Where did file associations go in Windows Vista?

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Summary: Several things are slightly different in Windows Vista, and the location of the File Associations dialog is just one.

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I read this question and went "huh?". But you're absolutely right; the file association dialog that we've come to love and hate that's been part of Windows Explorer is no longer there.

The question, of course, is where did it go? To a more logical place perhaps, but with nary a clue as to how to find it.

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File associations are used to tell Windows what program opens what kind of file. For example after you install Microsoft Office, file associations tell Windows that a ".doc" file should be opened by Microsoft Word.

In the past when we've needed to view or modify these settings, we'd fire up Windows Explorer, click on Tools, Folder Options... and then the File Types tab. Only one problem on Vista: it's not there:

On Vista we instead open up Control Panel:

Click on Programs:

Finally we see something that sounds appropriate. Click on Make a file type always open in a specific program:

It'll take a few seconds to load up as it scans the registry for all the settings to be displayed. Once loaded, you can then change which programs open which file types.

Why the move?

It's hard to say, though I do frequently fault Microsoft for changing things that simply don't need to be changed. There's an argument that this should always have been in Control Panel and I actually agree with that. But to move it, without even a hint or a clue as to where to go instead, seems fairly unhelpful.

Article C3133 - August 28, 2007

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