Change the Default Program for Viewing Your Pictures

Generally, to open and view a picture located on your computer, you double-click the picture’s file name or icon. The computer opens the picture file using the default program.

A default is a predetermined choice usually set by the computer manufacturer. If you click a picture icon, the default is the program that your computer uses to open the picture file. Some typical programs that manufacturers assign as defaults are WINDOWS Picture and Fax Viewer, MICROSOFT Photo Editor, PRESTO! Photo Designer, or ADOBE PHOTOSHOP Elements.

You can assign a different program as the default for your computer. Why would you want to do that? Perhaps the program you use takes a long time to open pictures files. Or maybe you use a particular program to work with your picture files and would prefer that it open automatically.

To change the default program assigned to open picture files:

1. Open any folder that contains your pictures.

2. Place the cursor over a picture file, and click the right mouse button.

3. A shortcut menu appears.

4. Position your cursor over Open With, and when a secondary menu opens, click Choose Program at the bottom of that menu.

5. 

   The Open With window appears with the current default program highlighted.

   

6. Click the program you want to use to highlight it.

7. Note: You may need to scroll through the list of programs, or click the Browse button and drill up or down to locate the program you want to use.

8. Click the box in front of “Always use the selected program to open this kind of file.”

9. A check mark appears in the box.

10. After you select a program, click OK. The picture opens with the program you chose.

11. From now on, every time you double-click a JPEG file, it will open using that program.