How to remove file type associations in Windows 10: A file association associates a file with an application that can open that particular file. The job of file type associations is to associate a file class with the respective application, for example all .txt files are opened with a text editor, commonly notepad. So in this all files are open with a default associated application that is capable of opening the file.
Sometimes file association gets corrupted and there is no way to remove file type associations in Windows; In this case, let's say a .txt file will be opened with a web browser or Excel and this is why it is very important to remove the file type associations. So without giving up time, let's see how to solve this problem with the troubleshooting steps listed below.
How to remove file type associations in Windows 10
Make sure to create a restore point in case something goes wrong.
Option 1: reset all file type and protocol associations to Microsoft defaults
1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings and then click System.
2. Later, in the left window pane, select Default apps.
3. Click Restart low Reset the default values recommended by Microsoft.
4. That's it, you've reset all file type associations to Microsoft defaults.
Option 2: Restore file type associations with the DISM tool
Note: Go to a working computer and run the Export command first, then return to your computer and then run the Import command.
1. Press Windows key + X and then select Command prompt (administrator).
2. Type the following command in cmd and hit Enter:
dism / online /Export-DefaultAppAssociations:”%UserProfile%DesktopDefaultAppAssociations.xml ”
Note: This would create the DefaultAppAssociations.xml file on your desktop.
3. Go to your desktop and copy the file to a USB.
4. Next, go to the computer where the file association is corrupted and copy the file to your desktop (this is essential for the following command to work).
5. Now restore the original file association on your computer by typing the command:
Note: If you changed the name of the DefaultAppAssociations.xml file or you have copied the file to another location other than your desktop, then it requires changing the command in red to the new path or name you chose for the file.
dism / online / Import-DefaultAppAssociations: «% UserProfile% Desktop MyDefaultAppAssociations.xml«
Note: Replace the above path (C: PATH TO FILE.xml) with the location of the file that you copied.
4. Restart your computer and you may have File Type Associations restored on your computer.
Option 3: Fix the registry to remove the file association
1. Press Windows key + R and then type regedit and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to the next registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER Microsoft Windows Software CurrentVersion Explorer FileExts
3. Now find the file width for which you want to remove the association in the above key.
4. Once you have located the amplitude, right-click and select Get rid of. This would remove the program's default file association. As an example: if you want to remove the default .jpeg file association which is Photo Viewer, please remove the .jpeg subkey in the above path and when you reopen the .jpeg file it will ask the default program to open the application with .
5. For the above to take effect, restart your computer or restart your explorer.exe
6. If you still cannot remove the file associations, you must also remove the same key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.
Once you do, you can Remove file type associations for the particular file, but there are also other options if you don't want to mess with the registry.
Option 4: remove the file association for a particular app manually
1. Open Notepad and Click File> Save As.
2. Enter the name with the width .xyz, for example, Aditya.xyz
3. Choose the desired location where you want to save the file.
4. Then select «All the files" under Save as type and then click Save.
5. Now right-click on your file (whose file type association you want to remove) and select «To open withAnd then click on Select another application.
6. Now check «Always use this application to open .txt files « and then select Look for another application on this computer.
7. Select All files from the lower right drop down menu and navigate to the file you saved above (Aditya.xyz in this case) and select that file and click Open.
8. If you try to open your file, you will encounter an error. This application cannot be run on your computer, no problem, just go to the next step.
9. Once the file type association is confirmed, basically delete the file you previously created (Aditya.xyz). Will now force the .png file type (or the file you select) to make a file association again, and you can choose the application in which you want your program to open.
10. If you don't want to select the application every time you open the file, right-click again, then select "Open With" and then click Choose another application.
11. Now check «Always use this application to open .txt files « and then select the application with which you want to open the file.
(*10*)
10. Restart your computer to save the changes.
Option 5: Remove file associations with a third-party utility Disassociate file types
1. Download the tool unassoc_1_4.zip.
2. Next, right-click on the zip and select extract here.
3. Right-click on unassoc.exe and select Execute as an administrator.
4. Now select the file type from the list and click «Remove file association (user).«
5. Once the file type association is removed, you need to re-associate the file, which is easy, when you reopen the application, you will be prompted for an option to select a program to open the file.
6. Now the Delete button helps if you want to absolutely remove the file type association from the registry. Global and user-specific associations for the chosen file type are removed.
7. Restart the computer to store the changes and this will be successful. Remove file type associations.
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That is what you have successfully learned How to remove file type associations in Windows 10 If you still have any questions regarding this post, feel free to ask them in the comment section.
