Windows 10: How to Reset, Export and Import Default App Associations on Windows

Windows 10 on the desktop has a plethora of applications available. Almost every kind of software is available for Windows 10. Even if you want to make a shortcut to copy and paste, you have a freeware to do it [...]

This post How to Reset, Export and Import Default App Associations on Windows is from TheWindowsClub.com.

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Export and Import Default App Associations for New Users in Windows  

Have a look at this:

Some firefox problems - Page 22 - Windows 10 Forums

If you run the linked softwares SetUserFTA and GetUserFTA you can use to export/ import file associations.

Just use the config files edited to make any changes needed.

Example. Set Paint as default for png :& jpg images:

Config file:

Code:

Code:

 .jfif, PBrush .jpe, PBrush .jpeg, PBrush .jpg, PBrush .png, PBrush

Place config file in SetUserFTA directory and name it SetUserFTA.config

Run command SetUserFTA.exe SetUserFTA.config to associate.
Example. Set Windows Photo Viewer as default for png :& jpg images:

Config file:

Code:

Code:

 .jfif, PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff .jpe, PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff .jpeg, PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff .jpg, PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff .jxr, PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff

If you are going to mess about with it - suggest exporting current file associations to a backup config file so that you can restore them.

 

Export and Import Default App Associations for New Users in Windows  


Sorry, I'm not quite sure I understand how this works. Suppose that my Windows 10 computer only has one user account (a local one created when first installing Windows).

Given the above, is it possible to use the method here to change default applications based for myself (the current - and only - user)? You mention that it "this only gets applied to "new" user accounts," so I would assume no. If that's the case, do you know of ANY automated way to set default file associations for the current and only user on Windows 10?

It seems to me like it's stored in the registry; for example, when I used RegistryChagesView to see what changed after setting the default application for images from Windows Photo Viewer to Paint, I got this:





However, when I try to use a .reg file to import over those entries, I receive the following error:





I still get the error even after restarting the computer and trying again. Further, I suspect (but haven't yet tested) that the hash value isn't always identical (I guess it's calculated whenever you set the default application?), and I'm not sure what it represents or if it's important.

Basically, I just need some automated way to set the default applications for the current user, but I keep running into problems. Is there any way to do this?

Edit:
Now that I think about it, there HAS to be an automated way to do this. When you install some programs, they will automatically associate certain extensions with themselves (such as when you install Python; .py files are automatically set to run with Python.exe). So there's got to be a way that I can do it too, right?

 

resetting default appilcation associations


Hi, I think you could use this tutorial as the basis for saving your associations and reapplying them. It's written in the context of setting up a new user, but I don't see why it can't be used to do what you need- albeit for all associations (in the xml file).
Export and Import Default App Associations for New Users in Windows Windows 10 Tutorials

Note that logging off/on is required to apply the associations.

Your situation sounds very frustrating and undesirable.

You might want to verify it is indeed that program. Given that you've only just upgraded, note that a long time back it was found that where old versions of a couple of programs of which one was Winzip caused associations to revert to default- I think on reboot.