Thread: Setting File Associations

Windows utilizes file associations to decide what program to use to open a certain kind of file. E.g. Windows will know that resume.doc is to be opened using Microsoft Word as .doc is file extension for Word.

There may come a time when you want to utilize a various program to open a certain kind of file or you may also have a kind of file that Windows does not know how to open. If that is case then you can modify file association or modify the program Windows utilizes to open that type of file.

The simplest method to complete this is to open Windows Explorer or My Computer and browse to where your file is placed. Then you can right tick file and select Open With and then Select Program. In previous editions of Windows you want to press shift key while right clicking to obtain Open with menu option.



Next you will be presented with an Open With dialog box.



In list you have programs that Windows suggests to open file, other programs installed on PC or you can select which program to utilize by clicking on browse button. You can then browse to executable (.exe) of program you want open the file with. If you check the Always use the selected program to open this kind of file checkbox then Windows will utilize that program as default for opening that kind of file.