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How to Change Your Default Apps in Windows
With the installation of many newer computers, many have found that program defaults are not set as expected. Microsoft wants you to use their new Microsoft Edge browser for everything and in many cases, this is just not conducive to how things work, especially in education. For some reason, the default for your Web Browser is set to Microsoft Edge. If you wish your default web browser to be Google Chrome that has to be changed for each user that logs into the computer. In a similar fashion, the default for PDF files is also set to Microsoft Edge instead of Adobe Acrobat. See below for instructions on how to change these settings.
How to change your Default Web Browser from Microsoft Edge to Google Chrome
- Login to the computer under your username and password
- Click on the Windows icon on the bottom left corner of the screen
- Begin typing "Default Apps"
NOTE: as you type the "Search Box" will appear - Click on the "Default Apps" option that appears
- A new window will appear showing you the defaults for the basic programs. Click on the area labeled "Web Browser"
- A smaller box will appear giving you choices to change your default to. Choose "Google Chrome"
- If promted with "Before you switch" click "Switch anyway"
- Your default browser will now be set to Google Chrome
How to Change your Default PDF viewer from Microsoft Edge to Adobe Acrobat
- On your desktop should be an icon for "Adobe Acrobat"
- Double-click on that icon to launch "Adobe Acrobat"
- When the application opens you should be prompted to change Adobe to be the default application for PDF files
- Adobe will walk you through applying this change. If it does not prompt you to make the change you can do the following:
- Locate a PDF file on your computer
- Right-click on the file and choose "Properties"
- In the "Properties" window look for the area labeled "Opens with:" and click on the Change button
- If "Adobe Acrobat" is not one of the options scroll down and click on "More Apps" and locate Adobe Acrobat
- Once this is completed Adobe should be the default for PDF files
