Remove Wrong Programs from Recommended Programs List in Windows

[michaels]

Many times it happens i accidentally open a file with wrong program, and the program used to open the file is added to the recommended program list. So when next time i open similar file it again opens with that wrong program and i waste my time to make it correct.

Hey guys.. please help me in this case.. Is there any way wrong program don't come again ?

[Jimmy24]

Once the wrong program is added, it will be there forever although it is not the correct program used to open this file. You need to remove the wrong recommended program from Open With window.

To do so follow below steps:-

1. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\[file extension]\OpenWithList. For example, if you want to delete the wrong recommended program for test.003, then you should look for file with .003 extension.

2. At the right panel, look for the key with value of the wrong program which has been used to open the file, right click on it and choose delete to remove it. For example, delete the key with AcroRd32.exe.

Once you have done above steps, you will notice the wrong program is disappeared from the recommended program list. Hopefully this trick will help you to save some of your time while struggling to change it in simple steps.

[Isaac1]

Try this to remove the wrong program bcz thats the only way you can save your time in this matter.

1. Type “regedit” (without quotes) in Start Menu or Run.


2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\(your file extension)\OpenWithList. (Change (your file extension) to the file extension from which you want to remove the program.)


3. In the right side, right-click on the key which contains the wrong program’s location and select Delete. (For example, delete the key “notepad.exe”).

[michaels]

Thanks for the help friends.... I hope it works...

[vish]

Hi all,

I have a same problem....i need to remove unwanted program for .class file.
I've successfully followed the given steps. Then I checked the Recommended Program List for .class file. But unwanted program was still there in list. So i thought changes might be reflected after reboot. But even after reboot it was showing the program in list.
I've again confirmed that key is deleted or not...key was removed properly...do we need to follow some other steps in addition to aforementioned steps???
Any help in this regard will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Jimmy24]

Which version of windows are you using. If you are using windows vista then the above solution will work. Otherwise for windows xp and earlier version do this. Run the registry editor and navigate to this path : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall. Then on the left side right click on the name of program you want to remove and select export. Export the file on the desktop. Give name uninstall. Then on the right pane the Display name key denotes the name of program in Add/Remove and recommended list. Delete the folder from left side. The file on the desktop is just for a backup if the program does not remove properly you can restore other wise delete it.

[vish]

Yes I'm using windows XP. Thanks for the steps. But before following these steps I want to make clear that program which I want to remove is not completely unwanted. Two things - 1)I want it to use for opening .class file 2)but I don't want it to be always there in Recommended Program List.

i.e. I need to use it occasionaly...but dont want it to be present in list.

So I just want to make sure that if I will follow the given steps, it will not uninstall the unwanted program & I will still be able to use it for opening .class file whenever needed.

[maaf1980]

Hi all,

Vish.
I'm using windows XP and experienced the same problem you reported in your first post in this thread (post #5). However I found a way to solve it. See below:


If the steps Jimmy wrote in post #2 doesn't work, try a look at:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\(your file extension)\OpenWithList
and remove the keys for the programs that you want to remove.

At least this worked for me.

Regards.