How to disassociate file types in Windows 11?

File associations are basically the relationship between a specific file format and the applications configured to open it. But what if you want another application to open the file from now on? In this case, you have to remove the file association in Windows 11.

For example, when you open a .jpg file, it's most likely opened in the Photos app. Likewise, a .txt file will open in Notepad. This is a file association, a specific file type that is configured to be opened with a certain program.

But sometimes you install a new program that is better suited for a specific file type. Maybe, you have a photo editor installed and want to use it to open all .jpg or .png files for editing. Under current system settings, these formats will open with default file associations.

That’s why you must know how to change, delete, or reset file associations in Windows 11. In the following tutorial we will tell you how to do this.

Do the changes I make to file associations apply to all user accounts?

the answer is negative. File associations are limited to a specific user account and changes to it are not reflected throughout the system.

For example, you can configure file associations so that Google Chrome opens the .html file type on the current account, while another user on the same system might set Microsoft Edge as the default app for the same file type.

If you want to make changes system-wide, you must make these changes to individual user accounts.

How to remove file associations in Windows 11?

1. Launch Settings via Settings

1. Press Windows I and select from the list of tabs in the left navigation pane app.
2. Next, click Default Apps on the right.
3. Scroll down to the bottom and under Related settings select Default by file type.
4. Now, select a file type to delete the current file and create a new file association in Windows 11.
5. From now on, select the desired application that you want to use to open this specific file type and click OK.
6. Changes should be reflected immediately.

Using Settings is probably one of the easiest ways to remove and create new file associations in Windows 11. However, it's certainly not the only way. We have listed other methods in the section below, please read carefully and use the method that works best for you.

2. Press

Windows

1. S through the control panel to launch the "Search" menu and enter "# in the text field at the top ##Control Panel" and click on the relevant search results that appear.
Select
2. Program from the list of options here.
Next, click
3. Default Programs.
Now, click on the
4. Associate a file type or protocol with a program option.

You will now be redirected to the Settings window and can follow the steps listed in the previous method to remove file associations in Windows 11.

Control Panel used to have a built-in option for removing file associations, but it has been removed and you are now redirected to settings.

3. Press

Windows

1. R to start the run command through the registry, enter regedit in the text field, and then Click OK or hit Enter to launch Registry Editor.
2. Click Yes on the pop-up UAC (User Account Control) prompt.
3. Paste the following path into the address bar at the top and hit Enter. Alternatively, you can navigate to it using the navigation pane on the left. <strong>HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts</strong>
4. All file types will be listed in the navigation pane. Select the file you want to remove the file association, right-click it and select Delete from the context menu.
5. Click "Yes" on the confirmation prompt to delete the key.
6. Now, press Ctrl to start Task Manager and find the Windows Explorer (explorer.exe)Shift process, Right-click on it and select Restart. Esc

#Once completed, the changes will begin to be reflected and the file associations will be restored to the default configuration. If you want to change the file associations for this specific format in the future, follow the steps listed in the first method.

How to reset file associations in Windows 11?

1. Press Windows I to launch Settings and select the Applications tab from the left navigation pane.
2. Click the Default Apps option on the right.
3. Next, click the Reset button next to the “Reset all default apps” option.
4. Click OK in the pop-up confirmation prompt.

After you reset file associations in Windows 11, they will revert to Microsoft Recommended apps. If you want to change file associations for a specific format, we recommend doing so individually rather than resetting them all.

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