Settings

> Apps > Default Apps. These options are far from optimized, and they don't have what I need. There isn't even an option to browse for an app to select defaults for when the app doesn't show up in the list.

A quick fix would be nice. Even a simple item in the registry? I could potentially have this problem on all 75 computers in this building as they all started at 8.1 before going to 10. I can't reinstall Windows on every machine. That's ridiculous.

 

How to change default app for file type

'Open With > Choose another app' has three step, in the first it only offers apps registered for that file type. If you click 'More apps' it lists all registered apps regardless of suitability. Both these steps have the tick-box for 'Always use...' in my 18363.752. The third step, if needed, is 'Look for another app on this PC'. The 'Always use...' must be ticked before taking this step if you want the change to stick. However, WMP appears at the second step.

For a quick look at a JPG almost anything (including WMP) is more practical than Photos which on my system takes more than ten seconds just to open a photo. The OP is probably not aware that the Windows Photo Viewer is still available in W10, but hidden away. That's my default viewer for JPG.


Restore Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10

And, once enabled, is available in Settings > Apps > Default apps.

 

How to change default app for file type

@Bree - yes, I'm quite aware of this thanks, but as you will see it's missing. I recall reading that clicking the dialogue at a certain point in blank space made it appear, and trying that once successfully, but doesn't seem to help now. Plenty of other similar reports of this option being missing.





'Fix' described here: (essentially unassociate the extension)
Windows 10 "Always use this app" checkbox missing - Super User