Reset file associations in XP

Some programs have a nasty habit of commandeering your files so that they are the default application to open them. This results in the wrong program opening common file types and it can be very frustrating.

For example, let’s say you installed a word processing program such as Microsoft Word. When it installs, Word asks you if it can set itself to be the default program that opens all document files that end .TXT. If you are not paying attention during this process, you can suddenly find that Word opens all text files when you double click on them. It’s a bit of overkill.

That can be a hassle if you prefer that they open with Notepad. Luckily, it’s simple to change the file associations back to the program of your choice. Here’s how to do that in Windows XP:

1. Right-click the Start menu and choose Explore.
2. In Windows Explorer, click the Tools menu, then Folder Options.
3. Click the File Types tab.
4. In the list of registered file types, scroll down to the file extension of the association you want to modify and highlight it.
5. Click the Change button.
6. Scroll through the list of programs that have the ability to open the file type and choose the one you want to use as the default. Check the box marked “Always use the selected program to open this kind of file”
7. Click OK.

You can click the Browse button to look for the program if it doesn’t appear in the list.