Comparison of programs for opening files. Personal computer from A to Z
Help me make sure that the files are constantly occluded by one program.
File association is an indispensable thing. You just need to choose once which program will open this or that file, and you won’t have any more worries. However, the installation of a file association does not always go smoothly, especially if the program was incorrectly uninstalled.
It happens that you have selected completely the wrong program in the “ Open with”, and also checked the box Use the selected program for all files of this type. And then it turned out that a completely different program was needed...
Or, say, the removal of the program was incorrect, and its association with various files stayed. We get a paradox - there is no program, there is an association. And Windows is desperately trying to open the file using a program that has already disappeared.
You can solve all problems with file associations in Windows 7 in the following 4 ways.
File associations: Open with dialog
First try using it again dialog box Open with. You probably know how to do this - click right click mouse on any file, select the command Open with and then the desired program.
If the method does not help and the file association has not changed, move on.
File associations: change program
Now we need Control Panel. Click on the link in it Programs, then on the link Purpose of the program to open files of this type.
A window will open Mapping file types or protocols to specific programs, in which you just need to select the required file extension and click on the button Change program and specify the desired application.
The insidious association does not give up? Let's go into the system registry.
File associations: system registry
Click the button Start and enter the command in the search field regedit, then press the key
Finally, the final method is using the Unassociate File Types program.
File associations: Unassociate File Types program
It's not even a program, it's just a small utility. But with its help you can delete any association, as well as delete a file type directly from system registry– in other words, it allows you to save time and not go into the registry.
The program is as basic as a cheburek. Launched, selected the file type and clicked on the button Remove file association(Remove file association) or Delete file type (Delete the file type from the system registry, as in the previous example).
We usually open files on the computer double click mouse and at the same time a program that can work with this type of file is automatically launched.
In addition, the icon of the file itself usually indicates its type or the program that opens it.
The Windows operating system is responsible for all this and is implemented as follows.
What is file association in Windows
Usually the file name consists of two parts - title and . These two parts are separated by a period and by default in Windows the file extension is not shown, but their display can be enabled in Explorer.
The extension is three to four Latin characters or numbers, for example, .jpeg, .mp3, .avi.
Exactly according to Windows extension understands what type of file is in front of it. Windows also has a list of all the programs that are installed in it, and each program “reports” when installed operating system, what types or file formats it can work with.
As a result, Windows matches specific programs and extensions, that is, it determines which program will open files of certain extensions.
This comparison is called file association in Windows.
Defining the Default Program
The user himself can change the associations by manually telling Windows which program should be used to open files of certain formats (extensions) and this sometimes has to be used
It happens that due to the carelessness or inattention of the user, the file association is changed. After this, the files are opened by other programs or are not launched at all. Also, quite often, when installing a program on a computer, the user does not remove the setting that makes this program the default program to open certain types of files. For example, you installed another video player and now all videos open and play in it.
Decide this problem quite simple - you need to change the default program or, which is the same thing, the association in Windows.
There are several ways to do this, and I will only tell you about one that I use myself, since it seems to me the simplest.
Right-click on the file for which we want to change the association and select the item from the context menu.
Next, select the program you want this file open. You can select a program from the list provided by Windows itself, or you can specify the program manually. Well, you need to remember to check the box that allows you to always open files of this format in this program.
This operation will allow you to restore associations for specific file types, but this method will not help in all situations.
Restoring a file association
Sometimes, due to a failure of the operating system, programs, or viruses, the file association may be disrupted and, as a result, files or shortcuts will no longer run. Similar problems often arise among fans of various tweakers and programs for “optimizing” the system. As a rule, this indicates damage to the part responsible for file association.
The logical solution to this problem would be to restore the damaged registry branch. This is quite simple to do - you just need to launch it with the correct data and add it to your Windows registry.
You can get reg files on the Internet. For example, there are forums that are dedicated to specific operating systems. These forums contain reg files that allow you to restore associations in Windows.
Select a forum for your operating system and download the reg file from there:
I'll demonstrate it on Windows example 10.
I find a button on the forum page Download and download the archive with reg files to the computer. Then I unzip it and go into the folder. Reg files for a wide range of extensions are provided inside.
We select the extension we need and run the reg file. For example, shortcuts have the extension .lnk, and programs - .exe. Depending on what type of file (extension) you are having problems with, select the required reg file. Extension problematic files can be displayed in the Explorer program settings.
We add information to the registry, after which we reboot the computer and the association will be changed.
To add data to the registry, you must have, that is, you must log in as an administrator.
Program for restoring associations
The process of changing the registry can be automated. That is, you can not download registry files, but use a program that allows you to restore file associations in Windows.
For example, the File Association Fixer utility supports at the moment 70 file types and allows you to repair file associations in Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10.
File association is a feature that is built into the Windows operating system. Its purpose is to determine which program will be used when the user opens files, folders, programs.
For convenience, you can spend a little time and configure these parameters once - then this or that file will be opened by the program of your choice. Many users do not realize that they have the ability to choose programs to open different files. The question of association arises when problems and malfunctions arise.
There may be situations where an association reset is necessary Windows files. Firstly, it happens that several programs are installed on the computer that can open a certain type. For example, to open photos and other images, you can select ACDSee, Irfan View, even Paint.
The default program does not always suit the user. For example, Paint is convenient for drawing, but it would not occur to an advanced user to use it to view images. If this program was accidentally installed as the main one, you can either suffer or change the file association.
There are situations when the utility that was previously used to open the file has been deleted. If the deletion was carried out with errors, or the procedure itself was violated, it happens that its association remains. The program no longer exists, but it is designed to work with specific types of files. To resolve this issue, you will also need to change the association setting. To prevent such problems from arising in the future, use a special procedure for removing programs.
In general, we have seen that situations where file associations in Windows are broken occur quite often. Therefore, it will be useful to learn how to set up an association, fix it, or restore it.
There are several ways to solve this problem. Let's look at each of them.
File association in Windows 7
To restore file associations in Windows 7, we will use the following method. Hover your mouse over the file and right-click. From the list that appears, select the item that suggests “Open with...”. A window will appear with a list of programs. Find there the application that is suitable for opening your file, save your choice. That's enough easy way assign an association, but we will consider other methods that are suitable for other versions of the OS.
File associations in Windows 8
If due to system errors or failures, as well as due to the user's fault, the file association in Windows 8 is broken, you will probably encounter some problems. For example, completely different applications may open instead of programs. If you want to fix this problem, use one of three methods.
File association in Windows 10
In this version of the OS, the developers have added the ability to restore the default file association in Windows. Click Win+l, find the “System” tab, in which you need to find the default application settings. Selecting an item "Reset to recommended values", you return the association settings to factory settings. All types of files will be opened by the programs that were specified during the OS installation stage. Next, if you want to customize file associations in Windows 10, in the same window, set the values that suit you.
As you can see, this procedure does not take much time and does not require special skills.
To correct errors in file associations in any operating system, you can use programs, of which there are many on the Internet. They are easy to download and completely free. The programs are lightweight and have an intuitive interface, making them easy to work with. For example, suitable for Windows 7 and 8 File Association Fixer And Unassoc. With these utilities, you can quickly and effectively deal with file association violations.
Since to play popular types of video, audio, text and some other files in Windows system standard functionality is provided; it is the standard programs of the system that are initially installed by default to open the types of files they support when you double-click on these files. But as you install it into the system third party programs This situation will change. During the installation process third party software often takes over the role of default programs for supported file types. And such software, accordingly, arbitrarily makes settings in file associations - binding specific programs to specific file types to open them by double-clicking. True, there are also programs that, during the installation process, offer the user to manually configure file associations - for example, select not all file types, but only some. Or even completely refuse to link files to the installed program.
Opening a movie in a new media player window or a link in a new browser window, which was automatically and quietly installed in addition to another, usually free, program is not the best big problem. More precisely, not a problem at all, because this is a natural consequence of intercepting the latter installed program their file types. Things will be much more difficult when, after unsuccessful experiments with Windows settings or association failure occurs as a result of malware penetration system files. Failure in the associations of executable .exe files of programs and .lnk files of shortcuts will make them impossible to launch. So, instead of running the desired program we can get some other program launched. Or it may be like this: Windows will think that to run one program another program is needed. Naturally, the system will not find such a thing, and it will have no choice but to offer a search for a match on the Internet or in Windows store. No less problematic will be the failure of the system file associations .msi, .bat, .cpl, which will make it impossible to uninstall programs installed on the system, open folders or sections of the control panel, and the operation of others Windows functions.
Such problems can be solved by changing default programs and restoring default file associations. We will consider all this in detail below.
1. Setting default programs in Explorer
Get back your favorite browser, text or graphic editor, media player, other program so that they are associated with supported files, you can Windows Explorer. Click on the file of the desired type right key mouse and select “Open with”.
In Windows 7, in the window that appears, click the browse button.
And we indicate the executive file by finding it on the C drive among the installed programs or in the storage location in the case of portable programs.
We check that the use of this program is checked for all files of this type. Click "Ok".
In Windows 8.1 and 10, when you select the “Open with” command, you will see the same essence, but in a different design. If the proposed list of programs does not contain the one you need, expand the list by clicking “More applications” (or “Advanced”).
Click the option to search for another application.
And in the Explorer window we indicate the path to executive file. To ensure that the selected program always opens this type of file, check the “Always use this application...” checkbox.
You can also assign a default program for a particular file type in the properties of a separately selected file. Call on the file context menu and click “Properties”.
In the “Application” column, click “Change”.
And indicate the desired program - a modern application, a program installed on the system, or portable program.
The context menu on files is the only way to set portable software as default programs. But for programs installed on the system there is also a toolkit included in the panel Windows management.
2. Setting default programs in the control panel
Let's go to system panel management. Quick access it is available in the Windows 7 Start menu
and after pressing +X in Windows 8.1 and 10.
In all Windows versions further path and the functions will be the same. In the Control Panel window, select the “Programs” section.
And then in the “Default Programs” subsection, click “Set default programs.”
We will see a list of programs installed on the system and modern/universal applications in the case of Windows 8.1 and 10. By selecting a program on the left on the right side of the window, you can set it as the default program. And this program will henceforth open all supported files when you double click on them.
Not all types of files can be assigned to programs and applications in the list, but only some.
In the list of file types that opens, uncheck those that we do not want the program to play by default and click “Save.”
Using the same principle, you can configure default opening programs for each individual file type. Returning to the window of the “Default Programs” subsection of the control panel, click on another item – “Assign a program to open files of this type.”
Now in the list we will see not programs, but, on the contrary, file types in alphabetical order. By selecting the desired format and clicking the “Change program” button, in this way, in fact, we will assign a program for this type of files that will open them by default.
In Windows 8.1 and 10, after the list of file types, logs for launching applications, Chrome applications, individual mail functions or Skype functions, etc. will be placed. Mapping these protocols to their applications is something that should not be experimented with for the sake of idle interest. After all, as a rule, these protocols are tailored to specific functions of the system and programs.
3. Modern default program settings for Windows 8.1 and 10
Set up desktop programs and modern applications by default, for each individual file type in Windows 8.1, you can either in the Control Panel or in standard application"Options". The essence of these methods is the same, but the interface is different. Press the +Q keys and enter the query “by default” in the search field. In the search results, select “Default application settings”.
In the modern program settings interface, file types and protocols will be presented separately by default.
To set the default program for a specific file type, click the plus button or the icon existing program and indicate required - application or the executable file of the desired program.
The same format for default program settings is present in Windows 10. But it is called, like the Control Panel section, “Default Programs”.
In addition to the ability to customize programs according to Windows default 10 also provides the ability to reset file associations to the default ones, as they were immediately upon installation of the system.
4. Restoring default file associations
The methods discussed above will help in case of failure of associations of documents, media and other user files. However, if we are dealing with a failure of system files, in particular, the types .exe and .lnk mentioned above, then a more serious intervention is needed by editing the system registry. But we won’t edit it manually, but will go for more the simple way and resort to importing ready-made .reg files - service files, intended to make changes to Windows registry. We will download .reg files specially designed for restoring file associations to default settings on the Internet.
4.1. For Windows 7
For Windows 7, such .reg files are posted on the website Sevenforums.Com. By clicking the “Download” button, you can download all available .reg files in one folder at a time.
But we can only upload individual ones.
Run the downloaded .reg file double click.
We confirm the launch.
We confirm the continuation of the process.
4.2. For Windows 8.1
Using the same principle, we restore default file associations in Windows 8.1. We download from the Eightforums.Com website either individual .reg files, for example, to restore .exe or .lnk formats, or all .reg files in one folder.
We launch the required .reg file and confirm the action.
4.3. For Windows 10
.reg files that restore default file associations in Windows 10 can be downloaded from Tenforums.Com.
As in previous cases, run the required .reg file and confirm the action.
5. File Association Fixer program to restore default file associations
To restore default file associations as an alternative the previous method can be used free program File Association Fixer. This program works with Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 and will help restore system file associations, in particular .exe and .lnk, to their default values. Launch the program, go to the “Fix Files” tab, check the boxes required types files and click “Fix Selected” at the bottom.
File Association Fixer provides a way to run itself even if the “.exe” file association fails. To run the program in this case, you must manually change the extension executable file programs from.exe to.com.
Have a great day!
There is such an unpleasant situation when file associations in the Windows operating system get lost. These can be programs (.exe) and shortcuts (.lnk), when you open one, but something completely different starts. This mess can be restored in various ways, basically you have to change some parameters in the registry, but in today's article I will give Some tips for restoring file associations without much difficulty.
You can restore application associations (.exe) by editing the Windows registry. To do this, use the Run context menu (Win+R). Next, in the window that opens, you need to enter: and click OK.
The Registry Editor will launch. In it, go through the branches to the folder.EXE:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer > FileExts > .exe
And already there you need to delete the subsection UserChoice. And restart your computer. In principle, in this way you can restore associations not only of exe files, but also of any other files where the association has been lost, only in a branch instead .exe need to go to required section, for example in the shortcuts section - .lnk. If you cannot edit the registry, an error appears: editing the registry is prohibited by the administrator, then it's a matter of viruses, so read on to sort out this problem.
There is such a way. You need to launch the command line (CMD). You can also do this by first running “Run” (Win+R), then enter in it cmd and click OK.
A command line will open, in which you need to enter:
regedit /s %userprofile%\desktop\fix-lnk.reg
The first line is responsible for recovery exe files(applications), the second for lnk (shortcuts) and the third for reg files (this is if it is impossible to run registry files). You can, for example, leave only the first line (delete the rest) if you need to restore the association of only applications, i.e. it will look like this:
regedit /s %userprofile%\desktop\fix-exe.reg
It happens that the command line does not start in this way (via Run), then you can open it in another way. To begin, launch (Ctrl+Shift+Esc). (Sometimes there are viruses that cause mischief and block access to the dispatcher Windows tasks too, if you have a similar problem, then read the article -). Next, select: "File" -> "New task (Run)" with the right button while holding down Ctrl key. And already, after CMD starts, we enter the required code.
REG files to restore file associations.
Here is a small list of the main reg files with which you can restore lost associations. For this, simply you need to download the required reg file and run it double click.
Recovery EXE files(applications) - .
Recovering LNK files (shortcuts) - .
Recovery REG files - .
ZIP recovery files - .
Folder recovery - .
Restoring all associations - .
Attention! If the associations of REG files are lost, i.e. there is no way to run them, then you need to act in a different way, or, as above, edit the registry, namely delete UserChoice subsection in the .reg folder. Or in command line enter:
regedit /s %userprofile%\desktop\fix-reg.reg
Or, open the Registry Editor again, click "File" -> "Import" and select required file, i.e. file to fix .REG, it can be downloaded above.
You can also restore associations using deletion AVZ viruses. To do this, download this utility. Then launch it. Next, select “File” -> “System Restore”. There, check the box next to "Restore file launch settings".
And of course, with the help of the same AVZ or others one-time utilities To remove viruses, you need to check your computer for the presence of . Most often, associations get lost due to viruses, so you need mandatory check computer!
Perhaps that’s all, ask questions if anything is not clear from this article.