Change the default application for files
On a Mac - as on any other computer platform - there are several applications that can handle a certain types of files. Just think of pictures in .jpg format - Preview, iPhoto, Photoshop and many more understand and can handle them.
One question that gets asked a lot by new users is, how to change the default application for certain file types, so all files of that type are opened in a certain application.
Mac OS X does not only let you customize the default application on a file type basis but you can also tell it that you want specific files to open in a certain application.
The solution lies within the file information window, which we introduced in full detail in this post. Bring up the file information window by selecting Get Info from the contextual menu of a file.
In the section Open With you can set the application you want this file to open with.
Note: This selection is only valid for this particular file and does not affect other files of the same type.
If you want all files of that type to open with the chosen application, click the Change All… button.
One more thing…
As with a lot of stuff, there is another shortcut. To quickly set the application, a certain file should open with, control-click the file and hold down the alt/option key (introduction to the Mac keyboard in this post).
You will see that the menu item Open With will change to Always Open With. Exactly what we want.
Pick the application that suits your needs for this particular file.
Done. To each his own. Nice and simple.
Email This Post
Tags: data, defaults, file handling
Related posts: