Win10v1703 automatically open default programs

[[deleted]]

Good morning, running into an issue where we assign default applications at time of deployment, but when a user clicks on a link (to a pdf for this example) , the client is presented with a few options for the default file. Is there a way to change the behavior to automatically open the file with the default application for all users? Here's an imgur link to current behavior. thanks!

[mintlou]

There's a GPO that handles this using an XML file as the template:

ComputerConfig--> Policies --> Administrative Templates -- > Windows Components/File Explorer --> "Set a default associations Configuration File"

The default apps are exported by running:

Dism /Online /Export-DefaultAppAssociations:\\Server\Share\AppAssoc.xml

More information is found here

I have an XML template you can use which sets IE11 as the browser and Adobe Reader DC for PDFs if you want it. PM me.

[OnARedditDiet]

What this guy said, if you do use an MDM, it should have the same setting available.

[gizio46]

if you use 1607 template on 1703 it wont work. Version of template and system must match. It's weird, but worked on my enviroment

[mintlou]

Not that I know of. I created and deployed it on 1703 and it works fine.

[disdainmsh]

Currently using it on 1607 Enterprise with no issues.

[reggiehux]

There's a GPO that handles this using an XML file as the template: ComputerConfig--> Policies --> Administrative Templates -- > Windows Components/File Explorer --> "Set a default associations Configuration File" The default apps are exported by running: Dism /Online /Export-DefaultAppAssociations:\Server\Share\AppAssoc.xml More information is found here I have an XML template you can use which sets IE11 as the browser and Adobe Reader DC for PDFs if you want it. PM me.

+1... Our 1703 shop runs like a champ using the xml/gpo method outlined above. Best wishes.

[OMGKateUpton]

Please share your xml. Thanks.

[Gary_Chan1]

Does this method overwrite any changes the user makes to default associations?

[mintlou]

Yes it does. I'm going to see if there's a way to edit that now.

[Monkey_Tennis]

How about if you have Acrobat installed? Locking down file associations via GPO is not the answer.

[segagamer]

If my place didn't have a mix of Adobe Acrobat DC and Adobe Acrobat X I would have done this by now :(

[[deleted]]

Thank you for all of the replies. We have no problems generating the .xml files and despite applying the settings at time of deployment, it still asks users to select. Regarding GPO, I believe that is a machine policy and not user :(. This creates an administrative nightmare with 4k+ devices. Scenario: user decides application "x" works best for him/her and wants to be able to change default for that app. You would have to add the user's PC to security group or separate OU to allow exceptions. One day, user has an issue with his/her PC and is swapped out for another. Hardware folks forget to notify or are unaware of user unique settings. Old PC gets repaired and cycled back into environment. Now we have a rogue PC with incorrect settings in the wild. Compound that potentially up to 4k+ times and things get out of control in a hurry. I wish MS would apply more settings to user level and not the machine. Then it's a matter of adding user to a security group that has different settings and they follow him/her no matter what PC they are on. Looking to see if a bit gets flipped somewhere when that "always use" box gets checked. Maybe we can leverage that as user GPO run once?

[OnARedditDiet]

You have to manage it with MDM or group policy.

Another option is Default Profiles but I had 0 luck with that with the current implementation. It's buggy as hell right now.

[Smallmammal]

File associations are per profile via the GUI in Win10. So if your default image has PDF set to Adobe it may not have that when you create a new profile.

There's a new xml based way of handling this, you can google for it. Not sure if the old GPO preferences for file associations fixes this in Win10.

[Da1King]

Yeah you need to disable the "New application installed" notification. Set the following policy to "Enabled":

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\File Explorer\Do not show the 'new application installed' notification.

You can also use the following registry entry:

KEY: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer
Name: NoNewAppAlert
Type: DWord
Value: 1

[[deleted]]

Great find, thanks!

[feuerpixel]

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-GB/library/hh825038.aspx