File Extensions Help

How To Change the Default Program That Starts When You Double-Click a File with a Particular Extension

If instead of using the File > Open command to open a file, you open the file by double-clicking on it, Windows XP attempts to recognize the file name extension of the file you are trying to open, and then the file is opened using the program that is associated with this extension.

However, at times, you may want to change this default program that is associated with files that have particular file extension. For example, by default when you double-click on a file with “.txt” file name extension, it is opened using the Notepad program. However, you may want to change the file name extension and the program association so that when you double-click a .txt file, it opens using the Microsoft Word program.

Steps to Change Associated Program of the Selected File Name Extension

Notes : Before, proceeding with the steps, you must know/do the following:

• These steps cannot be used with files that do not have file name extensions.
• You cannot use the steps with files with system extensions, such as .exe, .com. and .bat.
• Before changing the file name extension associations, you must note down the current associations. This way, if your new association settings do not work the way you want, you can revert to your old settings.

1. Open the Windows Explorer or the My Computer window.
2. Navigate to the file for which you need to change the file name extension and then right-click on it.
3. Next, do one of the following:
   
   • Point to the Open With command and then select the program you want to open the file with.
   • Point to the Open With command, and then select the Choose Program command.
     1. In the Open With dialog box that opens, do one of the following:
        
        
        • If the program you want to select is displayed in the Programs list, select it from the list.
        • To locate and select a program that is not there in this list, select the Browse button, navigate to the executable file of the program you want to use, and then click the OK button.
        • If you want to look for a program over the Internet, select the Look for the appropriate program on the Web option.
          
          
     2. After you have selected the program you want to associate with the file name extension, select the Always use the selected program to open this kind of file checkbox—if it is not selected already.
     3. Finally, click the OK button.
   After you complete this step, your Windows XP will open all files that comprise the file name extension of the selected file, using the program you associated with it in this step.

 Note : In case, you want to revert to old settings, perform these steps again to roll back your changes.

 Steps to display file name extensions of all programs installed on the computer

1. Open the Windows Explorer or the My Computer window.
2. Open the Tools menu and then select the Folder Options command.
3. On the View tab, clear the Hide extensions for known file types checkbox.

Additional Information—For Advanced Users

Discussed here are some additional tasks that you can perform to modify file associations. It is recommended that only advanced users perform this task.

Steps to create file associations for unassociated files on your computer

You may want to create file associations for unassociated programs when:

• A program on your Windows XP computer creates a while with file name extension that is not registered on the system.
• You receive files from another source, such as e-mail attachments, created in a program that is not there on the system, but you have a program that can read these files.

To create a file association, perform the following steps:

1. In the My Computer or Windows Explorer window, navigate to the file for which you need to associate a program.
2. Right-click on the file, and then select the Open command.
   

   Note : In case the Open command is not there, select the Open with command or double-click on the file.

   The Windows dialog box informing you that no program is associated with the selected file is displayed.
   

3. In the Windows dialog box, select one of the following:

• Use the Web service to find the appropriate program: Select only if the program you want to associate with the file is not there on your system.
• Select the program from a list: Select this option, to display the Open with dialog box and select a program that exists on your computer. After you have made your selection, select the Always use the selected program to open this kind of file checkbox to ensure that every time you open a file of this type, it is opened using the program you specify here.

Note : While changing or specifying file association, ensure that the program you choose can correctly handle the file type.