Windows 10 Default Apps Not Working Fix

This article will help you deal with the Windows 10 Default Apps Not Working bug. Sometimes default apps will refuse to change no matter what – read our fix for this issue.

We all know that ever since its release, Microsoft’s latest version of the Windows operating system – Win 10 – has been a bit of a bumpy ride, even to this day. There have been various bugs, errors, malfunctions and all sorts of different issues that people in the IT community have been trying to deal with. And that’s fine – that’s usually the way it is with new software, especially provided that the latest Windows OS version is quite different from its predecessors and users are still struggling to figure it out.

Today we’ll be looking at a rather minor, but annoying problem – the Windows 10 default apps not working bug. We’ve been receiving complaints from users, who were trying to change the default programs in their Windows 10, but to no avail. When attempting to choose a different default program from the list of options than the one that was already set, they reported no change taking place. We have found several fixes for this issue, which we will provide below. We hope at least one of them will do the trick for you and get this problem solved.

Windows 10 Default Apps Not Working Fix

The Guide

Fix 1:

Sometimes switching to a Microsoft Account is enough to fix the problem. Unless you already are using one, here’s how to do it:

1. Go to Settings (you can use the Windows key + I combination on your keyboard as a shortcut).
   
2. In Settings, go to Accounts.
   
   
3. Select Your email and accounts and on your right click Sign in with a Microsoft account instead.
   
   
4. After this, follow the steps as prompted to complete the process. Once over, you will now need to use your Microsoft account login details to sign into Windows.

Fix 2:

In the event that you aren’t tempted to change to a Microsoft Account and would much prefer to keep on using your Local Account, here’s what you can do:

1. Again, go to Settings, as described in Step 1 of the previous fix.
2. Click on Accounts -> Your email and accounts. Under Accounts used by other apps click on the Microsoft account, which used to be associated with the current user account and click the Remove button.

Fix 3:

This fix and the next are more of a workaround, but they will still do the job.

1. Open the Start menu and go to Settings -> System -> Default apps. Once there, choose Set defaults by app.
   
   
2. The Default Programs Control Panel will appear, where you will be able to set the default programs of your choice.

Fix 4:

You can also go the old-fashioned way and determine, which program will open what file type. To do this:

1. Right-click on your file of choice (the one, for which you would like to set a different default program/app).
2. Select Open with… and click Choose another app.
   
   
3. Choose the program you would like to use from now and tick the “Always use this app to open…” box. Click OK.
   
   

Let us know, which one of our solutions was able to solve the issue for you in the comment section below!