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Sorry the question is longer than usual, but the shorter version would probably just close again because of a false "duplicate" stamp .

With "default action" Is meant the double click on a file in windows explorer or the click to the bolded action in the context menu of a file. "Default action" is not to be confused with "default app".

When I mention Notepad++ and .txt files it is only meant as an example. It is not a special solution for this searched but a general, which can be applied to each app and each file.

  • This is not a duplicate to How to change default action for file types? because the question is over 10 yeas old and the answers are not the answers to my question and a lot has changed since then.
  • This is not a duplicate to How can I make Notepad++ default program for .txt files? because, I don't want a solution only for Notepad++ and I don't want to change the default app!
  • This is also not a duplicate to any question or answer to How to change the default app. because change the default app will change more as only the default action
  • if someone comes up with a better title, I'm open to suggestions.

I want to change the default action, but I have found that changing the default application is not the solution to this because changing the default application will:

  • change the icon
  • change the context menu action
  • change the "open with "suggestions
  • change "send to"
  • etc. ... short: it will change too much

In older windows versions you simply searched the registry for the extension (.txt) then the default entry (txtfile) and created or changed shell/open/command.

But this seems not to work in Windows 11 (at least not everywhere). Sometimes the entry does not exist, sometimes it is ignored.

BTW: what new registry keys do I need to know?

Shows that the "assign default app" is not the solution:

  • create a new file "test.specialtxt"
  • add Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.specialtxt@default=specialtxtfile
  • add specialtxtfile structure: shell/open/command + shell/special/command
  • Test in Explorer that the context menu items "open" and "special" appear
  • assign Notepad as default app. (open with... always)
  • "open" and "special" disappear
  • assign Notepadd++ as default app.
  • still "open" and "special" disappear
  • now specialtxt_auto_file is assigned to .specialtxt
    Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.specialtxt@default=specialtxt_auto_file

So what can I do to change the default action without changing other things?

Kux
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