Default File Associations - Restore in Windows 8

**Brink** · 19 Aug 2012

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Brink

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Join Date: Jul 2009

Posts: 21,863

How to Restore Default File Extension Type Associations in Windows 8 and 8.1

Information

This tutorial will allow you to restore the default registry entries and program associations for the file extension type and protocol of your choice in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT 8.1.

This can be helpful for example when a file extension type opens with the wrong program by default, has the wrong icon, or is missing or corrupted in the registry. Downloading the .reg file for the selected file extension below, will restore that file extension back to default for all of these items above.

Default program associations for file extensions are a per user setting by default, so you will need to be logged on to the effected user account to be able to restore the default associations of the file extension for that specific user account.

Warning

These default file associations should only be used in Windows 8 and 8.1.

Note

The list of available default file extension and protocol associations below is just a start for now, and is a work in progress.

I'll constantly be adding more to the list, but if one you need is not listed yet below, then please post a request for it. I'll be happy to get it added to the list.

Here's How:

1. Click/tap on the link of the file extension type or protocol in the table below that you would like to restore the default associations of to download it's .reg file.

2. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

3. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to Merge it.

4. If prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

Tip

If you are signed in as a standard user account, then you will also get a Cannot import type error. Just click/tap OK for it. This is normal since what cannot be imported can only be done so by an administrator account instead. It will still restore the default associations of the file extension if the standard user used Open with to select the wrong program to open the file with.

If the .reg file is not able to Merge, then double check in Default Programs to make sure that the .reg file extension has it's Current Default program set as Registry Editor (C:\Windows\regedit.exe). Afterwards, try merging the .reg file again.

5. Sign out and in, or restart the computer to apply.

6. If you are logged in as a standard user and this still does not help, then have the administrator also merge the needed .reg file for the listed file extension or protocol below while logged into their administrator account.

7. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

Default Windows 8 and 8.1 File Associations:

Note

To download all available default file extensions in the table below in one ZIP folder, click on the Download button below and save the ZIP file to your desktop. Open the ZIP file, and extract (drag and drop) to your desktop any .reg file for file extensions you want to use. You can now pick up at step 3 above.

File Type or Protocol	Default Program	Description
.3gp	Video app	Audio and video container format developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP); designed as a multimedia format for transmitting audio and video files between 3G cell phones and over the Internet; commonly used by mobile phones that support video capture.
.avi	Video app	Audio Video Interleave (AVI) files
.bat		Windows batch file
.bmp	Photos app	Bitmap image file
.cab		Cabinet file
.cer	Crypto Shell Extensions	Security Certificate file
.cmd		Windows Command Script
.contact	Windows Contacts	Contact file
.cpl	Windows Control Panel	Control Panel item
.crt	Crypto Shell Extensions	Security Certificate file
.cur		Cursor
.dat		Generic data file created by a specific application; typically accessed only by the application that created the file; may contain data in text or binary format; text-based DAT files can be viewed in a text editor.
.dds		DDS (DirectDraw Surface) image
.der	Crypto Shell Extensions	Security Certificate file
Directory		Directory protocol associations
.dll		A Dynamic Link Library (dll) file is a support file used by one or more programs. Application extension.
Drive		Drives
.exe		Executable application files
.ext		EXT File. For example, email text attachment.
Folder		All folders except library folder
.gif	Photos app	Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) image files
.hlp	Windows Winhlp32 Stub	Help file
.htm	Internet Explorer	HTML (Hypertext Mark-up Language) document files
.html	Internet Explorer	HTML (Hypertext Mark-up Language) document files
http	Internet Explorer	URL: HyperText Transfer Protocol
https	Internet Explorer	URL: HyperText Transfer Protocol with Privacy
.ico	Windows Photo Viewer	Icon file
.img		CD or DVD image file
.inf	Notepad	Setup Information
.iso		Disk image file
.jpe	Photos app	Compressed image format standardized by the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG)
.jpeg	Photos app	Compressed image format standardized by the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG)
.jpg	Photos app	Compressed image format standardized by the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG)
.jnt	Windows Journal	Windows Journal file
.library-ms		Library folder
.lnk (LNK)		Shortcuts
.m4a	Windows Media Player	MPEG-4 audio file.
mailto		URL:mailto
.mapimail		Mail service
.mov	Video app	Movie file
.mp3	Music app	MP3 sound format file
.mp4	Video app	MPEG-4 movie file
.mpg	Windows Media Player	Movie clip
.msi	Windows installer	Windows Installer Package
.msu	Windows Update Standalone installer	Windows Update Standalone Package
.nfo	System Information	System Information File
Open with - > Choose default program		This is for what opens when you right click on a file, click on Open with, and click on Choose default program.
Package		Package protocol
.pdf	Reader app	Portable Document Format (PDF) File
.png	Photos app	Portable Network Graphics (PNG) is a bitmap compression method for image files. PNG supports 16.7 million colors, it is lossless and also supports index color, grayscale, true color, transparency, and is streamable. It is thus the best compression method (better than GIF or JPEG) for use on the web.
.scr		Screen saver
.theme	Personalization CPL	Windows Theme File
.themepack	Personalization CPL	Windows Theme Pack File
.ttf	Windows Font Viewer	TrueType font file
.txt	Notepad	Text files
Type		To remove association with blank file extension.
.url	current default Internet Browser	Internet website shortcut
.vbs	Microsoft Windows Based Script Host (wscript.exe)	VBScript Script File
.vhd		Virtual Hard Disk image file
.wab	Windows Contacts	Windows Address Book (WAB) file
.wav	Music app	Wave audio file
.website	Internet Explorer	Pinned Site Shortcut
.wma	Music app	Windows Media Audio file
.wmv	Video app	Windows Media Audio/Video file
.workfolders	Windows Control Panel	Microsoft Workfolders
.xaml	Windows Presentation Foundation Host	Windows Markup file
.xml	Internet Explorer	XML Document
.zip		Compressed folders

Related Tutorials

**TheGrantFitz** · 29 Sep 2012

Thank you, this saved me!

**Brink** · 29 Sep 2012

You're most welcome Grant.

**Capt.Jack Sparrow** · 23 Nov 2012

Hi Shawn,

Not to sound too picky but I noticed something in ISO reg file

Code:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.iso\OpenWithList]
"a"="Windows7-USB-DVD-Download-Tool.exe"
"MRUList"="a"

Not sure if we need the last 2 lines. Or is it intentional? Sorry again I was just trying to understand how it works

**Brink** · 23 Nov 2012

Hello Shyam,

Always good to hear from you. Thank you for letting me know. I missed removing it. It's removed from the .reg file now.

Luckily, that registry entry only listed the "Windows7-USB-DVD-Download-Tool" program first in the "Open with" dialog of ISO files to be available to select as a default program. The built-in ISO feature (Windows.IsoFile) in Windows would still be the default program instead though.

**Capt.Jack Sparrow** · 23 Nov 2012

Originally Posted by Brink

Hello Shyam,

Always good to hear from you. Thank you for letting me know. I missed removing it. It's removed from the .reg file now.

Luckily, that registry entry only listed the "Windows7-USB-DVD-Download-Tool" program first in the "Open with" dialog of ISO files to be available to select as a default program. The built-in ISO feature (Windows.IsoFile) in Windows would still be the default program instead though.

Thanks and thanks for the explanation.

**milw0rm** · 02 Jan 2013

Fantastic article this but one question I did want to ask is... if they have messed up the "exe" association I assume that means they wouldn't be able to run programs hence how do they download the fixes?... or is there another way around this?

**Brink** · 02 Jan 2013

Hello milW0rm,

Usually they will still be able to download and merge the .reg file to fix .exe file associations. Running .reg files would not be affected by not being able to run .exe files.

If not, then they could download it on another computer, copy it to the desktop of the affected computer, then merge the .reg file.

Hope this helps,

Shawn

**milw0rm** · 02 Jan 2013

@Brink thanks I just wondered how they would run the web browser since it's a program to download the reg files.

**Brink** · 02 Jan 2013

You're welcome. Anytime.