Forum Discussion
Can't set default app for some common file types in Windows 11
I'm using Windows 11 22000.120 co_release.
I can't set default apps for jpg png jpeg and webm. At least those are the ones that I wanted to change. There's probably a lot more. And yet for those file types none of the ways to change default app is working. There's no checkbox to always use the chosen app within "open with..." menu. There's no "opens with..." in properties. Those file types do not exist in the default apps settings and there's no way to add them. What gives? It looks like a deliberate change... But those are very common file types and everyone has their preferred app to browse those files.
- I found a fix. It seems the "Photos" app is locked as default so you have to uninstall the "Photos" app to free up the default. To uninstall "Photos" you cannot just do it in Settings > App > Apps & Features because it won't let you there. Instead you have to open powershell as admin by clicking start then type "Windows PowerShell" right click and choose "Open as administrator", next type or copy paste "Get-AppxPackage *photos* | Remove-AppxPackage" now hit Enter. You should now be able to set the default program for .jpg to whatever you want under Apps > Default apps. It's completely ridiculous that they lock this down. Other option is upgrade to windows 10.
- Thank you! I just tried your fix and it worked perfectly. Now Visum actually sees that I can set it to the default for PNG and JPG again
- Get-AppxPackage *photos* | Remove-AppxPackag does not work on Windows 11. Even doing as you suggested, Im STILL geting Photos as default, with no options to change other than "only once".
- this works thank you. They tried locking jpg and common files fo rthier own freetarded tyranny before. It will go away hopefully. Meanwhile, back in my irfan view..many many years. thanks for your answer.
- I really appreciate your findings and highly recommend you to report this via Feedback hub so that this can be fixed in next build.
- well it looks like it was never fixed, still having this problem
Today is the 24th day of November 2021, it's been 3 months now. I'm running Windows version 21H2 (OS Build 22000.348) probably the latest, but nothing yet. No fix, no resolution. I'm starting to agree that it was deliberately done.
- Agree, I've just new installed Windows 11 on my new system (previously had it via a Windows 10 update) and I confirm that I can't change those jpg files to irfanview (that I used for a lifetime) as well.
This is inadmissible, deliberately done? Like the Covid-19 stuff?
Feeling angry already. - 9 months later and still no fix for this.
- M$ is becoming more and more intrusive and appalling, forcing their view of the world upon its customers.
I did use filetypesman from nirsoft to set the default app for webm.- This seem to releate to a noopenwith registry key, but more importantly, short of a full uninstall seems to be fixed by doing a repair on the photos app.
I got Windows 11 a week ago. I haven't been able to solve this since then. This is ******* ********.
Point being, this problems is still present in the May of 2023.
I am going back to Windows 10 (this is not the only issue).
Hey polandro
I appreciate you letting the world know about that. I can not try it out because I have installed Linux on that PC because of the issue mentiones here and the plethora of other Windows impediments. The most important one being the amount of data that Microsoft takes via its telemetry which wastes the computer's performance and makes me the product.
- Figured an easy fix. Hope it works for you too.
In File Explorer, go to your "Pictures" folder.
Right click on a photo that you want to open.
Scroll to "Open with"
Click at the bottom "Choose another app"
Click on your choice (i.e. Irfanview)
On the bottom of this pop-up - select "Always" (do not click on "Just Once!")
