Steps to Change Open With in Windows 11

Changing the application Windows 11 uses to open a specific file or file type is straightforward using the context menu.

Here's how to change the "Open with" application in Windows 11:

You can quickly change the application used to open a file, either for a single instance or permanently for that file type.

The process starts by interacting directly with the file you want to open with a different program.

For a Single Use

To open a specific file with an application other than the default, just this one time:

1. Right-click on the file you want to open differently in File Explorer.
2. From the context menu that appears, click on "Open With". This option is conveniently and consistently the second choice in Windows 11's new context menu.
3. A sub-menu will show suggested apps. Select the app you want to use for this instance from the list. If the desired app isn't listed, proceed to the steps below for choosing another app.

To Choose a Different App (One-Time or Default)

If the app you want isn't in the initial list, or if you want to set a new default application for that file type:

1. Follow steps 1 and 2 from above: Right-click the file and click "Open With".
2. From the "Open With" sub-menu, pick the "Choose another app" option.
3. A dialog box will appear, listing more applications.
4. To open the file just this one time: Select the desired app from the list and ensure the "Always use this app to open .[file extension] files" checkbox is not checked. Click "OK".
5. To set this app as the default for this file type: Select the desired app from the list and check the box next to "Always use this app to open .[file extension] files" (where [file extension] is the type of file you clicked on, e.g., .jpg, .pdf, .txt). Click "OK".

By checking the "Always use this app..." box, you effectively change the default application that Windows 11 uses whenever you double-click files of that specific type in the future.

This method is versatile, allowing you to manage which applications handle different file formats directly from File Explorer.