Windows 10 comes with its own set of default apps for different functions. The default music app in Windows 10 is the new music app and for videos, you have Movies and TV app. In case you want to change the default media player in Windows to VLC player, I have a detailed article on that as well. Now instead of writing a separate article to set a default app for every function, here is how to set default apps in Windows 10. How to Set Default Apps in Windows 10 There are two ways to set the default app in Windows 10. You can change the default from the Settings tab and also manually by selecting the default app for each file type. There are few more advanced settings related to settings default apps which we will see later in the article. Method 1: Change Default Apps from Settings The All Settings tab in Windows 10 allows you to change default apps for different functions. This is not only a very convenient way to change default apps in Windows 10 but also offers tons of customization options related to default apps. To change default apps in Windows 10, do the following. Click on Start button and click on All Settings. Alternatively, you can also open All Settings from the Action Center. From Settings, click on System ( Display, Notification, Apps, Power). Under System Settings, click Default Apps from the left pane bottom. Now you will see a Choose a Default App page. Under this, you can browse all the categories for which you can set Defaults apps. Some of the categories have system default apps selected already, and some have no apps selected yet. Scroll down to the category of which you want to set default apps. For example, click on Music and you will be shown all the installed apps that you can select as a default app for playing MP3 files. Select the app and you are done. Method 2: Set Default Apps Manually In case you want to set default apps for a specific file type only, then you can do it manually in Windows 10. This way you can set an App to play MP3 file and another to play MP4 Files or .MKV files. Open the folder where you have the files stored for which you want to set the default app. For this tutorial, we will use MP4 media file and try to set a default app to play this file. Open the folder where you have stored the MP4 file. Once in the folder, right-click on the MP4 file and click Open With. Next, from the available options select Choose another App from the bottom. Now select the app that you want to set as a default app to play the MP 4 file. Also, check the Always use this app to open .mp4 files box at the bottom. Click OK to save the settings. Now if you try to play any Mp4 file, it will open with your Selected default app. Advanced Default App Options If you want to explore more options for setting default apps in Windows 10, then you can find them in Setting tab. Choose Default App by File Type: Windows 10 also allows you to set default app by file type. This is similar to what we have seen in the second method. But, here you don’t need to have a file type stored in your PC before selecting a default app for it. Go to All Settings from Start and Open System. Next, click on Default Apps and scroll to end of the page. Click on Choose default app by file type and wait till the new dialogue box loads all the files types. Under “Associate file types with specific apps” you can view all the available file types and the apps that are currently associated with them. So, browse the file types and if you want to change the default app for any files type, click the app icon and select the default app that you want to set from the Choose an App option. Choose Default App by Protocol: This option in Windows 10 allows you to choose default app by Protocol. This is only useful with the apps that are somehow internet dependent or requires a network connection to perform any action such as internet web browser or music streaming service. Selecting and changing the default app by Protocol is similar to what you have seen with the first option. Set Defaults by App: In case you want to set defaults by App then this option will come in handy. This option is similar to Method 1 but here you can explore all the files types which are limited in the first method.
