Default programs in Windows are those programs that are started when opening or editing certain file types or protocols. It can be an image viewer or editor for image formats or a web browser like Firefox or Internet Explorer for the http protocol. I recently encountered a problem in Windows 7 that was driving me crazy. My preferred image editor Paint.net was not the default program when right-clicking an image or photo and selecting edit from the context menu. Windows 7 would instead open the default Paint application that was overhauled for the operating system.
A visit to the Set Default Programs section in the Windows Control Panel did not help either as Paint.net was not among the programs to chose from. Even worse, there was no option to add additional programs to the list of default programs.
Associating the file types, e.g. jpg or bmp, with Paint.net was also not what I wanted as it would not only associated the edit command but also the open command with Paint.net and I did not want to use Paint.net as my main image viewer.
Then I discovered the free program Default Programs Editor which helped me tremendously. The program offers three options after startup: To edit file type settings, default programs and autoplay settings.
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The Default Programs Setting option was, to my surprise, the same option that Windows 7 provided. No help here but the File Type Settings option on the other hand led to what I wanted to do. A click on Context Menu on the next page (which also contained options to change the icon or description of a file type) led to a listing of all registered file extensions.
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It is here possible to select a file type and edit its associations with the additional option to configure individual applications for opening, editing or printing unlike the default file association setting in Windows which only allows to set one application that is then responsible for all actions.
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The Default Programs Editor helped me change the edit action for image formats from Paint to Paint.net. It took a bit longer than it should as I had to locate and edit all file types manually but it was a once-a-lifetime operation that was definitely worth it in the long run. Microsoft on the other hand should really think about adding an option to add other default programs to the list of default programs in Windows as it is rather nerve wreaking to search for a solution online.
Defaults Programs Editor is available for download at the developer’s website. The free software program is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 and requires the Microsoft .net Framework 3.5 to be installed before it can be used.
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http://defaultprogramseditor.com/downloador