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Any tool to let you set default program for all file types ? Most annoying thing about windows 11 having to select each file type one by one.

Maybe there is a power shell or cmd prompt line somewhere on the MS site/ MS forums for it. But I have yet to encounter it. Sorry.
 
  1. Open Settings: Press the Windows Key + I on your keyboard, then select Apps from the left-hand menu.
  2. Access Default Apps: Click on Default apps.
  3. Search for the File Type: Type the file extension (e.g., .pdf, .docx, .png) into the search bar.
  4. Assign the App: Click on the current default app shown for that file extension, and select your preferred application from the list. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Windows has always done this very well for me, Windows 10 or 11 isn't much different than prior versions.
 
owcraftsman said:
  1. Open Settings: Press the Windows Key + I on your keyboard, then select Apps from the left-hand menu.
  2. Access Default Apps: Click on Default apps.
  3. Search for the File Type: Type the file extension (e.g., .pdf, .docx, .png) into the search bar.
  4. Assign the App: Click on the current default app shown for that file extension, and select your preferred application from the list. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Windows has always done this very well for me, Windows 10 or 11 isn't much different than prior versions.
Click to expand...
Still a pain in the arse.:sneaky:
 
owcraftsman said:
  1. Open Settings: Press the Windows Key + I on your keyboard, then select Apps from the left-hand menu.
  2. Access Default Apps: Click on Default apps.
  3. Search for the File Type: Type the file extension (e.g., .pdf, .docx, .png) into the search bar.
  4. Assign the App: Click on the current default app shown for that file extension, and select your preferred application from the list. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Windows has always done this very well for me, Windows 10 or 11 isn't much different than prior versions.
Click to expand...
Exactly what they mentioned they do not want to have to do, click each file type and assign an app, versus say "select all image formats - set default app for all!"
 
There isn't a single built-in Windows command-line utility that will automatically map every image extension (PNG, JPG, BMP, WEBP, TIFF, etc.) to a specific program in one step. Windows 11 intentionally restricts silent, bulk file association changes to prevent third-party software from hijacking default apps without your permission.

However, you can accomplish this cleanly using PowerShell or Command Prompt through a few different methods:

Method 1: The PowerShell Association Script (Recommended)​

You can run a PowerShell script that loops through all common image extensions and registers your preferred editor (e.g., Photoshop, GIMP, IrfanView) using the native Windows assoc and ftype commands.

  1. Right-click the Start Menu and select Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
  2. Replace "C:\Path\To\Your\Editor.exe" with the actual path to your image editor executable.
  3. Paste and run the following script:
PowerShell

Code: 
$EditorPath = '"C:\Path\To\Your\Editor.exe" "%1"'
$ImageExts = @('.jpg', '.jpeg', '.png', '.gif', '.bmp', '.webp', '.tiff', '.tif', '.ico')

foreach ($ext in $ImageExts) {
    # Generate a unique FileType name for the extension
    $fileType = "CustomImageEditor$ext"
    
    # Create the file type association
    cmd /c "ftype $fileType=$EditorPath" | Out-Null
    cmd /c "assoc $ext=$fileType" | Out-Null
}

Write-Host "Image associations complete. You may need to confirm 'Keep current app' or choose your editor once in Windows Settings." -ForegroundColor Green

Write-Host "Image associations complete. You may need to confirm 'Keep current app' or choose your editor once in Windows Settings." -ForegroundColor Green

Method 2: Export & Import Default App Associations (Best for Deployments)​

If you need to set defaults across multiple Windows 11 machines or enforce them system-wide, Microsoft provides the DISM tool to export an XML configuration, modify it, and import it back.

Step 1: Export Current Associations​

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

DOS

Dism /Online /Export-DefaultAppAssociations:"C:\ImageDefaults.xml"

Step 2: Edit the XML File​

Open C:\ImageDefaults.xml in Notepad. Find the lines for image extensions (.jpg, .png, .bmp, etc.) and change the ProgId to your app's ID (or set ApplicationName to your editor).

Step 3: Import the Updated XML​

Save the XML and run:

DOS

Dism /Online /Import-DefaultAppAssociations:"C:\ImageDefaults.xml"

(Note: Imported DISM defaults take effect the next time a user logs in).

Method 3: The Built-in Windows 11 GUI (Fastest Non-Command Option)​

If you only need to do this on your local machine, the built-in Settings UI is usually faster than building an XML:

  1. Open Settings (Win + I).
  2. Go to Apps > Default apps.
  3. Scroll down to the bottom and click Choose defaults by link type or search for your editor name directly in the "Set defaults for applications" search bar.
  4. Selecting your app lets you click Set default across all supported file extensions at once.
 
If you just want to reset associations, there is (was?) a reset button in the file associations menu. Obviously that doesn't help with changing the default, though.

That powershell script above looks promising for that.
 
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