Removing a program from the list open with. OpenWith Enhanced - improving the “Open With” menu

When you right-click on Windows files 10, 8 and Windows 7, a context menu appears with basic actions for this element, including the “Open with” item and the ability to select a program other than the one selected by default. The list is convenient, but it may contain unnecessary items or may not contain what you need (for example, I find it convenient to have the “Notepad” item in “Open with” for all file types).

This instruction provides details on how to remove items from this section. context menu Windows, as well as how to add programs to Open With. Also separately about what to do if “Open with” is not in the menu (this bug occurs in Windows 10).

How to remove items from the “Open with” section

If you need to remove a program from the “Open with” context menu item, you can do this in the Windows Registry Editor or using third-party programs.

Unfortunately, some items cannot be deleted using this method in Windows 10 - 7 (for example, those that are associated with certain file types by the operating system itself).

Usually, the item disappears immediately. If this does not happen, reboot your computer or restart Windows Explorer.

Note: If the program you need is not listed in the registry key above, look to see if it is listed here: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ File_extension\ OpenWithList(including in subsections). If it is not there, then it will be given below additional information about how you can still remove a program from the list.

Disabling "Open With" menu items in the free OpenWithView program

One of the programs that allows you to customize the items displayed in the “Open with” menu is the free OpenWithView, available on the official website www.nirsoft.net/utils/open_with_view.html(some antiviruses do not like the system software from nirsfot, but it was not noticed in any “bad” things. On the specified page there is also a file with the Russian language for this program, it must be saved in the same folder where OpenWithView is located).

After starting the program, you will see a list of items that can be displayed in the context menu for various types files.

All that is required to remove a program from “Open with” is to click on it and disable it using the red button in the menu at the top, or in the context menu.

Judging by the reviews, the program works in Windows 7, but: when I tested on Windows 10, I was unable to remove Opera from the context menu with its help, however, the program turned out to be useful:

An example of registry locations from point 2, the removal of which can help remove unnecessary item from “Open with” (similar ones may exist for other programs):

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ SOFTWARE\ Classes\ Program name\ Shell\ Open(I deleted the entire “Open” section).
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Classes\ Applications\ Program name\ Shell\ Open
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Classes\ Program name\ Shell\ Open
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Clients\ StartMenuInternet\ Program name\ Shell\ Open(this point seems to only apply to browsers).

It seems that this is all about deleting items. Let's move on to adding them.

How to add a program to "Open With" in Windows

If you need to add additional item in the "Open with" menu, then the easiest way to do it is standard means Windows:

After opening a file once using the program of your choice, it will forever appear in the "Open with" list for of this type files.

All this can be done using the registry editor, but the path is not the easiest:

Close Registry Editor. Typically, you do not need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

What to do if “Open with” is not in the context menu

Some Windows users 10 are faced with the fact that the “Open with” item is not in the context menu. If you have a problem, you can fix it using Registry Editor:

Click OK and close the Registry Editor - the “Open with” option should appear where it should be.

That's it, I hope everything works as expected and required. If not, or if you have additional questions on the topic, leave a comment and I will try to answer.

When working on a computer in Windows, a situation may arise when a file needs to be opened by one program, but it is always automatically opened by the wrong one. But if you can immediately select a program for opening files, then in the case of opening links, everything is more complicated. For example, you click on a link that came to you in Skype, and the link opens not in the browser where you would like to open it, but in some other one. This happens because a different browser is initially configured to open links in Windows; it is set as the default program for this action. The same applies to any programs, because for each program you can assign the type of files that it will always open. In this article, using Winodows 7 and 10 as an example, I will show how to set default programs to open files of a certain type, as well as links.

Examples for Windows 8 will not be considered in this article, because everything is done there exactly the same as in Windows 7 or Windows 10.

Quickly select a program to open the desired file in any Windows

The easiest way to choose a program to open a file is Windows Explorer. Works the same in all versions of Windows.

With this method, you will have to choose a program to open each type of file. For example, you will have to separately select a program for opening pictures in the .JPG format, then separately the same program for pictures in the .PNG format and all other formats that you use.

You need to right-click (hereinafter referred to as “RMB”) on the file for which you want to select standard program, which will always open it. In the pop-up menu, select “Open with” and a list of main programs (1) through which you can open this file will appear on the right. If the program you need to open your file is in the list, then clicking on it will open the file in it.

This action will open the file in the program of your choice only once. Next time you will have to select the program again.

To save the desired program to open the selected file type on on an ongoing basis or, if the desired program is not in list No. 1, and you know that it is definitely installed on the computer, then click “Select another application” (2).

In the window that opens, the list (1) will indicate all programs that can open this file. Select the one you need from the list. If you want to save the selected program for all files of the same type (so that all similar files are always opened immediately in this program), then check the box “Always use this application ...” (2).

This way you can assign a default program for any file type.

This method is not convenient only because for each file type you have to manually assign a program like this, even if different types files can be opened by the same program.

Assigning default programs for all file types and protocols at once through Windows settings

Windows Settings allows you to set default programs for all types of files that the program can open. Also only through Windows settings you can configure programs that will be used to work with certain protocols, for example, so that all links are opened only in a specific browser.

Below will be shown detailed instructions using Windows 10 as an example. The settings for Windows 7 are very similar and will be discussed briefly; there are only minor differences, mainly in the interface). The settings for Windows 8 are completely identical Windows settings 7.

Open Windows search and type the query “Default Programs” and then select the found “Default Programs” option from the search results and open it.

Information on how to use Windows Search is here

The list will display which program opens what, for example, which program is used as a video player, which is a web browser, etc.

Here you can reassign programs to perform certain actions and to open certain files. To do this, you need to click on a program that has already been assigned to an action and select another one from the list (if no program is assigned, then click the “+” button). For example, you want to select a different default browser so that all links from other programs can only be opened through it. To do this, under the “Web browser” heading, click on the already assigned browser (if not assigned, click “+”) and from the list (2) select the browser that we need, through which you want to open all links.

Configuring programs to open certain types of files

You can also set default programs to open certain types of files.

A similar procedure was described above, with the only difference being that in the parameters you can immediately assign programs for all types of files in one place, and not one by one through Explorer.

To go to options for selecting programs that open specific file types, click on the “Select” link standard applications for file types".

On the page that opens, in the column on the left (1) all possible types files in Windows, and on the right (2) next to each file type the program that opens these files will be displayed. If a program is not assigned to a certain file type, you can assign it by clicking on the “+” button (3).

Configuring programs to open all types of files and protocols that it can open at once

Can be customized necessary programs so that they open everything that can be opened with their help. However, you need to be careful with this setting option, because it may happen that some types of files will not open in the program you would like.

For example, if for Google browser Chrome to set all the files and protocols that it can open at once, it may turn out that, for example, PDF files will not open in the usual program Acrobat Reader, and in Google Chrome. This is possible because Google Chrome can also open PDF files, and you have configured this browser so that it opens everything it can.

To configure the necessary programs to open all files and protocols that they are only capable of opening at once, go to the “Set default values ​​by application” subsection.

Then, in the list on the left (1), select the program for which you want to set the default to open everything that it can open at once. In the column on the right, click "Set this program as default" (2).

Using Windows 7 as an example

In Windows 7, “Default Programs” for program settings for each type of file opened can also be found through Windows search by typing the query “Default Programs”.

In Windows 7, the Default Programs window looks like this:

To select programs to perform certain actions in the system, you need to open “Setting program access and defaults.”

In the window that opens, you need to open the “Other” category; below in the list, you can assign the necessary programs for each action.

To set programs to open certain file types, in the “Default Programs” section, open the “Match file types or protocols to specific programs” item.

In the window it remains to assign the necessary programs to open required types files. To do this, select the file type from the list (1) and click “Change program” (2).

In order to set the desired default programs for opening all files that it is capable of opening and for all protocols, open the “Set default programs” subsection.

In the list on the left, select the desired program (1), and then on the right click “Set this program as default” (2).

Conclusion

The ability to set default programs for opening certain files will allow you to easily decide possible problems in Windows, when, for example, links from Skype or some other programs open in the wrong browser. Or some video files are opened through the wrong player. The instructions above will help you match the programs you need with the necessary files so that everything is as convenient for you.

That's all! Have a nice day and good mood! ;)

Often during installation new program The association of files to open is lost.

What is a file association?- This is a kind of “law” for the system, in which it is indicated with which program it should open this or that file.

The association directly depends on, i.e. if the file has the extension .avi or .mp4, then the system looks at it and determines that it is a video file and looks for an association with the installed video viewing program.

Why does the file association get lost?
When you install a program for or or even etc. utilities instead of standard ones (already pre-installed in Windows), then when installing the program they usually ask which files to associate them with (you need to check or uncheck the boxes next to file types) and often the user leaves everything as is.
And then it turns out that the installed program is not suitable as an alternative, or you want to open the movie through another player, but when you start the video, it still opens through the one for which the association is registered.

You can, of course, for one case right-click on the file and select the menu item Open with select the program you need to open

But don’t do this every time you open a file!

It is much better to designate the main program to open the file, and if something happens, open it using another one.

How can I assign a program to open a certain type of file?

Method 1: in Open with
We do exactly the same as I described above - RMB on the file and select the item Open with, only now in the list we are looking not for the program to open, but for the item Select program at the very bottom of the list, which we click.
A window like this will appear in which we select the program you need. Don't forget to look and check the box next to it Use the selected program for all files of this type

Method 2: in Properties
RMB on the file -> at the very bottom, Properties. A window will open in which we press the button Change

Method 3: via Control Panel
Start -> Control Panel -> Default Programs -> Select default programs
This window will open in which you need to select a program and at the bottom the item Select defaults for this program

Restoring associations
If, as a result of careless actions with or because of viruses, you have lost associations with files in Windows XP, then you will be helped by the one collected by Microsoft certified specialist Doug Knox to adjust the parameters of the Windows system registry.
For windows 7 exe, lnk, bat, cmd and jpg
After unpacking, agree to make changes and reboot.

How to reset file associations
This cannot be done using standard methods or through the registry. But there is a certain enthusiast who made a program with the help of which this became possible.
Download the program, then select the file type and click Delete file type

The context menu item “Open With List” is often used to open startup programs. The Windows operating system offers programs to open the corresponding file. Over time, this list can accumulate quite a lot of programs, sometimes not designed to open the file you want to open.

Quite often there are such situations that in order to discover the unknown operating system file, the Explorer “Open with” context menu includes programs that are not at all designed to work with the file you want to open.

You can simply try to open a file by mistake and after that such a program will be added to the list of programs that are intended to be opened this file. Therefore, it is advisable to remove the entry about an unnecessary program from the context menu.

• Attention! Before making changes to the operating room registry Windows systems It is advisable to create a point, or make a backup one. This way you will protect your operating system from possible problems or failures that may occur due to erroneous actions with the system registry. After problems occur in the operating system, you will need to perform a system restore, or restore the registry from a previously created registry backup.

Consider a situation where the list of programs that are designed for viewing images includes, for example, text editor Word. In fact, I myself put this program on this list in order to show how to remove an unnecessary program from the “Open with” context menu list.

The example is an image file in JPEG format. When opening a file using the context menu - “Open with”, among the programs designed for this there is a text Microsoft editor Office Word.

You can select the context menu item “Select program...”. In this case, the “Select a program” window will also contain a program that is not intended to open a file of this extension.

Removing from the "Open with" list in the Registry Editor

The incorrectly selected program will need to be removed from the context menu using the Registry Editor. Only one entry will be deleted in the system registry, which relates to a specific program.

You can enter the “Registry Editor” by pressing the “Windows” + “R” keys on your keyboard, and then in the “Run” window you will need to enter the expression “regedit”, and then click on the “OK” button, or press the key on the keyboard "Enter".

You can get to the “Registry Editor” in another way. To do this, go to the “Start” menu, enter the expression “regedit” in the “Search” field, after displaying the search results, you need to click on the image of the “regedit” program.

After the User Account Control window appears, in which you need to agree to the changes, the Registry Editor window appears.

In the “Registry Editor” window, you will need to double-click on the listed items (folders) “HKEY_CURRENT_USER” => “Software” => “Microsoft” => “Windows” => “CurrentVersion” => “Explorer” => “File” Exts."

Full path to the file extension:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.file extension\OpenWithList

In the “File Exts” folder, you need to select the file extension from which in the context menu you want to delete the entry about the program with which you can open the file. In our case, this is the “.jpg” extension. Then in the “OpenWithList” folder you should select the program whose entry you want to delete. In our example, this is “WINWORD.EXE”.

In the window with a warning that appears, you need to click on the “Yes” button.

After these steps, you can close the Registry Editor. The changes made to the registry took effect without restarting the computer.

In the future, when you open a file using the “Open with” context menu item, the unnecessary program will no longer be recorded.

Deleting entries in this registry branch is not always successful.

Look at two more registry branches that may contain entries about “unnecessary” programs:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.file extension\OpenWithList HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.file extension\OpenWithList

If the entry in the context menu remains, also check these registry branches.

Fixing Incorrect File Association

For complex cases When the wrong applications are selected to open many types of files, use any of the 7 methods in Windows.

After following the steps to change the file association, the files will be tearable using the correct applications.

Conclusions of the article

In this way, you can remove unnecessary entries from the “Open with” context menu about programs that were included in this list by mistake. The next time you start the program, unnecessary entries will no longer mislead the user.

How to remove a program from the “Open with” list (video)

This article will discuss the solution to a situation where there are unnecessary programs in this list.

Why would the “open with” context menu item be useful? Everything is very simple, let’s say you have several media players installed on your computer to play video files, and one of them is the default player (the one you most often like to use). If for some reason you need to play the video using another player, then you simply right-click on the file and select the desired program from the “open with” list.

And since quite a lot of programs are usually installed on a computer, and one file can be opened using different ones, this menu item can sometimes be very useful!

How can it be on this list? unnecessary program? Let's consider two popular reasons:

1) You yourself once tried to open a file (accidentally or on purpose) with a program not intended for it (for example, a text file in graphic editor). After which this same program is automatically added to this list.

2) When you install a new program, it adds itself to this list.

Let's consider the second option. You didn’t have to look far for an example: the program (which, by the way, was described on this site in one of the articles). The program itself is good, but after installing it, this small incident happened: if you right-click on text file(txt extension), and look in the “open with” list, we will see our program there. Which, of course, is not normal, since PDF-XChange Viewer is needed to work with files pdf format, and not txt.

In principle, these are, of course, trifles, and you can simply not pay attention to them. But if this state of affairs still does not suit you, then this problem can be solved quite simply!

Editing the Registry

To solve this problem you will have to edit a little system registry.

So if you're ready and backup too, then you can start:

1) Open system Windows registry, to do this, press the keyboard shortcut, write “regedit”, and press Ok.

2) Go to the following path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts

3) Then, in the FileExts section, find the file extension for which you need to change the “open with” list (in our case, this is the txt extension).

P.S. The list is quite long, and in order not to search manually, you can use the search: right-click on the FileExts section, then the “find” menu item, enter required extension file, and click the “find next” button. If after the first attempt you find something that is not what you need, press the F3 button, and so on until the desired item is found.

4) When the desired section is found, expand it and go to the OpenWithList subsection.

5) Now go to right side registry, find there the name of the program that you want to remove from the “open with” list.

And when you find it, delete the corresponding parameter by right-clicking on it and selecting “delete” accordingly.

After which a window will pop up (with a yellow exclamation point), where you will need to confirm your intention to delete this parameter.

After the steps above, the problem should be resolved. Check if this is true: right-click on any file with the txt extension, look in the “open with” list, if the PDF-XChange Viewer item disappears, then you did everything right!