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Last Updated: 06-Feb-2007

Associating File Types

Sometimes file types become associated with the "wrong" program. Different types of file are uniquely identified by their "suffix" - properly known as "Extensions", such as .doc or .pdf.

For example, normally .doc files are associated with Microsoft Word and .pdf files are linked to Adobe Reader. However sometimes these formal "associations" go wrong, and a given file type becomes associated with the wrong program; in other cases, a recently-installed program hijacks the file type for itself without your permission. This often happens with image-editing programs.

To re-establish your preferred file type association:

• Open Windows Explorer: right-click on the My Computer icon on the desktop (or the words "My Computer" after clicking on the Start button), and select Explore.

• Then click through to Tools | Folder Options | File Types.

• Scroll down to and select the required file type and click on Change.

• Select your preferred program from the list of programs shown.

• Click on OK | Apply | Close.

• Note that there may be other related file types that will also require similar treatment; for instance MS Word 2003 also "owns" the following file types: DOCHTML; DOCM; DOCMHTML; DOCX; DOCXML; DOT; DOTHTML. For each of these that is not already associated with MS Word, you will need to repeat the Change action while still in the File Types dialog box.

If Adobe Reader is not installed or its installation is damaged, you should be able to download the latest version here (click on the bold text, but note that this is a 20MB download)