How to Set Program Defaults in Widows XP & Vista

By Tyler Downer
2/9/08

Default Behavior

What is this article about? What are Program Defaults? Beginning with Service Pack 2 for Windows XP, Microsoft introduced the Program Defaults manager. Although Defaults have been around for a long time, this is the first time the Microsoft introduced controls to manage them in one central place. This often overlooked application makes it easier to specify what program you want to check your e-mail, browse the Web chat with, etc. This is useful if you have several versions of says, a web browser for testing purposes, but you only want to use Mozilla Firefox for surfing the web. You can now select that one from a list with one click. Let's go over exactly how to access and use this program.

The Steps

First, find the manager. If can usually be found by clicking Start, then then Program Defaults. If it is not on your Start, Click Control Panel, then Program Access and Defaults(in XP) or Program Defaults(in Vista). Now Windows will look on your system for all programs that can open files and what ones that said they can open. Click Custom in XP, or a program in Vista. It then presents a list of programs.

Now, set your defaults. The process in very easy, simply click on the program that you want to perform an action. Leave Enable Access to this program checked you want to be able to right click and open with that. When you are done, click OK.

Your Done!

That's all there is too it. After setting theses defaults, some programs may complain by saying that "Program is not currently set as your default. Would you like to set this program as your default?" when they open. Simply uncheck the "Perform this check" or check the "Do not ask again" box an they will be quiet forevermore!

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