How to Modify File Types in Windows
Each file type in Windows has its own set of properties, including the program that opens each type of file, the icon used to represent those files and the definitions of various actions on those files. The following steps explain how to modify the more commonly used file type properties.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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1
Open the "Folder Options..." dialog box by clicking on the "Start" button and then clicking on Control Panel. Open the "Folder Options" shortcut. You can also find the "Folder Options..." dialog box by going to any Windows Explorer window, clicking on the "Tools" menu item and clicking on "Folder Options ..."
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2
Pick the "File Types" tab on the "Folder Options ..." dialog box. Look through the registered file types and select the type you wish to modify.
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3
Click on the "Change" button to look through the registered programs. Select the program you would like to use to open the selected file type with and click on the "OK" button.
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4
Click the "Advanced" button on "File Types" to bring up the "Edit File Types" dialog box where you can change other properties. Click the "Change Icon ..." button to select the icon to associate with the selected file type. Use the "Actions" panel to associate an action with a command. These actions will appear on the context menu when a right-click is performed on a file of the selected type.
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5
Use the "Edit File Types" dialog box to set the following options for the selected file type: "Confirm open after download," "Always show extension" and "Browse in same window" (if available).
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