Do you ever find yourself unable to open a file or program because Windows 10 has changed the associated program? If so, you’re not alone – it’s a common issue with Windows 10 that can be easily fixed by resetting the file associations. In this article, we’ll show you how to reset file associations in Windows 10 so you can open your files and programs with ease. To reset file associations in Windows 10, follow these steps: Press the Windows key + I to open Settings. Click Apps. Click Default apps. Under “Related settings,” click Reset to reset all the file type and protocol associations to Microsoft recommended defaults. Resetting File Associations in Windows 10 When you open a file on your Windows 10 computer, the operating system looks at the file extension to determine which program should be used to open it. A file association is what ties a file extension to a program, and Windows 10 has a few different ways to reset or change the file associations for your files. In this article, we’ll show you how to reset file associations in Windows 10. Using Control Panel The first way to reset file associations in Windows 10 is to use the Control Panel. To access the Control Panel, press the Windows key and type “Control Panel” and press Enter. From the Control Panel, navigate to “Programs” and then select “Default Programs.” From the Default Programs window, select “Set Your Default Programs.” Here you can select the program you want to use for each file type. Next, select the file type you want to reset the association for and then click “Change Program.” Select the program you want to use for the file type and then click “OK.” The file association should now be reset. Using Settings The second way to reset file associations in Windows 10 is to use the Settings app. To access the Settings app, press the Windows key and then select the “Settings” icon. From the Settings window, select “Apps.” Next, select “Default Apps.” From the Default Apps window, select the file type you want to reset and then select the program you want to use for the file type. The file association should now be reset. Using File Explorer The third way to reset file associations in Windows 10 is to use File Explorer. To access File Explorer, press the Windows key and then select the “File Explorer” icon. From the File Explorer window, navigate to the file you want to reset the association for. Right-click on the file and then select “Open With.” From the Open With menu, select the program you want to use to open the file. Check the “Always use this app to open .xxx files” box and then click “OK.” The file association should now be reset. Using PowerShell The fourth way to reset file associations in Windows 10 is to use PowerShell. To access PowerShell, press the Windows key and type “PowerShell” and press Enter. From the PowerShell window, type the following command and press Enter: Get-AppXPackage | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”} This command will reset all of the file associations in Windows 10. Using Registry Editor The fifth way to reset file associations in Windows 10 is to use the Registry Editor. To access the Registry Editor, press the Windows key and type “Registry Editor” and press Enter. From the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts From the FileExts folder, select the file extension you want to reset the association for. Right-click on the file extension and then select “Delete.” The file association should now be reset. Related Faq What is File Association? File Association is the process of linking a file type to a program or application. In Windows 10, a file association links a file type to a particular program that can open it. For example, if you associate a .txt file to Notepad, then when you double-click on a .txt file, it will open in Notepad. What is Reset File Associations? Resetting File Associations is the process of resetting the file associations of certain file types to their default programs. This is helpful when programs have changed the file associations of certain file types to their application, or when you have installed a new program that has taken over the file associations of certain file types. Why should I reset File Associations? It is important to reset File Associations to ensure that the correct program is associated with the correct file type. This will ensure that you are able to open the file types that you need, with the correct program. Without the correct file associations, you may not be able to open certain file types. How to Reset File Associations in Windows 10? In Windows 10, resetting file associations is easy. To reset a file association, open the Settings app and go to Apps > Default apps. In the Default apps section, you can select a file type, then select the program you want to open it. If you want to reset all file associations, you can click on the Reset button. What other ways can I reset File Associations? You can also reset file associations using the Windows 10 Registry Editor. To do this, open the Registry Editor by typing “regedit” in the search bar. Navigate to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts key, then delete the file type you want to reset. What are the risks of resetting File Associations? Resetting file associations can be risky, as it can cause problems with certain programs. If you reset a file association for a program that is essential for the system to run, it can cause the program to stop working. It is important to ensure that you are resetting the correct file associations and that you are familiar with the process before attempting to reset any file associations. Remove File Type Associations to Default / None in Windows 10 Resetting file associations in Windows 10 is a straightforward process that can be completed in a few simple steps. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can reset the file associations on your Windows 10 computer to the defaults, so you can open the files you need without any problems. With this simple solution, you can ensure that your files are opened in the right program for the job.