Default apps still getting reset?

[TetraSky]

Edit 04/30/2017: It's been over a week now since I disabled all Modern apps on Windows 10 Pro Creator Update, no file association reset to report, so far so good.

 

Edit 05/10/2017: Still no file association reset to report. Seriously? This is ridiculous... If Modern apps really reset this shit up to force people to use them over their own applications... that's bad.

 

Edit 06/03/2017 : Yup, fuck Modern apps. Since I've removed them, I've had ZERO issues with windows resetting my default file association when it was usually resetting back to default within a few days to 2 weeks. I will be uninstalling all of those awful apps whenever I reinstall Windows 10 from now on. The only app I was using was the weather app anyway, so I don't care about losing them.

 

Edit 01/10/2023 : Thread is over for me. This particular issue was fixed for me over time after some windows updates. On a fresh install, it no longer messes with my default apps so I no longer need to get rid of them.

 

 

So... anyone else still getting this crap pulled on them since the Creator Update?

To be honest, I was hopeful, I clean installed the Creator Update and went through like 10 days(installed before release) without a single issues related to default apps... Then today explorer.exe seemed to be crashing(icons on desktop were "flashing", saw default apps reset notifications and then it explorer fully crashed) and took with it all my default apps. Mmusic player went from MPC back to Groove, pdf reader switched from Foxit to Edge, my open documents are now being opened with Wordpad instead of Open Office, etc... Like seriously Microsoft? SERIOUSLY?! Why is this still even a god damn issue!? How come they haven't fixed this crap yet?! 

Anyone else having this problem and is there any fix out there that actually works? I'm been struggling with this crap since day 1 of Windows 10, figured it was just a small issue that'd be ironed out over time... nope, still quite there...

[GoodBytes]

If the file association is not properly done, Windows will reset to default file association instead of not working.

Contact the dev of the software, and tell them to spend 2min reading the doc on how to do file associations in Windows. It's not hard to do. I have already coded this.

 

When all other software has 0 issues (go ahead, try iTunes), then it is software you use.

My guess, is that they use the method that was deprecated back in Windows XP days (from Windows 9x days), and now MS pulled the plug on those, and probably the devs never tried their software under Windows 10 to even notice (or don't use their own software).

[TetraSky]

How would I even go about searching which software I use has broken file association?

Also, just now I noticed that whenever I opened a picture or PDF and it opened through the "default windows app" (Photo and Edge), all of my desktop icons would just "flash" for a sec.

Did that a few times and suddenly explorer.exe started throwing a fit, consuming way more cpu resources then it should (was reaching 20%+) flashing the icons over and over again.

I had to open the task manager and "Restart" explorer.exe to make it stop flashing the icons, then the CPU usage of explorer went back down to a few %, only going up slightly when opening something and going straight back down again, which is normal.

BUT this only happen it if that default app is a "modern app". When opening pictures in Paint it doesn't "flash" at all, same when opening pdfs in Foxit as well.

 

This is similar to the quick icon "flash" that happens when changing a default app to something else. (Like Photo to Paint)

 

As such, I've gone ahead and actively removed ALL modern apps. Will see if within the next 2 weeks Windows decides to reset my file association again. If it doesn't, I'm blaming the modern apps on this.

 

[Mr.Nelf]

   I absolutely agree that this is some next-level SH** MS has pulled.  And that idea that it's the developers' fault for not using the 'correct' way to tell Windows to assign a program as default is DISGUSTINGLY @$$Backwards!!! Maybe some of us WANT to use an old version of software!  It should be as simple as US telling the OS where to look for the program that we want to open a file.  It's worked that way on pretty much all your previously SUCCESSFUL OSs.  Stop making it WORSE, MS!!! It's ASININE that the USER's preference has come to have NO MEANING in something as simple as a file association!

    I'm here because I've recently reset my Win-10 laptop & am once again struggling to get this F***ING DUMB@$$ OS to respect the fact that I want to open PDF files with an older version of Foxit(why an older version? DOESN'T F***ING MATTER! Sufficeth to say, it does what I want it to do).  When I first got the laptop, I had the same problem & found a solution(which now I don't have/remember).  Unfortunately, that solution, or the one that let me auto-start programs PROPERLY, can't remember which fix it was, but one of them involved essentially GUTTING Windows' security (UAC or some SH**).  I recently reset it because I could NOT get Windows to update AT ALL & I finally decided that leaving/using it this way was stupid, considering I got the laptop because I wanted to be getting security updates & my older laptop, which ran Win7Pro, was no longer supported in that way.  I guess either the old fix for the PDF thing is not what I've found this time around, OR MS has just 'fixed' their OS so it's just this much more difficult to get it done.

    What I HAVE found this time around is that a certain couple registry mods, found here & here, fixed the issue, BUT ONLY FOR THE DEFAULT ADMIN ACCOUNT ON THE LAPTOP.  This account wasn't even showing up before I reset the thing, but now it's a permanent fixture on the lower left of the login screen.  Gee, MS, thanks for that extra piece of irremovable SH** on my screen, you dumb@$$ F***S!!!  ANYway, when I login' to the default admin account, it's PDF file associations stick properly, despite opening multiple files by just double-clicking them in Windows Explorer(the way it's supposed to work, MS!).  Those of my primary account, from which I have removed admin authority, do NOT stick!  I can set the default PDF associated program to Foxit & it switches correctly.  HOWEVER, the moment I open a PDF file with Foxit by double-clicking the file in Windows Explorer, Windows reverts the default app used to open PDF files back to Edge.  FUUUUUU** EDGE!!!!

    So, for THAT account, my primary, I went and renamed Edge's .exe files so it COULDN'T open them with Edge.  But NOW, when opening the PDF files after associating them with Foxit, Windows STILL REMOVES FOXIT FROM ITS POSITION AS DEFAULT!!!  Not only that, but afterward, when you right click a PDF file & access its properties dialogue box, the "Change" button that's supposed to be there is GONE!

 I can set the system to open PDF's with Foxit by default within the OS Settings 'app', & then the "Change" button shows up properly in the Properties Dialogue box:

....but as soon as I open one with my preferred program, Windows reverts it back to opening with nothing... yea, it now brings up the 'open with' dialogue every time I try to open the un-associated files.  So, I've gotten it to NOT open them with Edge, but now opening any PDF file(that I've navigated to with Windows Explorer) with Foxit involves an extra selection.  This is MIND blowingly pathetically embarrassing to you Microsoft!(if any of them are reading this)  That you would go to such incredible lengths to force your users in this way.... there aren't words to adequately describe how epically disgusting this experience is.  I'm pretty sure I'll be using some Linux distro on my daily driver system by end of 2023!!!  Windows USED TO be the go-to OS for power users & the like!  Now it's just a disgrace!

    I hoped to find something useful here on the forum, but this thread from years ago was the only thing I could find after a few minutes of finagling the searched key words.

@TetraSky  Bruh!  PLEASE tell me how you removed those "modern" Apps!  I didn't think it was even possible as they're baked so deep into the OS(particularly interested in removing Edge so I can again control what program opens PDF files by default).  PLEASE hook us up with that knowledge, man!

[TetraSky]

5 hours ago, Mr.Nelf said:

Bruh!  PLEASE tell me how you removed those "modern" Apps!  I didn't think it was even possible as they're baked so deep into the OS(particularly interested in removing Edge so I can again control what program opens PDF files by default).  PLEASE hook us up with that knowledge, man!

Edge cannot be removed AFAIK.

At the time, all I did was run a command through powershell to get rid of most modern app stuff.
Used this site a lot :

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4689-uninstall-apps-windows-10-a.html    (option 13)

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/14312-restore-windows-photo-viewer-windows-10-a.html    (after removing modern apps, this is to restore the old photo viewer)
WinAero Tweaker is also a nice tool for this

https://winaero.com

 

 

These days, there are better solutions (I made that post in 2017)

 

There are pre made scripts like this one

https://github.com/Sycnex/Windows10Debloater

That can do similar jobs, though it removes all "bloatware", not just "modern apps".

Spoiler

 

There's also this
https://www.oo-software.com/en/ooappbuster
Which was recommended on the XDA forum on this subject.

https://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-uninstall-apps-on-windows-10/

 

It has Edge in the available options. But I wouldn't delete it due to it being so entrenched in windows, as you said. Just the debloater on github should be enough. The software does have the advantage of letting you choose what to remove or not.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All that said. These days, when I reinstall windows, I don't bother uninstalling modern apps anymore. I no longer have issues with them. They don't reset my default apps anymore. But I do use this software:
https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10
Just to get rid of a few things windows does that annoys me.
The "recommended"(green) setting is fine, the other things can cause some issues in windows and make it not work properly. Choose carefully.

[Mr.Nelf]

@TetraSky

SOOoooo legit!  I wish this forum platform would let me attribute the 'Like' AND the 'Informative' votes to your post cuz you're AMAZING!  MANY Thanks! (Here's hopin' I remember to save this info/software for later. Incase I need to actually 'fresh-install' instead of just use the "Reset" feature like I did recently)

[Damino]

Just wanted to add my 2 cents to this as I did some hunting today and came across this monstrosity.

 @LinusTech while you've got Microsoft's ear on Modern Startup and Sleep State issues, perhaps this might be one to raise. 
 

On login, the Default Web browser and the application Associated to PDF files is reset to Microsoft Edge

 

At every login, the Default app and set the Web browser to any other browser than Microsoft Edge. Every time the additional prompt to really change browser is accepted and the default web browser setting stays for the duration of the session.

 

At every login, the Choose default apps by file type settings are accessed and the .pdf association is changed to Foxit PDF Reader. Windows will now correctly open pdf files with the correctly associated app for the duration of the session.

 

After logging out or restarting the machine and logging back in, the default PDF and Web browser will be set to Edge again.

 

In our environment we can't just disable Modern Apps and be done with it. We need top-down resolution, instead of the same regurgitated instructions on how to change defaults on login.

 

The following answers.microsoft.com articles are references as every single one of these cases is related to the same issue and every single case has been closed and locked without an answer (Hint: Almost 1,400 people also have the same issue)

 

How can I stop Microsoft Edge from Hijacking my Default PDF - Microsoft Community (145 other people report having the same problem)

Edge keeps making itself the default PDF viewer - Microsoft Community (220 other people report having the same problem)

Microsoft Edge keeps making itself the default PDF viewer instead of - Microsoft Community (98 other people report having the same problem)

Edge Keeps setting itself as default PDF viewer - Microsoft Community (4 other people report having the same problem)

Edge keeps defaulting as PDF viewer - Microsoft Community (347 other people report having the same problem)

How do I stop Microsoft Edge from hijacking my default PDF program - Microsoft Community (340 other people report having the same problem)

PDF Files Default to Edge After Restart - Microsoft Community (16 other people report having the same problem)

Default PDF reader keeps switching to Edge - Microsoft Community (206 other people report having the same problem)

EDGE KEEPS CHANGING DEFAULT ---NO I DO NOT NEED INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO - Microsoft Community (16 other people report having the same problem)

 

Fun Fact: After reporting one of the Microsoft responses to these unsolved answers.microsoft.com as Spam for clearly not reading the OP and posting rubbish, they banned me from the forums.

[GoodBytes]

Try and use Adobe Reader. Does the problem continue to happen?

 

One of the issue started with Windows 10 which dropped support for the old XP (maybe even NT4, need to double check) file association method. The devs had years to update, and some sadly, instead of reading the doc, just blame on Microsoft or just ignore the issue. So it could simply be that.

 

Now I don't know FoxIt reader, but there is a reason why it affect some applications but not others.

 

When you try, please uninstall FoxIt reader it might cause a conflict. 

 

If it happens with the latest version of Adobe Reader, then there is a bug somewhere in Windows, if the issue is solved, then yea, sorry, put pressure on the devs to read the doc.

[Damino]

11 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

Try and use Adobe Reader. Does the problem continue to happen?

 

One of the issue started with Windows 10 which dropped support for the old XP (maybe even NT4, need to double check) file association method. The devs had years to update, and some sadly, instead of reading the doc, just blame on Microsoft or just ignore the issue. So it could simply be that.

 

Now I don't know FoxIt reader, but there is a reason why it affect some applications but not others.

 

When you try, please uninstall FoxIt reader it might cause a conflict. 

 

If it happens with the latest version of Adobe Reader, then there is a bug somewhere in Windows, if the issue is solved, then yea, sorry, put pressure on the devs to read the doc.

The issue appears to be Edge doing something at login. File associations are manually set using the Windows 10 Settings to do so. Foxit is a very reputable and mature alternative to Adobe's PDF monopoly and offer us the ability to license the editor version over SCCM. I'd look to Foxit if this didn't also affect the Default browser also on login. 

[Mr.Nelf]

@Damino & @GoodBytes

In mine, it is reproducible without even having to do anything with the login.  Once I change the default to what I want, all I have to do to trigger Windows reverting the set default away from what I want is open up Windows Explorer, find a .pdf file, double click it, which opens it properly with my selected program, at which point Windows attempts to reset the default program.

 

...I just did a quick experiment & found that, after setting the default program to Foxit(which at this point requires my going into settings to navigate to set the default by file type, which takes a WHILE to load, has seemingly hundreds of entries, & has no search function! WTF Microsoft?!), I don't even have to open a .pdf file!  All I have to do is open up the Foxit software & Windows goes, 'No, you can't have that default spot'!  Mind Blown!

[Mr.Nelf]

12 hours ago, GoodBytes said:

Try and use Adobe Reader. Does the problem continue to happen?

 

One of the issue started with Windows 10 which dropped support for the old XP (maybe even NT4, need to double check) file association method. The devs had years to update, and some sadly, instead of reading the doc, just blame on Microsoft or just ignore the issue. So it could simply be that.

 

Now I don't know FoxIt reader, but there is a reason why it affect some applications but not others.

 

When you try, please uninstall FoxIt reader it might cause a conflict. 

 

If it happens with the latest version of Adobe Reader, then there is a bug somewhere in Windows, if the issue is solved, then yea, sorry, put pressure on the devs to read the doc.

   Thanks for the response, but there is no logical reason for me to believe that ANYthing the FOXIT developers are doing SHOULD have ANYthing to do with Microsoft's OS obeying it's user.  This idea that it's somehow OK that Microsoft has done something that necessitates some special code or something in the program one wants to use in order for the OS to keep a user designated setting is laughably ridiculous & insulting.  Microsoft is the developer of the OS & it is THEM who have CAUSED this problem in the first place.  There is zero reason I would go to the developers of a .pdf file reader to ask them to do something to their OLDer software(again, I'm not using their most up-to-date software as what I currently have does what I want) in order to make it somehow stop the OS from removing it as default.  They've moved on.

    It is simply unacceptable, anti-consumer behavior we are seeing that MS has integrated into their increasingly NON-Power-User(& even NON-REGULAR-User)-friendly Operating Systems.  I mean, I'm not even trying to have the Foxit software make the change to the default program within Windows.  It's WINDOWS I'm using to make the change!!  & it's WINDOWS that's reverting it back!  What logic is there that says go to the third party software developer for an OS fix??  I don't understand how such a suggestion is sane. :S

Edited January 11, 2023 by Mr.Nelf
Show formerly missing appreciation.

[GoodBytes]

So, I installed the latest version of FoxIt Reader (12.1.0.15250). Default, full install. Hit, no to the trial.

Restarted my PC. Started up Edge and opened a PDF file on my PC.... it opened with FoxIt Reader.

 

Logged out, and logged back in, waited for everything to load (which includes Edge preloader), and opened a PDF, and it opened with FoxIt Reader, once again.

 

I am under Windows 11, that said.

[GoodBytes]

Are you guys on Windows 10? I sadly don't have a Win10 system... but if the issue is with Win10, perhaps it might be best to request the fix from Win11 to come to Win10.

[Mr.Nelf]

5 hours ago, GoodBytes said:

Are you guys on Windows 10? I sadly don't have a Win10 system... but if the issue is with Win10, perhaps it might be best to request the fix from Win11 to come to Win10.

-chuckles- Yes, as stated in my 1st post here, I've reset my Win10 laptop(when you have it do a reset, it resets the OS instead of updating to a different one.  ...at least, so far MS hasn't made them do such a ridiculous thing).  Win10 has enough telemetry & stupidity built into it & I've not seen MS do enough, if any, improvement of their customer/consumer relations or OS features to justify my even CONSIDERING "Upgrading."