Windows 10 keeps undoing my choice for PDF app

windows-10 pdf adobe-reader

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I feel like you might've already done this, but here it is anyway. https://techforluddites.com/windows-10-change-the-default-programs-for-opening-files/

There is a regedit which you can do which you should probably do: http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/edge-hijack-pdf-htm-associations/

seems like other people are having this problem.

EDIT: duplicate of Microsoft Edge keeps taking over PDF file open/association

1: Microsoft Edge keeps taking over PDF file open/association, as mentioned by @Baldrickk

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marc_s

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Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

marc_s almost 2 years

By default, Windows 10 (Pro) seems to open .pdf files in Edge - yuck! I picked Acrobat Reader instead - and for a while, it seemed to work.

Then, however, I suddenly get a message in the message center "An app association has been reset" (or something like that - mine is in German) - without any further explanation - and now Win10 is again opening all my .pdf files in Edge.

I keep doing this - sometimes more than once a day - but I can't seem to get Win10 to simply ACCEPT my choice of Acrobat Reader over Edge - this is HIGHLY ANNOYING !

Is there any way or hack to get Win10 to finally SHUT UP and just accept that I prefer opening my .pdf files in Acrobat Reader?
- Admin almost 7 years
  
  Are you using an insider build?
- Admin almost 7 years
  
  This is an (annoying) behaviour associated with updates, which is probably why @JohnStoneman asked his question. As to how to block it? Don't know. Still, this is a dupe...
- Admin almost 7 years
  
  @JohnStoneman: no, just the regular RTM build
- Admin almost 7 years
  
  I have utilized every version of Windows 10 from 1507 through 1703, and although I like the OS overall I have always found the new interface to set your default applications to be a bit unreliable. Typically, I get the best results by navigating to Control Panel > Default Programs > Set your default programs, then choosing Acrobat Reader from the list of Programs on the left and choosing Set this program as default on the right-hand side. That seems to retain the default PDF file type association, at least until the next Feature Update is released.
marc_s almost 7 years

Unfortunately, even all these "solutions" don't really work long term - I'm back again at the point where every couple of days, Win 10 resets my choice of a PDF reader back to MS Edge :-( :-( :-( And this is called "progress" in software.....
bearmohawk almost 7 years

Hmm, that sucks! Only thing I can recommend is either posting on the Microsoft forums or hard resetting Windows