Any time a user installs a brand new utility on a Mac, it becomes the default Mac app for that report kind. For example, PDF files open through default within the Mac Preview app. However, if a person downloads and installs Adobe’s Acrobat Reader or Adobe Acrobat DC, the default record kind will trade so that every one PDF documents will open with Adobe Acrobat. We’ll display users the way to take manipulate of what apps open once they double-click on a positive document type. Changing the Default Mac app is a easy technique so that it will shop users a while and keep away from annoyances.
Why Change Default Mac App for a File Type
Why would you want to change a default Mac app for a file kind? Let’s say you need to open a video file the usage of VLC Media player in place of Apple’s QuickTime Player. Maybe you need all JPG image files to open in a picture editor in place of OS X Preview.
These and other file sorts open in a default software set by way of the working gadget. The set up procedure of a few apps will exchange the default. They’re now not imagined to alternate the default Mac app for a record kind without the consumer’s agreement. However, you may not see the conversation box that asks for permission. Likewise, the programmer might not ask for the permission in a way that makes it clean that the program’s changing your default app. Follow the steps under to restoration this or change it.
How to Change Default Mac App for Any File Type
Find a report of the type you want to trade the default mac app for by means of opening Finder. Some record kinds received’t show you the extension that identifies the form of report. The extension is the ending of the record. For instance a picture document type referred to as JPEG has a file ending of JPG. So a record might bring the name photo0003.Jpg. Notice the 3 letters after the duration are JPG. Other commonplace record sorts you could desire to change encompass …
- PDF – portable document format also called Acrobat documents, which open in Preview by means of default
- GIF – some other picture format referred to as Graphics Interchange Format which opens in Preview by using default
- DOC – a record record often associated with Word or some other phrase processor
- DOCX – a proprietary Microsoft Word format
- MP3 – music files, which open in iTunes by default
- M4V – a video layout
- MP4 – every other video layout
- MOV – film documents, which open in QuickTime via default
When a user opens Finder and looks at a record, they won't see these endings. To make certain you may see yours, open Finder and then, from the Finder menu at the pinnacle left select Preferences. You also can use the keyboard shortcut COMMAND + , (the comma).
Inside the ensuing conversation field open the Advanced tab through clicking Advanced inside the pinnacle proper nook of the field.
Click to place a test mark in Show all filename extensions in that dialog box. Exit the box by using clicking the purple button in the higher left corner. From now on you’ll see all the document extensions of each record in Finder.
Now search for a file with the extension you want to trade. For example, you set up Acrobat and the set up procedure moved the default app from the OS X Preview app to Adobe Acrobat DC. You don’t need to open the Adobe Acrobat file author program from Creative Cloud suite just to view a PDF record. Instead, you need to peer all PDF files in Preview. Find a PDF report stored in your computer using Finder. If you can’t locate one use the quest field in Finder. It’s in the upper proper nook (see below).
Once you find a file, right-click on at the report and choose Get Info from the menu that pops up.
A dialog container will open. Look for the Open With segment. You’ll see a drop down box.
The drop down container will listing all the OS X apps that could manage that file type. Choose the preferred program and it will immediately change the default Mac app for that file type.
The Change All button will exchange all document sorts for that app in order that another customizations will revert lower back to defaults. For instance, all record kinds that usually open with Microsoft Word will trade again to starting with Word. If you modified one of the types, like the DOC document format making it open in another phrase processor whilst retaining DOCX documents assigned to Word, clicking Change All will exchange each returned to Word. So pick it only whilst you recognise what you’re doing.
You may additionally want to head again into Finder’s preferences to hide document extensions after you finish because all apps will start displaying their .App document extension. If seeing the .App extension annoys you observe the steps above to hide the extensions in Finder Preferences.
