How-To Geek
Modify Basic System Settings with Default Programs Editor
Looking for a convenient and easy way to access basic settings on your Windows system? Default Programs Editor provides that access in an easy-to-use interface.
Setup
There is no installation required for Default Programs Editor. Just unzip the exe file, place it into a “Program Files” folder, and create a shortcut for it. Once you start the program up, this is the interface that you will see each time. You can navigate to the settings area that you are wanting to work with from here. Notice the “Gear Button” in the lower left corner…this will also take you to a settings area…
When you click on “File Type Settings”, this is what you will see. There are five areas/functions that you can access from here. Make changes to the “Context Menu” with the first category…
Would you like to have a different icon for your most used file types? Change it in the “Icon” area.
Not really happy with the description for a file type? Give it a name that you thinks suits it better here.
You can also change the associated file types based on extensions (i.e. .png) or delete an extension (i.e. .docx) if you desire using the links at the bottom.
Modify your Autoplay Settings to best suit your personal needs. On our example system all autoplay has been disabled…
Change what is associated with the Default Programs on your computer.
Access these options using the small “Gear Button” shown in the opening screen. These options work on a “click to active/deactivate them” principle.
Default Programs Editor in Action
We decided to go ahead and try out the “Icon Changing Option” on our example system.
We scrolled down until we found the .rtf listing, selected it, and clicked on “Next”.
Next we browsed for the icon that we wanted to replace the original with.
One nice icon to go…
Then it was only a matter of saving the change.
Curious about the options available with the drop down menu on the “Save Button”? There are two that you can select from…”Save to Registry” is the default if you simply click on the “Save Button”.
All finished up!
Conclusion
Default Programs Editor provides a nice convenient way to access basic Windows settings on your system without the hassle of digging through the Control Panel.
Note: Requires .NET Framework 3.5+
Links
Download Default Programs Editor (version 2.3.1269.2247)
Works On: Windows XP – 7
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Comments (5)
Akemi Iwaya (Asian Angel) is our very own Firefox Fangirl who enjoys working with multiple browsers and loves 'old school' role-playing games. Visit her on Twitter and Google+.
- Published 10/8/09
Is there an option to change icons to use thumbnails if supported? For example, BMP, GIF, JPG, CorelDraw CDR files?
Thank you so much.
Office has its file’s icons back now. :)
Great Job!!!
Thanks!
Nice program. Makes it easy to change the default open and edit programs…if it could only do as well for the “open with” submenus It would then be perfect. I have lots of extraneous programs listed in those menus I’d love to clean up and this would be easier than using regedit for the task.
THANK YOU Beginner Geek!!!
Now I can finally open files with the programs that are supposed to open them, that was a very neat work around Microsoft’s inherent gayness (nothing against gays, really).
Now… HOWEVER, I would like to know why this programs tries to connect to the internet every time I open it… updates???
Doesn’t matter, I didn’t let it ;P