Installing Illustrator Beta causes Issue in Windows 10

[Red Point]

I installed Illustrator Beta. Now all my file types are associated with the Beta app version. When I go into Windows settings to re-apply the correct "default app" by file type, the regular Adobe Illustrator 2023 app version does not appear in the drop-down list any longer. There is also no way to choose one that is not in the list.

I also tried right-mouse clicking on the ai file and choosing "open with..." then trying it that way. But when I select the regular Illustrator 2023 (which in itself is already challenging because of shortcut links), it still opens the Beta app.  

How can I reset my file associations to bind back to the regular Illustrator 2023 app and not the Beta version? 

This is obviously an Adobe bug, as CC apps don't seem to register correctly along side the beta version in Windows 10.

[Mylenium · Accepted solution]

There is no distinction between an "Illustrator File" created by the Beta or the regular version. The Registry only knows a single file type and all paths stored point to the latest version installed. And that kind of is the unsatisfying answer: You would have to edit the Registry keys using regedit or any otehr such tool. Not realyl a bug, just how Windows handles things.

Mylenium

[Red Point]

Hi Myleniumm thank you for the quick reply.

I also got an answer back from Microsoft. They are saying that the issue is caused by Adobe using the same file name for the EXE file for both the regular app and the beta app. This does not sound like it is best-practise and would need to be remedied by Adobe. It would be a very easy fix for Adobe, as all they need to do is use e.g. IllustratorBeta.exe or PhotoshopBeta.exe for the app file name, instead of creating the same file name for both, since then the app would show up in the drop down again (for manual file association). They also offered to create a custom REG file for correctly registering the filename and extension path in the Windows registry.

I will share the link to the MS thread should this solution work. 

If I have the time, I will also post a bug report / feature request to the AI / Photoshop teams.

Thanks again for your help,
Cheers

[Monika Gause]

If you want to propose something to the developers, please post on https://illustrator.uservoice.com

This is a public forum and only people marked as "Staff" are Adobe staff.

[Red Point]

Here is a link to the Microsoft thread:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-files/file-association-issues-in-window...

[Red Point]

I added a feature request / bug report here, which you can upvote (basically just asking Adobe to change the exe file name for the beta app to illustratorbeta.exe. That would solve the problem. 

https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/461...