PDF-XChange always replaced by Edge as default app for PDF

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Seeker45
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Location: Germany

PDF-XChange always replaced by Edge as default app for PDF

Post by Seeker45 »

Hello,

Running PDF-XChange v 8.0.344.0 on Windows 10 Pro, Version 10.0.19043, Build 19043 as a regular user, admin login not available.

I have tried several ways to make PDF-XChange the default app for PDF for my user, including when PDF-XChange asks whether it should be the default app and manually setting it in the standard app settings of Windows. While this works for the current session, after a reboot Edge is again the default app. Any suggestions? Thank you.

Cheers
Seeker45
Willy Van Nuffel
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Re: PDF-XChange always replaced by Edge as default app for PDF

Post by Willy Van Nuffel »

Hi,

In Windows File Explorer:
- right mouse click on whatever PDF
- click "Open with" > "Choose another app"
- mark the check-box "Always use this app to open .PDF files"
- select "PDF-XChange Editor"
- click OK

Normally you should see that the icons for PDF-files will change and the selected PDF should open in PDF-XChange Editor.

Does this method work for you ?

Best regards.
Seeker45
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Posts: 162
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2013 2:32 pm
Location: Germany

Re: PDF-XChange always replaced by Edge as default app for PDF

Post by Seeker45 »

Thank you. Unfortunately, that is one of the ways I have repeatedly tried. It works for the current session, but does not survive a reboot.
Willy Van Nuffel
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Posts: 2347
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 12:10 pm

Re: PDF-XChange always replaced by Edge as default app for PDF

Post by Willy Van Nuffel »

That's indeed unfortunate.

Maybe you can still try the solution proposed by Tracker Software:
https://www.pdf-xchange.com/knowle ... PDF-Viewer

Best regards.

Willy.
Seeker45
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Posts: 162
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Location: Germany

Re: PDF-XChange always replaced by Edge as default app for PDF

Post by Seeker45 »

Thanks again. That is what I tried as well, but it does not last beyond a reboot,
Willy Van Nuffel
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Re: PDF-XChange always replaced by Edge as default app for PDF

Post by Willy Van Nuffel »

To be sure what it exactly goes about ...

Do you double-click PDF's in Windows File Explorer or are you talking about clicking on hyperlinks in the Microsoft Edge browser ?
Seeker45
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Posts: 162
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Location: Germany

Re: PDF-XChange always replaced by Edge as default app for PDF

Post by Seeker45 »

I am referring to, e.g., left double-clicking on the icon of a PDF-file on the Windows desktop (or in the (file) Explorer).

Just an an example. This is such an icon:
grafik.png
grafik.png (15.08 KiB) Viewed 847 times
When I double-click on it, MS Edge opens. I then set Windows to use PDF-XChange for opening PDFs. That works fine. Anything I want to do with PDFs is now handled by PDF-XChange. Including, if I click on that icon, PDF-XChange opens.

But, again, only for the current session. After a reboot, left double-clicking on that icon brings up MS Edge again. :(
Willy Van Nuffel
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Posts: 2347
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 12:10 pm

Re: PDF-XChange always replaced by Edge as default app for PDF

Post by Willy Van Nuffel »

This does not seem to be an easy one ...

Some solutions are proposing changes in Windows Registry:
- https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/2253855-pdf-keeps-reverting-to-edge
- https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/2030554-permanent-fix-for-win10-edge-browser-pdf-html-hijacking?page=1

More recent posts are saying that these registry changes do not work anymore, and that you must modify the Default App setting:
- https://www.winhelponline.com/blog/windows-10-resetting-file-associations/

Some people could solve the problem by setting an other browser as default, instead of Microsoft Edge.

Keep us posted.

Willy.

@Tracker Software Support
1) Do you have some experience with this ?
2) Does PDF-XChange Editor already act the new way, using UserChoice > ProgID in Windows 10, when it is being set as the default app for opening PDF's ?
Seeker45
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Posts: 162
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Location: Germany

Re: PDF-XChange always replaced by Edge as default app for PDF

Post by Seeker45 »

Thanks again! Hinting at a more general problem in Windows 10 is certainly interesting. Since I have associated several other apps as default apps successfully, I did not think this would be a Windows 10 issue. However, perhaps Windows 10 is doing something "special" regarding PDF-files in view of Edge.... who knows.

Quick additional observation: When I log on after a reboot, I can clearly see by the type of the PDF-icons that are shown that PDF-XChange is the PDF-handler. However, perhaps when processing my profile, after a few seconds the icons change to the Edge-type icons. Thus, I am quite sure that is something is done by Windows 10.

Also, until I find a real solution: I found the attached tool by Christoph Kolbicz (thanks, Willy), see all the details here:

https://kolbi.cz/blog/2017/10/25/setuserfta-userchoice-hash-defeated-set-file-type-associations-per-user/

The file was checked in Virustotal and against the SHA256 listed on his page.

The following command sets PDF-XChange as the PDF-handler:

Code: Select all

SetUserFTA.exe .pdf PDFXEdit.PDF
Attachments
SetUserFTA.zip
(25.07 KiB) Downloaded 29 times
Willy Van Nuffel
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Re: PDF-XChange always replaced by Edge as default app for PDF

Post by Willy Van Nuffel »

It seems to be a useful workaround for in case nothing else seems to help.

Best regards.

Willy.
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PDF-XChange always replaced by Edge as default app for PDF

Post by Tracker Supp-Stefan »

:)
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