您的计算机上有数百种不同类型的文件，包括图像、视频、音乐、文本文档、可执行应用程序等等。每个文件以不同的方式存储不同的信息，并且只能由某些程序打开。Windows通过开箱即用地将某些程序与某些文件类型相关联，消除了该系统的潜在混乱。虽然您的默认关联适用于大多数应用程序和程序，但当您尝试替代应用程序并找到新的收藏夹时，您无疑会想要更改一些。继续阅读，我们将展示如何在Windows 7和Windows 8.1中更改文件关联。
如何按程序更改(Program)文件(File)关联
更改文件关联的最有效方法是选择默认程序(default program)。这告诉 Windows 您希望某个程序与它可以处理的所有文件类型相关联。
要在Windows 8.1中执行此操作，请在“(Windows 8.1)开始(Start)”屏幕上搜索“默认程序”("default programs") ，然后单击或点击“默认程序”。("Default Programs.")
在 Windows 7 中，您可以在开始菜单(Start Menu)搜索框中搜索(search box)“默认程序”("default programs") ，然后单击相应的搜索结果(search result)。
虽然搜索速度更快，但您还可以在控制面板(Control Panel)中找到相应的窗口：转到"Programs -> Default Programs -> Set Your Default Programs"。
无论(Regardless)您使用的是哪个版本的Windows ，以下步骤都是相同的，并且“(Windows)设置默认程序(Set Default Programs)”窗口的外观和工作方式都相同。
打开“设置默认程序”("Set Default Programs")窗口后，从窗口左侧的列表中选择一个程序或应用程序。(program or app)
要使该程序或应用程序成为默认程序，从而更改它可以处理的所有文件扩展名的文件关联，请单击或点击(click or tap) 窗口右侧的“将此程序设置为默认值” 。("Set this program as default")
如果您只想更改特定的扩展程序，请单击或点击(click or tap) “为此程序选择默认值”。("Choose defaults for this program.")
打开的屏幕显示您选择的应用程序或程序(app or program)可以打开的所有文件扩展名的列表。浏览(Browse)列表并选择要与所选程序关联的任何文件类型。完成后，单击或点击保存。(Save.)
如何通过文件扩展名更改(File Extension)文件(File)关联
虽然通过程序改变关联是有效的，但这并不是完成这项工作的唯一方法。您还可以通过文件扩展名更改文件关联。
要在Windows 8.1中执行此操作，请在“(Windows 8.1)开始(Start)”屏幕上搜索“文件类型”("file type")，然后单击或点击“更改与文件扩展名关联的文件类型”。("Change the file type associated with a file extension.")
在 Windows 7 中，在开始菜单(Start Menu)搜索框中搜索“文件关联” ，然后单击("file association")“使文件类型始终在特定程序中打开”。("Make a file type always open in a specific program.")
在Windows 7或 8.1 中，您可以通过以下方式在控制面板(Control Panel)中找到相同的面板："Programs -> Default Programs -> Associate a file type or protocol with a program"。
要更改文件关联(file association)，请滚动浏览扩展名列表以找到您要更改的那个。选择您的扩展程序，然后单击(extension and click)或点击“更改程序”。("Change Program.")
在Windows 8.1中，从打开的列表中选择程序或应用程序。(program or app)如果您没有看到要使用的程序，请单击或点击(click or tap) “更多选项”。("More options.")
这将扩展应用程序和程序(apps and programs)列表。如果您仍然没有看到您想要的内容，请单击或点击“在此 PC 上查找其他应用程序”以在("Look for another app on this PC")文件资源管理器(File Explorer)中找到您的程序的可执行文件。
在Windows 7中，过程大致相同，只是看起来有点不同。您可以从窗口中选择您的程序或单击“其他程序”("Other Programs.")旁边的向下箭头。
这会扩展程序列表。如果您仍然看不到所需内容，请单击或点按浏览并在(Browse)Windows 资源管理器(Windows Explorer)中找到您的程序的可执行文件。
完成后单击确定(OK)。
如何在不关联的程序中打开文件，无论是否更改(File)文件关联(File Association)
您的默认程序(default program)可能是您大部分时间想要打开的程序，如果不是，您现在已经更改了它。但是，有时您想在不同的程序中打开文件。例如：大多数时候，您希望在媒体播放器中打开“.avi”文件以便您查看它，但有时您可能希望在视频编辑应用程序中打开它。以下过程允许您打开备用程序并选择是否更改文件关联(file association)。
最简单的方法是在文件资源管理器(File Explorer)中找到要打开的文件。右键单击或长按文件名(file name)打开上下文菜单(context menu)，选择“打开方式”。("Open with.")此菜单可在Windows 7和Windows 8.1中访问。
在Windows 8.1中，您可以在(Windows 8.1)文件资源管理器的(File Explorer's)功能区界面上找到相同的“打开方式”("Open with")菜单。选择主页(Home)选项卡，然后单击打开框上的向下箭头。
无论您如何进入菜单，如果您的程序出现在列表中并且您单击它，您将不会更改文件关联(file association)。如果您想选择一个不在列表中的程序，或者您想更改文件关联(file association)，请单击或点击(click or tap) “选择默认程序”。("Choose default program.")
在Windows 8.1中，这会将您带到上一节中显示的相同列表。唯一的变化是在顶部包含了一个新的复选框。如果您希望所选程序或应用程序(program or app)成为文件扩展名的新默认值，请选择"Use this app for all ### files."如果您只想打开应用程序或程序(app or program)，请取消选中该复选框。
与Windows 8.1类似，Windows 7 的程序选择屏幕(program selection screen)与之前相同，只是增加了复选框。这次你会在窗口底部找到它。进行选择并单击(selection and click) 确定。(OK.)
如何使用文件(A File)的属性对话框更改(Dialog)文件(File) 关联(Associations)
虽然我们已经介绍了更改文件关联(file association)的最常见方法，但还有一个选项在奇怪的情况下可能会很有用。
右键单击或(Right-click or press)按住File/Windows Explorer中的文件，然后单击或点击Windows 7 或 8.1 中的属性。(Properties)
在Windows 8.1中，您还可以选择选择一个文件，然后单击(file and click)或点击主页(Home)选项卡中打开(Open)部分中的属性。(Properties)
进入“属性(Properties)”对话框后，单击或点击“常规”选项卡中的(General)“更改(Change)” 。这将打开您在前面部分中看到的程序选择窗口。(program selection)
在Windows 8.1中，只需从列表中选择新的默认程序或应用程序(default program or app)。
在Windows 7中，进行选择并单击(selection and click) 确定(OK)。
结论
现在我们已经解开了更改文件关联的奥秘，您应该可以轻松选择哪些程序打开哪些文件。确保您选择最常用的程序以提高效率，但不要太担心，因为您始终可以从File/Windows Explorer中选择您的程序。
如果您对Windows 7(Windows 7)或Windows 8.1中的文件关联有任何其他问题，请随时将它们留在下面的评论中。
How To Change File Associations In Windows 7 And Windows 8.1
There are hundreds of different kinds of files on уour compυter including images, videos, music, text documents, executable applications and much more. Each file stores different information in different ways and can only be opened by certain programs. Windows takes the potential confυsion out оf thіs system by associating certain programs with certain file types right out of the box. While your default associations wіll work for most apps and progrаms, you'll υndоubtedly want to change a few as уou try out alternative applications and find new favorites. Read on and we'll show how to сhange file associаtions in Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.
How To Change File Associations By Program
The most efficient way to change file associations is by selecting a default program. This tells Windows that you want a certain program to be associated with all the file types it can handle.
To do this in Windows 8.1, search for "default programs" on the Start screen and click or tap "Default Programs."
In Windows 7, you can search for "default programs" in the Start Menu search box and click the appropriate search result.
While searching is faster, you can also find the appropriate window in the Control Panel: go to "Programs -> Default Programs -> Set Your Default Programs".
Regardless of which version of Windows you're using, the following steps are the same and the Set Default Programs window looks and works the same.
Once you open the "Set Default Programs" window, select a program or app from the list on the left side of the window.
To make that program or app the default, thus changing the file associations for all file extensions it is equipped to handle, click or tap "Set this program as default" on the right side of the window.
If you'd like to change only a specific extension, click or tap "Choose defaults for this program."
The screen that opens displays a list of all file extensions your selected app or program can open. Browse through the list and select any file types you want to associate to your chosen program. When you finish, click or tap Save.
How To Change File Associations By File Extension
While changing associations by program is efficient, it's not the only way to do the job. You can also change file associations by file extension.
To do this in Windows 8.1, search for "file type" on the Start screen and then click or tap "Change the file type associated with a file extension."
In Windows 7, search for "file association" in the Start Menu search box and click "Make a file type always open in a specific program."
In Windows 7 or 8.1, you can find the same panel in the Control Panel by going to: "Programs -> Default Programs -> Associate a file type or protocol with a program".
To change a file association, scroll through the list of extensions to find the one you'd like to change. Select your extension and click or tap "Change Program."
In Windows 8.1, select the program or app from the list that opens. If you don't see the program you'd like to use, click or tap "More options."
This will expand the list of apps and programs. If you still don't see what you want, click or tap "Look for another app on this PC" to find your program's executable in File Explorer.
In Windows 7 the procedure is about the same, it just looks a bit different. You can select your program from the window or click the down arrow next to "Other Programs."
This expands the list of programs. If you still don't see what you want, click or tap Browse and find your program's executable in Windows Explorer.
Click OK when you're done.
How To Open A File In An Unassociated Program With Or Without Changing The File Association
Your default program will likely be what you want to open most of the time, if it weren't you'd have changed it by now. However, there will be times when you want to open a file in a different program. For example: most of the time you'd want an ".avi" file to open in a media player so you can view it, though sometimes you might want to open it in a video editing application. The following procedure allows you to open an alternate program and choose whether or not to change the file association.
The easiest way to do this is to find the file you want to open in the File Explorer. Right-click or long-press the file name to open a context menu, select "Open with." This menu is accessible in both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.
In Windows 8.1, you can find the same "Open with" menu on the File Explorer's ribbon interface. Select the Home tab and click the down arrow on the open box.
Regardless of how you get to the menu, if your program appears in the list and you click it, you won't change the file association. If you want to pick a program that isn't on the list, or you want to change the file association, click or tap "Choose default program."
In Windows 8.1, this gets you to the same list shown in the previous section. The only change is the inclusion of a new checkbox at the top. If you want the selected program or app to be the new default for the file's extensions, select "Use this app for all ### files." If you just want to open the app or program, deselect the checkbox.
Similar to Windows 8.1, Windows 7's program selection screen is the same as before with the addition of the checkbox. This time you'll find it in the bottom of the window. Make your selection and click OK.
How To Change File Associations Using A File's Properties Dialog
While we've covered the most common ways to change a file association, there is one more option that may prove useful in odd situations.
Right-click or press and hold a file in File/Windows Explorer and click or tap Properties in either Windows 7 or 8.1.
In Windows 8.1, you can also choose to select a file and click or tap Properties in the Open section from the Home tab.
Once in the Properties dialog, click or tap Change from the General tab. This will open the program selection window you've seen in previous sections.
In Windows 8.1, simply select your new default program or app from the list.
In Windows 7, make your selection and click OK.
Conclusion
Now that we've taken the mystery out of changing file associations, you should have no trouble selecting which programs open which files. Make sure you pick the program you use most to make things more efficient, but don't worry too much as you can always pick your program from the File/Windows Explorer.
If you have any additional questions regarding file associations in Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, feel free to leave them in the comments below.
