How do I associate a file type with an Android app?

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So you have downloaded and installed a new exciting app from the Google Play store. But when you tap on a file that you want to open in this new app, it still opens in the old default app? The problem is that you have not set the new app to open these file types. For example, even after you install the QuickPic app, your image files open in the basic Android image viewer app. To resolve this problem, you have to set the image file types to be opened in QuickPic app. The same is true for all other apps and file types.

If you want to set the file associations (which file type is opened by which app by default) in Android, then you can follow these simple steps:

  1. Open File Manager and browse the the folder containing the files that you want to associate with a particular app.
  2. Long tap on a target file type until a menu opens up. For example, I want to associate JPEG files with QuickPic, so I long tapped on a random JPEG file. Select Open With from the options that show up.
    How do I associate a file type with an Android app?
  3. Android will show you all the apps installed in your device that are capable of opening the target file type. Select one of these apps that you want to associate with these files. Check the checkbox that says Remember selection. Then tap on Open to continue.
    How do I associate a file type with an Android app?
  4. This will set the target file types to be opened with the selected app and open that file in that app as well.

If any later time you want to switch back to the original app, then you can follow the same process and select a different app this time. If you do not select the Remember selection checkbox, then the file will be opened in the target app only once.

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Just like in Windows, we have multiple software to open a particular file type, we have a number of apps in Android to take care of a single file type. For example, we can have multiple audio/video players installed on the Android device that can play all types of media files.

Google Play Store has a plethrora of applications to better open different media files. Be it a new app to make calls, your new web browser, a swift messaging app or a swanky music player — an Android user is always on the lookout for a new app to adorn his or her home screen.

Now, let’s say you use different apps to play videos and listening to music but you accidentally hit Set default and created default action to use a player to play all the media files.

When you choose an app to be the default application to open a particular file type, it will do so whenever any third-party app is trying to access that particular file type as part of the default settings.

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Change Default Application for File Types in Android Phone

Listen up Android users, if you have set a mistakenly default app to open a particular file type and want to undo the action, here’s what to do.

Step 1: 

Open Android Apps settings. Android Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) users can open Settings > Apps while the former builds can open Settings > Application > Manage applications.

Different versions of Android may also show different names of the tabs mentioned above. So, whether you are stuck with Android Marshmallow or are more upbeat Android Nougat, these instructions may vary.

Note: This path might be different in the cases of some mobile brands such as Samsung, Huawei, and etc. Android users using Samsung Galaxy devices

Step 2: 

Now search for the app you want to change the default settings for and tap on the app settings to open the info page of that application.

Step 3: 

Scroll down the page to find the button Clear defaults. If the app is a default app for any of the file type on your device, the button will be enabled, otherwise disabled. Simply tap on the button to clear all the files associated with the app.

That’s All, Folks!

Next time you try to open the same file type, you will get all the suggestions to choose from again. Just make sure you make the right decision this time.

How do I associate a file type with a program in Android?

Open File Manager and browse the the folder containing the files that you want to associate with a particular app. This will set the target file types to be opened with the selected app and open that file in that app as well. By the way doing things in Android is not too difficult.

How do I associate file types with applications?

In the search bar, enter the file type or link type you want, then select it from the list of results. You can choose which app can open that file or link type. Select an app to see what file types or link types it can open. If you want to change something, select the file or link type, then choose your preferred app.

How do I open a file with a specific app Android?

What you can do is swipe down from the top of your screen and open settings / default apps... and assign some defaults. You might have to first download a specific app or adjust settings to your desired preferences that are within the specs and abilities of your specific device.

How do I change the default program to open a file in Android?

Open your phone's Settings app..
Tap Apps. Default apps..
Tap the default that you want to change..
Tap the app that you want to use by default..