Windows 10: Microsoft Edge losing file association with MHTML files

I have Edge browser installed (Canary channel), and I'm facing an issue where the file association with MHTML files is being repeatedly lost. MHTML format, which employ .mht and .mhtml extensions, combines HTML code and all its resources, such as images and Java applets, in a single file. Sometimes I want to download a web page for offline view or for making a PDF from it.

I associate MHTML files with Edge, by manually browsing to Edge executable path (...\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge SxS\Application), because Edge does not appear on "Open With" context menu. As shown in the attached image, the file associations do exist, but after the next Windows startup, they're lost. Is there a way to make this file association stick?

edit: I'm aware you can rename .html files to .mht or .mhtml, but it's a workaround and not a proper solution

OS info: Windows 10 Pro version 20H2 (build 19042.572)

:)

 

Save as MHTML defaults to HTML file extension

To Steve C

Yes, that works as I do have Print to PDF.

However, it's easier just to add the letter M at the beginning of the incorrect HTML file extension, making it MHTML before saving. Edge, Chrome, etc. do not change it back, and the resulting MHTML file opens properly in any of the MHTML capable browsers. However, the browser should place the correct file extension automatically. It may be some sort of file association problem within the registry that mixes up MHTML and HTML.

Is this happening to others with the new Edge and Chrome browsers?

To try saving a web page, press Ctrl-S, or right click in the page and choose "Save as".

A Dialog box comes up, the lower portion giving a choice for "Save as Type" allowing choice of:
Webpage, HTML only (*.html, *.htm)
Webpage, single file (*.mhtml)
Webpage, complete (*.htm, *.html)

The middle choice, for Webpage, single file (*.mhtml), should be changing the file extension to mhtml, but doesn't do this, which is a bug that should not require manual workarounds (adding the letter m, printing as a pdf, etc.)

Please let me know if this is happening on other systems.

Thanks,

 

Recent File List

Remove-ItemProperty -Path "Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Applets\Paint\Recent File List" -name file1

Remove-ItemProperty -Path "Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Applets\Paint\Recent File List" -name file2
Remove-ItemProperty -Path "Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Applets\Paint\Recent File List" -name file3
Remove-ItemProperty -Path "Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Applets\Paint\Recent File List" -name file4
Remove-ItemProperty -Path "Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Applets\Paint\Recent File List" -name file5
Remove-ItemProperty -Path "Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Applets\Paint\Recent File List" -name file6
Remove-ItemProperty -Path "Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Applets\Paint\Recent File List" -name file7
Remove-ItemProperty -Path "Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Applets\Paint\Recent File List" -name file8
Remove-ItemProperty -Path "Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Applets\Paint\Recent File List" -name file9
...

you get the idea. ( too lazy to put it in a for loop and test it.

or just open regedit and remove all the fileX from that key.

 

Microsoft Edge keeps taking over PDF file open/association

Every few days the file association for PDFs on my Windows 10 machine switches to Microsoft Edge.

I then right click on a PDF, choose "Open With -> Choose Another App", select Acrobat from the list, and check "Always use this app to open .PDF files".

Then for a few days it sticks, but always winds up going back to Microsoft Edge. I haven't figured out a pattern to suggest when/why this happens. It just does and is very annoying.

Does anyone have an idea of why this happens or how to permanently fix it?