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How to change file associations

Created: 01 Jul 1998 ::: Last updated: 30 Jul 2007
Applies to: X Win95 X Win98 _ WinMe _ Win 2000/NT _ WinXP _ WinVista _ MacOS

By Andy Walker

Question: I am having trouble updating file associations under Windows 95.

When I load some Windows 95 programs, they seem to set up their own file associations. This is fine in most cases, but some I don’t like or I don’t want some of the associations, and I would like to change them. When I am editing file associations in Windows Explorer, I can edit the set up for a particular file association but I cannot edit the extensions that are being used by that particular program. Can you help? —B.A.S.

Answer: "File association" is a Windows term used to refer a program that is pre-assigned to open a particular file type.

All versions of Windows (since Windows 3.0) keep track of the preferred program that the computer user has specified for opening each file type on the system.

A file’s type is specified by the three characters that follow the period ("dot") in its name.

For example, andy.txt is a text file; andy.doc is a Microsoft word file; andy.jpg is a picture saved in the jpeg format.

In some cases, when a new program is installed, it automatically sets the file association.

In some cases, it asks permission from the user first if a pre-existing association already exists with another program.

The Windows text editor Notepad, for example, could be specified to open a file with the extension TXT.

So when a file called andy.txt is double-clicked, Windows would check which program is associated with the TXT extension and would launch Notepad, which would then try to open the file.

As you mention, if you don’t like a particular file association, you can edit it with an applet in Windows Explorer, but be forewarned—it’s a finicky little applet.

Under Windows 95 or later, you can get it by going to the Start button and navigating to Programs > Windows Explorer. Then go to the View menu and select Folder Options and then the File Types tab.

You’re correct when you say you can edit the extension used by a particular program. To define a different extension, you have to create a new association from scratch.

Big pain.

But a free program from PC Magazine called Freedom of Association 1.1 (476 K) can help you. Just access http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,37764,00.asp.

The application, which takes about five minutes to download at the slowest connection speed, allows you to associate any three-letter file extension (for example, txt) with any file type (Notepad text file).

The program is not completely intuitive, but with some experimenting, it starts to make sense and is a lot better to use than the file association functionality built into Windows 95.

B.A.S., I think it will help you achieve what you asked for in your letter.

Incidentally, PC Magazine’s Web site at http://www.pcmag.com is very useful for the computer trouble-shooter.

It’s one of the first three sites I use to look for solutions for this column.

Also, if you’re looking for useful or fun free downloads, try our Cyberwalker Software Library freeware page.