How to Set Default Apps in Windows 11

Whenever you double click on a file or click on a link, the default application will be used to open it.

This is fine in many cases: it makes sense for a PSD file to open in Adobe Photoshop or for a PDF downloaded from the web to be available in that same browser, for example.

But if you open something in File Explorer, the default app might not work for you. Microsoft naturally prioritizes its own apps in Windows 11, but what if you want to replace it with a third-party option?

Fortunately, this process is relatively simple. With just a few clicks, you can set default apps for all the files and links you open most often. Here’s how it’s done.

How to Set Windows 11 Default Apps by File or Link Type

The first method is to choose a specific file or link type and then select the application you want to use for it. This is the best option if you only have a few boring default apps you want to tweak:

1. Open settings

2. Head to Apps > Default apps

3. In the search bar under “Set a default for a file type or link type”, type in anything you want to change. ‘Jpg’ and ‘pdf’ are usually a good starting point

4. Click on the relevant search result and you will see the current default displayed on the screen. Click anywhere in the area to display the default application selection window

5. Choose one of the available apps, then “Set as default” to confirm. “Suggested apps” will work best, but you can choose something from “More options”, download something new, or even choose your own from File Explorer

6. Repeat for all types of files or links you want to edit

You will need to do this for each file type variant you use. Jpg and jpeg are separated here, while the Adobe-specific version of pdf (pdfxml) is different from the standard version.

All web links will use ‘http’ or ‘https’.

How to Set Windows 11 Default Apps Per App

But the above method can quickly become tedious, and it’s easy to forget about a file type you only use occasionally. If you have an app that you’d like in all available scenarios, it’s best to focus on that.

The most common application is to change the default browser, but there are many other situations where this can be useful:

1. Open settings

2. Head to Apps > Default apps

3. Scroll or use the search bar to find the specific app you’re looking for

4. Click on it and you will be taken to a screen that looks like the one below. Click the bar under all the file types you want to edit, then choose the appropriate app

5. Repeat for all apps you want to use as default

How to open a Windows 11 file in an app that isn’t the default

But what if there is a situation where you prefer to use an application that is not the default one? This most often happens in File Explorer, where there are often many different eligible apps, each with their own set of features. Here’s how to use a specific app as a single app:

1. Open File Explorer and locate the file you want to open

2. Right-click on it, then hover over the “Open with” option

3. A list of all eligible apps will open. Click on one of them to open it

Will setting a default app soon become easier?

The process of setting default apps in Windows 11 can feel clunky at times, but that may soon change. In a March 2023 blog post titled “A principles-based approach to app pinning and app defaults in Windows,” Microsoft confirmed the following:

“For defaults, we will soon be introducing a new deep link URI in settings for apps to take their users directly to the appropriate location in settings for the user to change their defaults.”

Essentially, this means that third-party apps could take you directly to the corresponding default apps section of the Windows 11 Settings menu with just one click, allowing you to set it as default much faster.

When the feature will start rolling out will be up to individual app developers, with no timeline provided. Hopefully this will be before the 23H2 update later this year.

Related Articles