Change certain programs to open a file

Operating systems, in general, usually offer a set of base applications to view the most frequently used files, such as images, audio, video, text documents, PDF, etc. Windows 8 in particular comes standard with a set of programs for this purpose.

Now then, users have our preferences regarding software and we are not always interested in the manufacturer's proposal regarding the default programs. Today we are going to see how we can change the behavior of Windows 8, so that it uses other programs other than the standard ones, to view or manipulate files.

h2. Changing Programs by Type Families

One of the possibilities we have is to change the behavior of the system to display generic groups of files, for example images. There are many different image formats and we want all of them to be displayed with a specific program.

For this purpose we will display the right side band (Charm Bar), select “Search” and write “pre” in the search box. It will then appear on the left side of the Default Programs screen. By clicking on the icon, we will land in a Control Panel module, inside the classic desktop .

Of the four controls present under the heading “Choose the programs that Windows uses by default”, we select the first one: Set default programs.When clicking on it, it will show a screen where we will have a large box, on the left, with all the installed programs. Selected the one of our preference.

With this action, the icon, name of the program, and manufacturer will be displayed on the previously empty box on the right. Within the box the purpose of the chosen software. Under it, information about the number of default options out of all the possible ones and finally, two formulas to change the default behavior: “Set this program as default” and “Choose default options for this program”.

The first option assigns the chosen software to open by default all the file types and protocols that it can open by default. With the second option we can modify what we want it to open, without assigning all the possible options.

If we select the second option, a window will open where we will have all the file extensions available for the selected program, which can be checked or unchecked individually using the appropriate checkboxes.There we can establish our preferences and store them with the “Save” button.

Once our preferences have been established (assign all or part), we press the "OK" button and that's it.

h2. Change by individual format

Change by individual format can be done in the second step described above. For example, we may want to view all image files with Windows Photo Viewer, except for JPG files, which we prefer to open with the web browser.

"This can also be done the “old-fashioned” way, by using the right mouse button when marking an individual file within the directory tree and the Open With option. This formula is useful in two possible scenarios :"

• View a specific file with a specific program temporarily.
• Modify the behavior of “selfish” programs.

The first case, continuing with the previous example, we may have assigned to see JPG with the browser, but for one in particular we want to edit the file.

In this case, we will choose the option “ Open with ” from the menu displayed after pressing the right button. It may then happen that the program with which we want to edit is shown or not in the drop-down submenu. If it is present, we select it and we can thus see the file without modifying the default program. This solution is temporary .

If the program does not appear, we will select the option “Choose default program…” When executing this action we will see in a pop-up window the options that the system contemplates for that type of file.

If it doesn't appear there either, click on the “More options” link, which increases the range of possibilities, including the option to search the Windows 8 application store.If it still does not appear, we have the possibility to execute a search for the binary (.exe) within the directory tree, after clicking the link “Search for another application on the computer”.

When I referred to “selfish programs” before, I was referring to that software that assigns itself to open all the formats it supports by default. Many installers have options to make this selection during the installation process, but sometimes we go too fast and miss them. Other times it is not sufficiently warned.

In these cases, if we want to assign a default program to a file format that has been altered by the installation of other software, the method “right click” » “open how” » “Choose default program ..." provides the ability to select one, and permanently set the choice, via the checkbox "use this application for all .{extension name}.

h2. Default programs, tips and conclusions

In general, it is a good habit to leave the system default options. The base programs are as light as they are limited. The Windows 8 image viewer, for example, is much lighter than any image editor. To view a photograph (or a photo slideshow), it is ideal quickly.

Careful attention should be paid to new software installation options, particularly default opening assignments. Consider that the system memorizes everything we assign, and multiple assignment involves space and, above all, loss of performance. In my installations and in general, when an installer provides many types of formats, I usually choose none. There will be time to assign what I want to open and with what.

As you have had the opportunity to verify in the article, Windows 8 provides several formulas to assign default programs, either generally or individually.Choose the one that is most comfortable for you between the new formula of the system or the traditional method of the right button. Whatever you do, think that it is more convenient in terms of performance, to modify the behavior of the system little by little, than in a massive way.

In Xataka Windows | Tricks and guides for Windows 8