Comments for Where did file associations go in Windows Vista?

Comment from bruce on 2009-10-21

2009-10-21T17:10:10Z

i have an xlxs file and can't find in the association listing?? HELP!!!

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Comment from JP on 2009-09-28

2009-09-28T22:51:58Z

Ok i can do this for any other file but i messed up before and accidentally set .zip files to internet explorer and the box wont let me unclick it.

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Comment from wguru on 2009-07-18

2009-07-18T09:40:01Z

For some reason, my classic view (Vista Hp Prem w/SP1) isn't displaying "classic view' in the windows like the article snap shots show. So it seems the article fails to blurp for some users 'we' find the pathway different than the article currently says. I go to control panel, then "Default Programs", the instead of 'set associations', my link is "Associate a file type or protocol with a specific program".

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Comment from wguru on 2009-07-18

2009-07-18T09:25:07Z

App's for the effort, but as most efforts, it doesn't provide needed blurp for 'classic view' users (ie, we dont have in control panel, "Programs", instead we have "Programs e and Features"), so the article should blurp that.

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Comment from tom on 2009-05-20

2009-05-20T15:50:57Z

...one thing Leo, if you wish to change a property of an extension, you can't do via the Control Panel Method. Such as opening more than one Excel window, one has to change the excel.exe command from /%1 to /e.

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Comment from Richard on 2009-01-17

2009-01-17T16:55:46Z

This gets me to the point of changing the file's association. However, I'm still stuck looking for the winzip application.

Original problem: zip files have inadvertently been changed to open as Flash files.

I need to browse to winzip to change it; I don't know where winzip is kept on Vista.

Winzip does not come with Vista. Winzip is a separate program you download and install. Doing so, it should fix the association automatically.

- Leo
18-Jan-2009

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Comment from bokasen on 2008-11-27

2008-11-27T12:08:52Z

Hi,
I'm having problem with my vista. I accidentally associated iTunes. All my program icons changed and replaced with iTunes icon. Whenever i opened a program it will open instead iTunes. Whenever i UNINSTALLED iTunes all my other programs' icon would return to its proper icon and you can then launch the program as per normal. However, when i REINSTALLED iTunes it would again associate iTunes to all my other programs. I have downloaded several fixes but seems not working. What options do i have here? Thank you.

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Comment from Jeff in Tampa on 2008-11-23

2008-11-23T19:44:13Z

One common action I've added to every machine over the years is the ability to open a command shell in a folder or drive. This was simple... go to file types, select the Folder or Drive file type, click Advanced, then click Add new Action, give it a title (like "Command prompt...") and associate cmd.exe.

Unfortunately, the Vista list of file types only includes extensions and protocols, not "system" types like "Folder".

I assume I can go into the registry to accomplish this, but that's error prone and not something I'd demo for students as I have the technique above. Is there an easier way? If so, please update the article.

Thanks!

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Comment from Reid Carter on 2008-09-28

2008-09-29T00:20:01Z

Can't Associate in Vista:
My legacy (DOS) 3.4 version of MaxThink ("MT") (circa 1987):
Over the years (21+) and operating systems I have continually and reliably been using MT. It remains and likely will remain a program as essential to my use of the computer for any reason as the microprocessor itself.
Although its author, Neil Larson, had kept current with MS evolving OS's, I had been able, because of MS's willingness to support legacy programs, to use my MT 3.4. It was only this past January 2008 as my Win98se machine began to show its 10 years of fading further into antiquity, naturalized by MS's burgeoning OS's and faster hardware, did I make the switch.

The sweet little Dell Inspiron 530 running Windows Vista Home Basic SP1 which I just picked up at the end of 8/2008 is the kind of quantum jump I like to experience. Alone, it's ten-fold increase in processor clock speed and thirty-fold increase in RAM is that quiet thrill of speed I liken to a commercial jet airliner versus my Acura.

Setting up the association for MT in Win98se wasn't exactly straightforward. What worked required that I run a .BAT file to make the connection between the data file and the MT.EXE when they did not share the same folder.

This became the procedure I was to follow in Vista.

Being an old legacy app, there was no standard Windows installation which would include writes to the REGISTRY. I simply copied the MT folder into the C:\Program Files folder.

However, when I went to modify the .BAT association file, to account for a different folder name I had given to MT, the changes would not save even though the file closed after editing. A little strange I thought but surely at the very least I couldn't expect a change if it didn't take hold. So, I moved the .BAT file out of the C:\Programs Files folder, modified it there and then copied it back. The changes then appeared.

As a newbie to Vista and not at all read up on it, I drew the field conclusion that maybe the Vista C:\Program Files folder doesn't permit changes made to its contents. But I got my work-around change so I proceeded.

To make the association, I right clicked the file and followed the directions to OPEN WITH the .BAT file which I "browsed" to as permitted.

The first trial proved that the MT .EXE would open BUT to an empty editor and surely therefore without the contents of the MT data file to which I had activated.

Then I found your sight after many hours of having those exciting witches-in-the-Windows hunts that we've all so thrilling experienced in the past. Still, the sensible clock to resolution was fast running out and I could throw money at the problem with a purchase of MT for Vista itself. The dollars had already been a fraction of the Las Vegas play I had allowed myself.

Your great clarity to this problem "Where did file associations go in Windows Vista?",
as Google confirmed, was my last hope.

A thousand thanks for all your efforts and those of your concerned and thoughtful respondents to this issue.

No, this didn't fix the problem either.

Nevertheless, the discussion on your webpage has convinced me more than ever that a software technique exists for the "association" issue I'm experiencing and that sadly after years of avoiding the usual controversies of an MS OS release, I too have become a convert.

Thanks.

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Comment from Michael Kirk on 2008-08-14

2008-08-14T13:45:00Z

Leo, thank goodness I found your site. A friend sent me a WMV file. And of course I couldn't open it.(I have Vista) It told me I needed to associate a file to open it. I typed in the 'search' box Associated file panel.' wouldn't you know it. It came back 'No results' How lame can a 'search' get? I followed YOUR very clear instructions and was successful in viewing the video, although there was a kind of fight between 'Real Player' and 'Windows Media'.
Thanks so much for your help. I will recommend you to all of my similarly frustrated friends.
Mike.

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Comment from Lynne on 2008-06-26

2008-06-27T01:58:31Z

My customers often send me .ai files that need to be engraved and I use CorelDraw for my machines- there is no .ai extension in the Vista list and no CorelDraw extensions are to be found. Although Corel does recognize .ai files, I usually have to download to my XP laptop, put it on a disc (Vista won't recognize my PNY zip drive, either) and run it out to the computer in my shop to see if it will accept that. All things considered (Vista also won't let me use my HP scanner!), I sincerely and deeply hate Vista.

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Comment from Robert Smith on 2008-05-26

2008-05-26T18:21:29Z

Terrific technical discussion and comments! I will look into your newsletter!

Bob Smith

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Comment from Mike on 2008-04-17

2008-04-17T13:17:23Z

How do I change file associations in vista through the command line?

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Comment from Bob Thompson on 2008-03-16

2008-03-17T04:33:01Z

This solution is NOT THE SAME as the file type associations I knew and loved in Windows XP. How do you set multiple file associations that pop up as menu options when you right click on the file? How do you specify command line options for the programs in the file associations? (for example, to not display the "splash screen" for MultiEdit I have to specify "Mew32.exe /nosplash %1". How do you change the icons associated with the associations? None of these issues are addressed in the new "Windows Vista" way of associating files. Is there any way to gain this kind of control over file type associations in Vista?

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Comment from Malina Kirn on 2008-01-28

2008-01-28T17:08:10Z

To answer Grant, Michael and Andras:

The command "assoc .ext=" should remove the association for all .ext files. However, I wasn't able to get it to work.

I found the following GUI:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/231/1/An-utility-to-unassociate-file-types-in-Windows-Vista.html
The "Remove file association (User)" button didn't work either, I guess it just issues the command "assoc .ext=". I went the extra mile and selected "Delete file type," which solved my problem - removes the extension from the registry completely.

For you poor sods who've managed to associate critical file types to the wrong program (one unfortunate lady associated .exe with Adobe Acrobat, WOOPS!), there's a utility that will 'repair' those critical file types back to the way they should be:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/105/1/File-association-fixes-for-Windows-Vista.html

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Comment from Kris Moghimi on 2007-12-14

2007-12-14T16:42:37Z

found the association area and the option to 'change'. How to you change it to nothing or unknown program. I associated a .let extention to notepad and I don't have anything that will open the file and I don't want anything to associate to it.

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Comment from Gabrielle on 2007-11-28

2007-11-28T16:06:59Z

I think I might have a problem similar to Ada's. I am unable to associate Word 2007 (Winword) with .DOC files. I have tried the right click "open with" routine, and have also gone through Control panel to try and set Winword as the default program. Nothing works--seems to be a registry problem. I can open .DOC files from within Word, so they are usable that way but it's a pain. I can also create a new user profile and everything works fine that way--normal file associations and all. However, I am reluctant to copy all my files and settings over to a new UA without trying to find a solution first. Any thoughts? I would really appreciate it :)

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Comment from Charles Langer on 2007-11-26

2007-11-27T03:08:58Z

As well, this CANNOT be accessed if CP is in classic view.

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Comment from Charles Langer on 2007-11-26

2007-11-27T03:04:37Z

MS changes things just because they want to and/or to save users from their supposed stupidity... and this is a perfect example.

1. some file types are not even listed
2. ditto for programs, with NO way to select / browse to another one.
3. where did editing the context menu actions for a file type go?
4. or adding extra actions?
5. on top of that, say you want to work with several file types-- after you're done with each one that whole module closes...and back to clicking just to get to that module again.

Unbelievable!

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Comment from Ada Blake on 2007-10-12

2007-10-12T09:47:06Z

Can I just ask, I have vista and my problem with the file associations is that when I reach the point where you have to choose the program, where would I go to find Microsoft Word 2007? I thought I had found it, but when I clicked on it, it didnt come up in the "Open With" box. Do you have any idea? Please help.

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Comment from Andras Juhos on 2007-10-07

2007-10-07T22:21:51Z

Same question like Michael Brandt's. I do not want an extension to be associated with ANY programs. I associated a program with an earlier unknown extension by mistake. To remove an association was easy to manage in earlier Windows versions but how to do it in Vista? Neither the article nor the comments helped: the only option is to raplace the associated program by another one.

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Comment from Michael Brandt on 2007-09-27

2007-09-27T23:28:13Z

Excellent question! I need to REMOVE a file association I added by mistake. I want that extension to have NO association to anything. Can this be done?

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Comment from Grant Johnson on 2007-09-20

2007-09-20T09:00:50Z

But how does one REMOVE an association - completely? Dreamweaver snagged .ASP files on installation. Now .asp pages on the internet do not open in IE. Dreamweaver starts up instead. I followed the reassignment instructions and choose IE. The unhappy result: instead of being browsable by IE, I get an IE open or save dialog box. So it still doesn't work. I went in to try to change this setting again and I see that Vista has created a list of preferred programs to open .ASP's: Dreamweaver and IE. I just can't make this go away.

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Comment from Mike King on 2007-09-04

2007-09-04T17:13:17Z

To make a OS 'NEW' things must be moved or graphicly *improved*. As long as it still can be done I guess it's OK

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Comment from Leo A. Notenboom on 2007-09-03

2007-09-03T19:54:04Z

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Anne: This new article tries to address that:
http://ask-leo.com/how_do_i_know_which_program_is_used_to_open_a_particular_type_of_file.html

Leo

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Comment from bnny on 2007-09-03

2007-09-03T14:33:23Z

Can you edit the way you edit a file also? That was with the same screen in Xp, but in Vista that window in gone. When you rightclick on an item (a jpg) you can open , print, edit and a bunch of other stuff. When you click edit it opens Microsoft photoeditor, can you change that to Photoshop p.e.. How can you do that in Vista, in XP isn't it a problem.

Bnny

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Comment from Anne Piper on 2007-09-01

2007-09-01T13:07:04Z

Great article and it helps solve my problem! However, HOW do you know WHICH file to change a program to? AND what does "unknown program" mean?
When I get an email and click to open the attachment and there is no file association to go with it, how can I possibly know what program does?
Please, answer this for me!!!!!!!!
Thanks-
Anne

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Comment from Richard on 2007-09-01

2007-09-01T11:07:13Z

I usually do this by opening Vista's Windows Explorer. I then find a type of file I am interested in, for example an MP3 file. I then right click on the file and select from the context menu

Open With -> Choose Default Program....

Then choose from the programs or use the Browse... button to find the program. Make certain the "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file" checkbox is checked.

This is a very fast way of changing associations.

http://rhftech.com

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Comment from Simon on 2007-08-30

2007-08-30T18:26:06Z

Greg: I don't think so. I have Vista, and it seems to work just the same re extensions as XP did. I've renamed several types of file (including word document) to remove the extension, and every time, the icon changes to a blank page, and double-clicking brings up the dialogue asking what program I want to open it in.

As for why the dialogue's in a less prominent place now -- well... it isn't. It's right there on the Start menu. In the right hand column, between 'Control Panel' and 'Help & Support'. You can't get much more prominent than that!

I suspect they moved it because they're trying to get people to notice and switch to the new program-centric defaults dialogue ("Set your default programs") rather than the old extension-centric defaults dialogue ("Associate a file type with a program", the one you show above), probably on the grounds that it's much more user-friendly (e.g. people who haven't enabled 'show extensions' and so don't know what extension is what can still set the programs they want to use for different filetypes).

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Comment from Greg Bulmash on 2007-08-28

2007-08-28T22:13:52Z

I can't be sure, but I believe this has been moved because it's not as necessary as it once was. Recently a business associate sent me a Microsoft Word file with no file extension (i.e. no ".doc", just a name). Of course, my main box on this contract is Windows XP, so double-clicking on the file just gets me a dialog box asking what program to use to open it.

I asked the associate if she was on a Mac, because I've often received files with no extensions from Mac users.

She said she was using the latest versions of Vista and Office.

I'm thinking that Microsoft has gone to using an embedded file type like Mac instead of extensions on the file name.

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