How to Add or Remove
Open with in Windows

What Is the Open with Menu in Windows 10 and Windows 11?

The Open with menu is the Windows File Explorer option that lets you open a file with a different program without permanently changing the file association. For example, you can right-click a .jpg file and open it with Photos, Paint, Photoshop, GIMP, or another image editor.

There are two different things people usually mean when they say they want to add or remove Open with:

Before You Add, Remove, or Restore the Open with Menu

Simple changes through Settings are safe. Registry changes are also straightforward, but you should back up the relevant key first. This lets you undo the change if the menu does not behave as expected.

Create a Restore Point

1. Press Win + R, type SystemPropertiesProtection, and press Enter.
2. Select your system drive, usually C:.
3. Click Create, enter a name such as Before Open with registry edit, and confirm.

Export the Open with Context Menu Registry Key

Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

Command Promptreg export "HKCR\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Open With" "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\open-with-backup.reg"

How to Add an App to the Open with Menu in Windows

The safest way to add a program to the Open with list is to open a file with that program once. Windows usually remembers the app for that file extension and shows it again later.

Add an App from File Explorer

1. Right-click a file with the extension you want to configure, for example .txt, .png, .mp4, or .html.
2. Select Open with.
3. Click Choose another app.
4. Select the program from the list. If it is not listed, click More apps or Look for another app on this PC.
5. Browse to the program's .exe file and open it.
6. Leave Always use this app unchecked if you only want to add the app to the list without changing the default program.

How to Add or Change the Default Open with App for a File Type

If your goal is not just to show a program in the menu but to make it the default app, use Default apps in Windows Settings. This is the correct method for Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Windows 11 Steps

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Apps → Default apps.
3. In the search field, type the extension, for example .jpg, .pdf, or .txt.
4. Click the current default app next to the extension.
5. Choose the new app and click Set default.

Windows 10 Steps

1. Press Win + I.
2. Open Apps → Default apps.
3. Click Choose default apps by file type.
4. Find the extension and select the program you want to use.

How to Remove a Program from the Open with List

Windows does not provide a clean graphical interface for removing a single unwanted program from the Open with list. If the app is still installed, Windows may continue suggesting it. If the app was removed or the list contains duplicates, you can clean the per-extension history in the Registry.

Remove Old Open with Entries for One File Extension

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Go to this key, replacing .ext with the real extension, for example .jpg or .txt:

Registry PathHKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.ext\OpenWithList

1. Look for values that contain the unwanted program name, such as oldviewer.exe.
2. Delete only the value that points to the unwanted app.
3. If the MRUList value contains the deleted letter, update it or delete MRUList so Windows can rebuild the order.
4. Close Registry Editor and restart File Explorer or sign out and sign back in.

Restart File Explorer After the Change

Open Task Manager, find Windows Explorer, right-click it, and select Restart. You can also run this command:

Command Prompttaskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe

How to Remove the Open with Item from the Right-Click Context Menu

If you want to remove the Open with command itself from the file context menu, use the Registry. This affects the context menu for files and normally requires administrator rights.

Manual Registry Method

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run it as administrator.
2. Go to this path:

Registry PathHKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Open With

1. Right-click the Open With key and choose Export to save a backup.
2. Right-click the Open With key again and choose Delete.
3. Restart File Explorer or restart Windows.

Ready-to-Use .reg File to Remove Open with

Create a text file named remove-open-with.reg, paste the code below, save it, and double-click the file:

remove-open-with.regWindows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Open With]

How to Restore the Open with Menu If It Is Missing

If Open with disappeared from the right-click menu, the context menu handler may be missing or damaged. You can restore it by recreating the default Registry key.

Restore Open with Using a .reg File

Create a file named restore-open-with.reg, paste this content, save it, and run it as administrator:

restore-open-with.regWindows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Open With]
@="{09799AFB-AD67-11d1-ABCD-00C04FC30936}"

Restore Open with Manually in Registry Editor

1. Open Registry Editor as administrator.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers.
3. Create a new key named Open With if it is missing.
4. Double-click the (Default) value inside that key.
5. Set the value data to {09799AFB-AD67-11d1-ABCD-00C04FC30936}.
6. Restart File Explorer or restart Windows.

Advanced Registry Method: Add a Custom App to Open with

This method is useful for portable programs that do not install normally and therefore do not appear in the Open with dialog. The example below registers a portable editor so Windows can offer it for selected file types.

Register a Portable App Under Applications

Replace MyEditor.exe and the path with your real executable name and folder:

Example .reg FileWindows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\MyEditor.exe]
"FriendlyAppName"="My Editor"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\MyEditor.exe\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Tools\\MyEditor\\MyEditor.exe\" \"%1\""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\MyEditor.exe\SupportedTypes]
".txt"=""
".log"=""
".md"=""

What Each Registry Part Means

Best Ways to Add, Remove, or Repair Open with in Windows

Use the least invasive method that matches your goal. For normal app selection, use Settings or the File Explorer dialog. Use the Registry only when Windows does not provide a graphical option.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Open with Menu in Windows