Change Default Applications Using Windows

Overview

Most Windows programs will open inside a certain application by default. This can be convenient unless the user prefers a different application other than the default one. This article provides instructions for changing the six default Windows applications (Email, Maps, Music player, Photo viewer, Video player and Web browser) as well as the default applications for every file type (e.g., zip, pdf, jpeg and gif).

Instructions

Windows 10:

Change Default Windows Applications

1. Right-click the Windows Start button.
2. Select Settings.
3. Select Apps.
4. Select Default Apps on the left side of the screen.
5. Select the app that you want to change the default for.
6. Select your preferred application from the Choose an app screen.

Change Default Applications by File Type

1. Right-click the Windows Start button.
2. Select Settings.
3. Select Apps.
4. Select Default Apps on the left side of the window.
5. Select Choose default Apps by file type.
6. Select Choose a default next to the file type that needs to be changed.
   • If the file type already has a default application chosen, select that application.
7. Select the desired application to open by default for the file type.

Windows 11:

Change Default Windows Applications

1. Right-click the Windows Start button.
2. Select Settings.
3. Select Apps.
4. Select Default Apps.
5. Select the app that you want to change the default for.
6. Select your preferred application from the Choose an app screen.

Change Default Applications by File Type

1. Right-click the Windows Start button.
2. Select Settings.
3. Select Apps.
4. Select Default Apps.
5. Select Choose default Apps by file type.
6. Select Choose a default next to the file type that needs to be changed.
   • If the file type already has a default application chosen, select that application.
7. Select the desired application to open by default for the file type.