Windows – How to set a default app for an extension that is not listed

file associationwindows 10

I need to set a default app for the extension .rels in Windows 10. However, the “Choose default apps by file type” does not list that extension.

I went to a file of that type in the file explorer and right clicked and could set the app there. But that still doesn't put it in the “Choose default apps by file type” and I need it there for WinZip to use that association.

Where—and how—can I add an extension?

Best Answer

Configure Windows File Association Pointers

  1. Open up an elevated [cmd.exe] command prompt as administrator
  2. Type in ASSOC .xml=xmlfile and press Enter

Further Resources

  • Windows Environment Variables

  • ASSOC /?

    Displays or modifies file extension associations

ASSOC [.ext[=[fileType]]]

  .ext      Specifies the file extension to associate the file type with
  fileType  Specifies the file type to associate with the file extension

Type ASSOC without parameters to display the current file associations.
If ASSOC is invoked with just a file extension, it displays the current
file association for that file extension.  Specify nothing for the file
type and the command will delete the association for the file extension.

  • FTYPE /?

    Displays or modifies file types used in file extension associations

FTYPE [fileType[=[openCommandString]]]

  fileType  Specifies the file type to examine or change
  openCommandString Specifies the open command to use when launching files
                    of this type.

Type FTYPE without parameters to display the current file types that
have open command strings defined.  FTYPE is invoked with just a file
type, it displays the current open command string for that file type.
Specify nothing for the open command string and the FTYPE command will
delete the open command string for the file type.  Within an open
command string %0 or %1 are substituted with the file name being
launched through the assocation.  %* gets all the parameters and %2
gets the 1st parameter, %3 the second, etc.  %~n gets all the remaining
parameters starting with the nth parameter, where n may be between 2 and 9,
inclusive.  For example:

    ASSOC .pl=PerlScript
    FTYPE PerlScript=perl.exe %1 %*

would allow you to invoke a Perl script as follows:

    script.pl 1 2 3

If you want to eliminate the need to type the extensions, then do the
following:

    set PATHEXT=.pl;%PATHEXT%

and the script could be invoked as follows:

    script 1 2 3
Related Question