Windows 10 PDF Default Program Issue Primer Tutorial
Was surprised when I read in the February 2018 edition of PC & Tech Authority about the Windows 10 default program for PDFs being, by default, Microsoft Edge (web browser). So put that to the test on a Windows 10 desktop computer, and lo and behold, opening a PDF document via File Explorer with a double click did “fail to launch” because it was trying to open it with the Microsoft Edge web browser. On this same computer we had Adobe Reader XI installed (and … spoiler alert … it is that Adobe doesn’t register with Windows that it should be a default program option for PDFs) so we share with you what we did there, and a PDF presentation showing the steps below in pictures …
To make Adobe Reader XI the default program for opening PDF files, rather than Microsoft Edge, in Windows 10 …
- in the “Search Windows” bottom left textbox type “control panel”
- clicked “Default Programs” … in the presentation you’ll see us going up the garden path clicking “Set your default programs” but what would be better, and we eventually found out, is to …
- click “Associate a file type or protocol with a program”
- highlighted Extension .pdf (with Current Default as Microsoft Edge) … and, up the top right …
- clicked “Change program…” button
- highlighted “Adobe Reader”
- click OK button
- highlighted Extension .pdf (now has Current Default as Adobe Reader)
… and now Adobe Reader is that File Reader icon’s default “Open” program, and does a good job opening it!
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