When it comes to apps, everyone has a preference. While your Windows 10 PC may come pre-equipped to handle almost any file type, sometimes you may want to switch to a better alternative to do the same job.
Whether you prefer Chrome over Edge for browsing, or VLC over default Groove Music, there are many different ways to install or change default apps in Windows 10. We’ll go over them all in this article. So, without further ado, let’s get started.
How to Change Default Apps/Programs in Windows 10
There are two ways to change default apps in Windows 10. One of them involves using the Settings app in Windows, while the other requires you to dive into the file properties. Here are both.
Use the Settings App
You can use the Settings app in Windows 10 to quickly change the default apps on your computer. This can be useful when you want to change the default apps for multiple categories at once. Here’s how to do it.
Stage 1: Press Windows Key + I to open Settings and select Apps.
Step 2: Go to the Default apps tab and on your right you will find a list of essential default apps including email, maps, music player, photo viewer, video player and web browser.
Stage 3: To change the default app for any category, click its current default app and select any app from the list that appears.
You can also search for a compatible app for the selected category from the Microsoft Store.
Use Features
Besides using the Settings app, you can also change a file’s default app by going into Properties. Here’s how.
Stage 1: Right-click on the file in question and choose Properties from the context menu.
Step 2: In the Properties window that opens, click the Change button.
Stage 3: You will now see a list of applications that can open this file type. Select a new application from the list and click OK. Then press the Apply button.
Now every file that shares the same format will open in the newly selected default application.
How to Change the Default Program for Certain File Types
While you can use the file properties to change the default app for a particular file type, it’s better to use the Settings app in Windows if you want to change the default apps for multiple file types at once.
Stage 1: Press Windows Key + I to open Settings and select Apps.
Step 2: Go to the Default apps tab. Scroll down and click ‘Choose default apps by file type’.
Stage 3: Here you will find a list of all file types supported by Windows 10 along with their default applications. To change the default application for any file type, click on its current default application and select a new one from the list.
If a file type does not have a default application, you can select one by clicking the ‘+’ icon next to it.
Again, if the selected file type does not have a compatible app, you must first install one from the Windows Store.
How to Change Default Apps by Protocol
Besides changing the default application by file type, you can also set a default application based on the protocol of the file. For example, Skype uses several protocols for text, voice and video chat, MailTo is also an email application etc. It has links that need to be handled by Read on to learn how to change default apps by protocol.
Stage 1: Open the Start Menu and click the gear icon to open Settings. There, click on Applications.
Step 2: Go to the Default apps tab on your left. Scroll down and click ‘Choose default app by protocol’.
Stage 3: Windows 10 will give you a long list of different protocols and their associated applications. Simply click the application icon next to a protocol and select any application from the list to change it.
When you have more than one application for a protocol, it can be helpful to set the default applications this way.
How to Reset All Default Apps in Windows 10
If you regret making too many changes to the default app settings and want to change all of the current app preferences to their default apps, here’s how to do it.
Stage 1: Press Windows Key + I to open Settings and select Apps.
Step 2: Go to the Default apps tab and on your right you will find a list of key default apps for each category. Scroll to the end of this list and hit the Reset button under ‘Reset to Microsoft-recommended defaults’.
Resetting app preferences lets you start from scratch. From here, you can customize the default apps as you see fit using the Settings menu or Control Panel.
New Default
As we just learned, changing default apps is a pretty simple task. And doing so lets you enjoy all your files and programs open in your favorite apps.
