So you want to choose the right program to associate with a file extension? There are various reasons that you might decide to associate a file extension with one piece of software or another. It doesn’t just have to do with whether you like one program or another better, although that is part of it. The decision to associate a file type with one particular type of program should ultimately be based on how you want to be able to open the file.

File associations in Microsoft Windows make it so that when you see the icon for a file you can open it with a certain program by double clicking on it. This makes it easy for you to locate a file in the File Manager program (or in another part of the Windows OS), double click it and immediately see what is inside it and start working with it if you want to. There are two general ways that you can open a file in Windows - one of them is by opening the program first and then accessing the file through it, and the other is by double clicking on the file to open the associated program.

If you find yourself in a situation where you have to make frequent small changes to files, you might decide that one program is better than another for that kind of light editing. In a case such as that, while your main program for handling the files when you want to do in-depth work might be accessed through its own icon, you may associate the file type with the lighter program so that you can click through them rapidly and make changes.

Altering the association of a particular file type couldn’t be easier in Microsoft Windows. The “open with” dialog which you can access by right clicking on an example of a given file type will let you associate that file type with any program that you like. Usually the “open with” dialog will have a long list of candidates that it thinks are well suited, along with a longer list of general Windows programs. You will also have the option of clicking the “browse” button and finding any executable file on your hard drive to associate with the file type.

You can change the file type association whenever you want, which makes the “open file” dialog one of the easiest and most versatile features of Microsoft Windows. Normally you will want to change your file associations when you have a new program that you want to start using more frequently. You can give it a try as your go-to program and then change the association back if it does not work out as well - it’s all up to you.

These are just a few of the things to think about having to do with file associations. By being able to open your most commonly used programs with a double click, Microsoft Windows gives you a great and convenient tool for managing your files!