Windows 7 / Getting Started

Changing the program defaults

By default, Windows 7 automatically configures particular programs to do certain tasks, such as browse the Internet, receive and send e-mail, and play audio and video files on your computer. You can, if you desire, change these program associations on your computer by opening the Set Program Access and Computer Defaults dialog box.

You open the Set Program Access and Computers Defaults dialog box by clicking Start → Default Programs. Next, click the Set Programs Access and Computer Defaults link in the Default Programs Control Panel window followed by the Continue button in the Permission dialog box.

The Set Program Access and Computer Defaults dialog box contains three Configuration options:

  • Microsoft Windows: This option selects all Microsoft programs for your Internet and media playing needs.
  • Non-Microsoft: Use this option to select all the non-Microsoft programs that you've installed on your computer for your Internet and media playing needs.
  • Custom: The default option, Custom uses whatever Internet or mediaplaying program you're currently using on the computer but still offers you access to Microsoft's Internet and media software (just in case you one day see the light and decide that you want to junk your non-Microsoft browser, e-mail client, or media player in favor of Internet Explorer, Windows Mail, Windows Media Center, and Windows Media Player).

To completely change a new configuration, simply select its option in the Set Program Access and Computer Defaults dialog box and then click OK. To change only certain program associations within a configuration (especially the Custom configuration), click its expand button (the one with two →→ pointing downward) and then modify individual settings within that configuration before you click OK.

Figure below shows you the Set Program Access and Computer Defaults dialog box on my computer after expanding its Custom section to display the default Web browser and default e-mail program settings.

Set Program Access and Computer Default Dialog Box
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In this tutorial:

  1. Computer Management
  2. Disk Management
  3. Opening folders on drives in the Computer window
  4. Mapping a network folder as a local drive
  5. File, Folder, and Library Management
  6. Creating new files, folders, and libraries
  7. Customizing a window's folder options
  8. Changing how you select and open items
  9. Creating compressed (zipped) folders
  10. Extracting files from a compressed folder
  11. Selecting files and folders
  12. Copying (and moving) files and folders
  13. Deleting files and folders
  14. Renaming files and folders
  15. Searching for files
  16. Program Management
  17. Removing or repairing a program
  18. Changing the program defaults
  19. Restart, Sleep/Hibernate, Lock, Log Off, and Shut Down
  20. Windows 7 Explorer
  21. Changing the display of an Explorer window
  22. Sorting and filtering items in an Explorer window