Leo Martínez
If you want to change the default image editor on your Windows PC, there are several ways to do it. The specific steps depend on your operating system version and the software you want to use. For example, if you want to set Paint.NET as the default editor for image files on Windows 7, you can modify the registry by changing the value data to the location of your desired software. On Windows 11, the default image editor is the Photos App, but you can set MS Paint as the default editor by reinstalling Paint.NET with the Set as default editing software for PNG, BMP, and JPEG file option disabled.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 7, Windows 10, Windows 11 |
| Default Image Editor | Windows 11: Photos App |
| Preferred Image Editor | Paint.NET, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Paint |
| Solution | Modify the default target using the Registry Editor, use Default Programs applet or Default Programs Editor, or reinstall Paint.NET with the "Set as default editing software for PNG, BMP, and JPEG file" option disabled |
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What You'll Learn
Using Windows 11
To set other paint programs as the default editing software on Windows 11, follow the steps below:
For MS Paint:
- Right-click on an image file.
- Select "Open with" and then choose "Paint."
- Click on "Choose other apps" and select "Microsoft Paint."
- Check the box next to "Always use this app to open files."
- Alternatively, you can drag multiple files onto the Paint shortcut on your desktop, and they will open automatically in Paint.
For Paint.NET:
- Go to the registry key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\image\shell\edit\command.
- Change the default value from "mspaint.exe" to "Paint.NET\PaintDotNet.exe."
- For example, change from "%systemroot%\system32\mspaint.exe" "%1" to "%ProgramFiles%\Paint.NET\PaintDotNet.exe" "%1."
For Other Programs:
- Right-click on an image file and select "Open with."
- Choose the desired program from the list of options.
- If the program is not listed, click on "Choose another app."
- Select the desired program and ensure the "Always use this app to open .[file type]" checkbox is checked.
Using ShellMenuView:
- Download and install Nirsoft ShellMenuView.
- Backup each of the indicated registry keys before proceeding.
- Use ShellMenuView to locate the regkeys for the current default photo edit program and the new program you want to set as the default.
- Locate the shell edit registry keys for each program.
- Swap the shell edit command from the current default program to the new program.
- Close the registry editor and ShellMenuView.
Note: Always create a system restore point and back up important data before making any significant changes to your system.
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Editing the default target using the Registry Editor
Before starting, it is important to create a system restore point and back up the registry. This will allow you to restore the registry to its original state if any problems occur.
To begin, open the Registry Editor by pressing the Windows Key + R, typing "Regedt32.exe" into the Run dialog box, and pressing OK.
Next, navigate to the correct location within the Registry Editor. In the left pane, you should see the root keys and subkeys, while the right pane displays the values for the selected key or subkey. In the right pane, double-click on the "Default" string to bring up the command for Microsoft Paint.
Now, change the value data to the location of your desired software. For example, to set Adobe Photoshop as the default image editor, the value data would be:
> "c:\program files\adobe\photoshopCS6\photoshopCS6exe" "%1"
Note that the quotes around "%1" are necessary to avoid errors.
Finally, close the Registry Editor and restart your system for the changes to take effect.
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Using Nirsoft ShellMenuView
Nirsoft ShellMenuView is a program that allows you to change the default photo editing program on your computer. Before you start, it is recommended that you back up your registry and create a system restore point.
To use Nirsoft ShellMenuView, first download the program from the Nirsoft website. It comes in 32-bit or 64-bit versions. Once you have downloaded and installed the program, you can use it to locate the registry keys for your current default photo editing program and the program you want to set as the new default. In the case of the user who posted the question, these were MS Picture Manager and Paint, respectively.
After locating the relevant registry keys, simply swap the shell edit command from one program to the other. For example, if you want to set Paint as the default program for editing BMP files, you would change the shell edit command for BMP files from MS Picture Manager to Paint.
Finally, close the registry editor and hit the red stop button in Nirsoft ShellMenuView for the entry of the program you are removing as the default. In the example above, this would be the MS Picture Manager Edit entry.
It is important to note that this process may not work for all photo editing programs, and it is always a good idea to back up your registry before making any changes.
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Using Default Programs applet
The Default Programs Control Panel applet is used to configure the default program used for a particular file extension and also to set default programs for certain activities like email, web browsing, etc. To access the Default Programs applet, execute control /name Microsoft.DefaultPrograms from the Command Prompt.
Starting with Windows Vista, Default Programs replaced the default program access feature of the Add or Remove Programs applet in Windows XP. It's available in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
To change the default image editing software on Windows, change the default of mspaint.exe to your image editor of choice. For example, if you want to use Paint.NET, change the path from OLD-"%systemroot%\system32\mspaint.exe" "%1" to NEW-"%ProgramFiles%\Paint.NET\PaintDotNet.exe" "%1".
If you are using Windows 7, you can also use a program called ShellMenuView to disable your currently listed photo edit program and change the default. First, create a system restore point and back up each of the indicated registry keys. Then, use ShellMenuView to locate the regkeys for the photo edit program and change the shell edit registry keys.
Another method for Windows 7 is to go to the right-hand side and double-click on Default, then change the value to "C:\YOUR_PATH_HERE\APPLICATION.exe" "%1". This will change the default for all files that Windows 7 considers an image.
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Using Windows 7
To set other paint programs as the default on Windows 7, you will need to edit the Windows registry. This is a crucial system file, so it is recommended to create a system restore point and back up the registry before proceeding.
Firstly, download a program called Nirsoft ShellMenuView to locate the regkeys for your current photo edit program and the new one you wish to use. You can then swap the shell edit registry keys. For example, if you wanted to use Paint.NET instead of MS Paint, you would change the default of mspaint.exe to your new image editor.
OLD - "%systemroot%\system32\mspaint.exe" "%1"
NEW - "%ProgramFiles%\Paint.NET\PaintDotNet.exe" "%1"
Another method is to use the "Open with" option when right-clicking on an image. Click on "Choose other apps" and select your chosen paint program. Check the box that says "Always use this app to open files".
If you are using Windows Photo Viewer, you will need to follow a different set of instructions as MSFT accidentally removed some file associations settings in the registry. You can find the instructions here: https://www.howtogeek.com/225844/how-to-make-windows-photo-viewer-your-default-image-viewer-on-windows-10/.
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Frequently asked questions
The default image editor on Windows 11 is the Photos App. To set MS Paint as the default image editor, you can drag multiple files onto the Paint shortcut on your desktop.
To change the default image editing software on Windows 10, you can modify the registry. First, create a system restore point. Then, open Regedit by pressing the Windows Key + R combination on your keyboard and type Regedt32.exe in the Run dialog box. Now, in the right pane, double-click on the Default string and change the value data to the location of your desired software.
To change the default image editing software on Windows 7, you can modify the registry. First, create a system restore point. Then, open Regedit and locate the shell edit registry keys for your preferred program. Swap the shell edit command from one to the other.
To change the default image editing software on Windows 8, you can use the built-in Default Programs applet or the freeware Default Programs Editor. Alternatively, you can modify the registry. First, create a system restore point. Then, open Regedit and in the right pane, double-click on the Default string. Change the value data to the location of your desired software.
To set Paint.NET as the default editor for image files, download the program and right-click on a picture. Select "Edit" and it should open Paint.NET instead of Microsoft Paint.
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