Windows: Change Default Apps Settings

Created by Adrian Gay, last modified on Jan 20, 2021

It's a good idea, when logging into a computer for the first time, or a recently re-imaged laptop with a fresh copy of Windows installed, to change the default app settings, to more preferred apps.

Step-by-step guide

- Click the Start Menu (Windows icon, bottom left corner) and type "Default apps"

Windows start menu with default apples typed into the search bar and the default apps program hilighted

- Select the "Default apps System settings".

Default apps settings page

- Within the Default apps System settings window, left click, to change the following default apps:

  1. Email:  Change from "Mail" to "Outlook"
  2. Video Player:  Change from "Movies & TV" to "VLC media player"
  3. Web browser:  Change from Microsoft Edge, to your preferred web browser (Chrome or Firefox)

Default apps setting page. Under the Email section is a button you can click to change your default email settings. This is the same for maps, mida player, photo viewer, video player, and web browser

- Next scroll down and select "Choose default apps by file type"

      This will load a long list (along the left side) of Windows file types.

- From the file type choices, scroll down the list (grab scroll bar, right side) until you get to the .pdf listing.

in the Choose default apps by file type settings, there is a scroll bar on the right. .pdf file type is selected and there is a button to change the default application for the file types

- Change the .pdf file type from "Microsoft Edge", to "Adobe Acrobat"

Adobe Acrobat DC is selected for the .pdf file type default app

- At this point you should be done. Close out of the Default apps settings.


Keywords:
smph it knowledge base default apps app settings windows 10 11 
Doc ID:
134156
Owned by:
Brianna M. in SMPH
Created:
2024-01-16
Updated:
2024-12-04
Sites:
School of Medicine and Public Health