Finally, while Mac OS X will usually set Photoshop as the default app for opening PSD files (since PSD is Photoshop’s native file format), it still never hurts to check. Plus, if you have multiple versions of Photoshop installed on your computer, it’s worth making sure that your PSD files will open in the newest version, as we're about to see. How to set your default email reader on Mac. Mail is likely the default email app on your Mac, but just in case you have others downloaded, you can set the default reader. Here’s how: Launch Mail from your dock or the Finder. Click Mail in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Click Preferences. Click the drop-down next to Default Mail Reader. After selecting an app to open this file, click the Change All button just below if you want to change the association for all files of this type. This sets a new system-wide default association and all files will open in the selected app.
How do you open a file on an Apple Mac? The quick way is to double click it, which opens it in the default app. What if the default app isn’t the one you want? Change the file association.
Cool wallpaper apps mac. Common files like documents, spreadsheets, photos, videos, audio, PDF and so on, all have an app associated with them. When a file is double clicked in Finder, macOS looks up the app associated with that file type and opens the app, which in turn, opens the file. It saves you having to find the app, run it, go to the File menu, and so on.
![Mac Mac](/uploads/1/3/4/2/134259253/773891564.png)
This works very well most of the time and it is quick and convenient to open files from Finder. For example, you can open a Finder window, which then shows your most recent files. Double clicking one opens it for editing.
The problem is that you may have several apps that can open a particular type of file. For example, a text file could open in TextEdit, Pages or Notes Apple apps, or in an app you have added, like Bean, BBEdit, Word or something else.
You may prefer to open text files in BBEdit instead of the default TextEdit, or you might want to open JPEG images in GIMP rather than Preview, and so on. You might even find that installing an app changes the default file association to it, when you would rather keep the default.
Let’s see how to change file associations on the Apple Mac and choose which app opens a particular file or type of file.
1 Show file extensions
Although it is possible to have files with no filename extension, files usually have one, like .jpg or .txt. If you do not see filename extensions in Finder windows, they may be hidden.
Go to the Finder menu and select Preferences. Select the Advanced tab and then tick Show all filename extensions. It is useful to see them and not only can the Mac tell what type a file is, you can too.
2 Choose an app with Open With
Double clicking a file in a Finder window or on the desktop opens it in an app, but what if it is the wrong one? Ctrl+click the file and in the menu that is displayed, hover the mouse over Open With. It shows the default app and any alternative apps that are capable of opening the file. Select the app you want to open the file with using this menu.
3 Set the file’s default app
If you always want to open this file with a specific app, Ctrl+click it and then hold down Alt/Option key and Open With changes to Always Open With. Select the app you always want to open this file with.
This sets the default app only for this file and no others. This is useful if you want to open a particular file in an app without changing any other files.
4 Associate a file with an app
There is another way to set the file association to a particular app. Select a file in a Finder window or on the desktop and press Cmd+I to open the Info window. Look for the section called Open with and expand it if it is not expanded. Click the default app and a list of apps capable of opening this file is displayed. Select a different app from the list to make it the default.
This affects only this file and no others.
5 Associate all files with an app
After selecting an app to open this file, click the Change All button just below if you want to change the association for all files of this type. This sets a new system-wide default association and all files will open in the selected app.
If you have installed software which has changed the default file association and files now open in the wrong app. Find just one file, press Cmd+I and set the Open with association back to what it was before using the Info window.
It can be confusing at first, because it is possible to change associations for one file or all files. Be clear about what you are changing.
Your Mac is smart – it has an app for each of your actions. Clicking on a text doc will open Pages and playing media content will take you to QuickTime. But what if you could make it even smarter by choosing the apps responsible for all actions? Well, you can.
How to change default programs on a Mac
To customize defaults for specific files:
- Right-click on a file.
- Select Get Info > Open with.
- Click on Change All to make the selected app default.
Similarly, you can replace defaults for other utilities on a Mac. To pick a custom email client, go to Mail Preferences, select Default Mail Reader and click on the app in the drop-down menu.
Setapp apps that replace Mac’s defaults
Change default application, replacing them with more cutting-edge alternatives and see how your casual Mac environment evolves into an incredible space for productive work. Here’s an ideal app switching plan:
Simplified activity monitoring with iStat Menus
So here’s the truth about Activity Monitor – it’s just too complicated. You have to sit and scroll through tons of data to figure out why your Mac is misbehaving or how to optimize battery use. In contrast, iStat Menus is a minimalist app that adds only 9 icons to your menu bar. And guess what, they give you all the insights about Mac’s performance in seconds. Look no further.
How To Set Default App For Files Mac Download
QuickTime alternative: Elmedia Player – take better care of your media content
The default media player on Mac is called QuickTime – a simple, free solution that handles Apple’s preferred media formats seamlessly. https://zpvvqxx.weebly.com/blog/stitcher-app-for-mac. So when you get a new Mac and want to play any content, QuickTime would be the program that opens your media file – in case the file is supported.
If you’re already thinking about an alternative that supports all types of files, including AVI and WMV, we don’t judge you. https://zpvvqxx.weebly.com/blog/how-to-temporarily-disable-an-app-mac. In fact, we have a good suggestion. Elmedia Player supports virtually any type of media content as well as allows you to download files from YouTube and watch online videos without ads.
A custom dock on a Mac with uBar
Dock is big. Of course, this part of your screen is super important, but not exactly functional. Look at your Dock right now. Do you need all the items you see there? Most likely, 10% of the Dock apps are those you used yesterday and forgot to hide. uBar makes your Dock shrink, adding lots of precious space to Mac’s screen. Customize the look of your custom dock once, enjoy an improved Mac environment always.
Finder alternative: Enhance file management with ForkLift and DCommander
Your starting point to everything on a Mac. That’s how you can describe Finder. It could seem you're so used to Mac’s native file manager, there’s no chance you ever betray it. But with extra features at stake, think twice.
The beauty of ForkLift, an alternative file manager app for Mac, is that it’s pretty similar to Finder in terms of the flow. Only with extra capabilities. You can customize file visibility, compare files right from the toolbar, and create presets for renaming files.
Another alternative to the old good Finder is DCommander. If you’re looking for a pro-level file manager with superior batching capabilities, this is the one. From checksums to HEX viewer, the app gives you all the details about your files. The interface might look overwhelming for a beginner, but it’s worth mastering.
Personal assistance on a Mac in human terms
Lacona is basically an ideal version of Siri – faster, more accurate, and customizable. Unlike Mac’s default virtual assistant, Lacona has excellent natural language processing capabilities. This means you can ask anything in plain language –from launching an app to reminding you about someone’s birthday – and get an answer instantly. Ensure your Mac gives you the best assistance possible.
BusyCal, a better version of Mac’s Calendar
A superb substitute for Apple’s native Calendar, BusyCal adds all the perks you’ve been missing in the default app. Integrate live weather forecast, fully customize the feel and look of a calendar, add graphics and to-dos.
While BusyCal clearly wins in functionality, it’s also pretty expensive if you buy a single app – $49.99. There’s an option to test the calendar with a free 30-day trial or get it as a part of Setapp’s subscription.
Apple Mail alternative: Replace your default email client with Canary Mail
Half the workday. That’s an average estimate of how much time people spend in their email apps. If you think about it, your productivity pretty much depends on your email flow and the tools supporting this flow. Apple’s default email client does a good job in case you’re not bombarded with emails every day. If you have to act on most of the emails though, you might want to change the default. And get Canary Mail.
The app aligns your inbox with daily tasks – a get-things-done solution. You can drag emails right from the inbox into a to-do list or follow-ups, as well as track read activity. Integration with Dropbox, Google Drive, and iCloud makes it easy to transfer data. To accelerate your email workflow even more, you can store ready-to-use templates and signatures in the app.
CleanShot for clean screenshots
If you’re a Mac user, Command-Shift-4 is the extension of your hand. Keyboard shortcuts for taking screenshots in macOS are relatively easy to keep in mind. So you don’t have to puzzle about how to capture a portion of the screen, a menu, or a window.
But that’s just a fraction of what you can do with screen recording software. From annotations to custom wallpaper, there are tons of other goodies to benefit from. CleanShot is a small app that has most of them. Apart from the basic screen recording toolkit, CleanShot adds a special superpower to your menu bar – you can toggle desktop icons and set any background for your screenshots. The app also has a Quick Access Overlay menu, which allows you to edit, save, and share your captures right away.
Archive Utility alternative: Create, split, and protect archives with Archiver
Just in case you didn’t know, there’s Archive Utility on your Mac – a small hidden tool that allows to create and expand archives. But more importantly, there’s a world-class app that does way more. Here’s what you get with Archiver if you use it instead of the default utility:
- RAR, Stuflt, Zip, and many more archive formats available in one click.
- Preview archives and selectively unzip specific files.
- Create split archives.
- Protect sensitive data by encrypting your archives.
- Unpack multiple archives simultaneously.
Alternative to Time Machine: Get Backup Pro to backup like a pro
Launch Time Machine, click to backup, hope your data is safe. That’s how we’re used to protecting files on a Mac. Bad news: If you rely on the default utility only, your data might be in danger. It’s always better to use at least two tools, so that when you’re backing up to an external drive with Time Machine, there’s also a utility for running regular backups. Or, you can use Get Backup Pro. The app allows to decide which units to backup as well as runs scheduled procedures – two birds with one stone.
Apple Notes alternative: Distraction-free text editing with Ulysses
Like most word processing programs, Apple’s native Pages have one drawback – they fail to get a creative into the right flow. Writing is a fragile process and requires a perfect environment. The things like font customization, distractive menus, and folders kill all the vibe. Ulysses helps you get rid of the problem by switching to a plain text editor that’s all about you and your creation. Write non-stop, format, and publish right from the app.
From a Mac file opener to a ZIP reader, the choice of replacements for Apple’s defaults is huge. The curated collection we’ve brought to you in this article is a great place to start if you want to upgrade your Mac’s capabilities – get the whole pack with a Setapp subscription or test specific apps for free.
Setapp lives on Mac and iOS. Please come back from another device.
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
Read onSign Up
Set Default Apps For File Types
Setapp uses cookies to personalize your experience on our website. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our cookie policy.