Windows 10: How to set default apps - missing common apps options - where are they?

In the old Windows 10 and the earlier Windows 11 as far as I can recall, a user had the option to set the default apps by default applications, e.g. Mail > Outlook, Windows Mail, Chrome, Edge; Browser > Edge, Chrome, Firefox; etc. Why has MS removed this option? How does the user setup the common apps? Having to dig into Apps > Default apps > search for an application > click on the app's file extensions... ... and then correctly or incorrectly set each file extension is cumbersome and time consuming and prone to make disastrous mistakes! Thanks.

:)

 

Default apps option missing

Assuming that you have already tried to set a particular app as default, but the Settings app on Windows 10 isn't applying the changes or an error appears, do the following:

Open Settings.

Click on System.

Click on Default apps.

Click on Set defaults by app.

Control Panel will open on Set Default Programs.

On the left, select the app you want to set as default.

On the right, click Set this program as default to have the app control by default all the file formats the app was designed to support.

Click OK.

Close Control Panel to complete the task.

If you only want to set an app a default for certain file types, you can follow the same steps, but on step 7 select the Choose defaults for this program, and the extension your app should handle.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-force-window...

 

How to set Microsoft Photos App as default

Hello,

We understand the issue you are facing and will assist you.

I suggest you to follow the steps provided below and check if it helps.

• Navigate to Start>Settings>System.
• In the left pane, click on Default Apps.
• In the right pane, click on Choose default apps by file type.
• Set the default App to open .jpg files and check for status.

Hope this helps. Keep us posted on the status for further assistance.

 

How to change default app for file type

@Bree - yes, I'm quite aware of this thanks, but as you will see it's missing. I recall reading that clicking the dialogue at a certain point in blank space made it appear, and trying that once successfully, but doesn't seem to help now. Plenty of other similar reports of this option being missing.





'Fix' described here: (essentially unassociate the extension)
Windows 10 "Always use this app" checkbox missing - Super User