Making all files open in the newest version of Illustrator?

[Retta Book]

I have a Windows Desktop, running v.11.   I successfully was able to sent Photoshop 2025 as the default program.  Illustrator, I could not.  I've looked for the file location of the shortcut I was successful in putting on my desktop and task bar.   I keep getting the .exe file that opens Windows 2024.   I need a bit of help please.   This is extremely annoying although I continue to work around it.  Just trying to speed things up.  

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Retta

[jane-e]

@Retta Book 

I've moved your post from Creative Cloud Desktop to the Illustrator forum.

One thing to try is to delete the shortcuts that don't work from your desktop and taskbar. Then start to type "Illustrator" in the "Type here to search" box. Right click the correct app and create a new shortcut.

You can also launch it from the CC app.

Jane

[Bobby Henderson]

If a file assocation is messed up, such as .AI files not launching Illustrator, you should be able to right-click on the file, choose Properties, and then look at the "Opens With" listing. If it isn't correct you can click the "Change" button to choose a different application.

If you open C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator 2025 you should find a shortcut to the Adobe Illustrator 2025 application in that folder. Right-clicking on that will reveal information showing the application's .exe file location.

[rimshotgraphix]

this usually works.  with v 2025, it does not

[Bobby Henderson]

Did you have any other installations of Illustrator running on the computer, such as the Beta? Sometimes removing the beta causes file associations with the general release version of Illustrator to be broken. Running the CC Cleaner tool to remove all versions of Illustrator and then reinstalling the latest general release version usually fixes the issue.

[rimshotgraphix]

I found That uninstalling adobe illustrator 2024 fixed the issue

I usually like to keep the previous version just in case the latest and greatest has bugs.

but in this case I am risking it.

[Rafael290293043hrm]

Hi! I´m having this problem. I´ve tried to unninstall and install Illustrator, but it didn´t solve. Trying to change file associations in windows didn´t solve either. Illustrator do not appear in the windows default programs list. This two recomendations in this post didn´t worked for me.

[Bobby Henderson]

Sometimes it takes using the Creative Cloud Cleaner tool to remove any installations of Illustrator to fix that problem. I've seen the beta disrupt file associations with Illustrator when it is removed, even if the general release version is still installed.

[Anh30309265s2jh]

Having same issue here. My 2025 illustrator shows this error "Illustrator could partially read this file" and it will be blank. Illustrator 2024 opens it no problem

[Ton Frederiks]

That does not sound good, I would make a copy of the file and save it in a safe place on your local hard disk and work only on a copy in 2024.

You can have both Illustrator 2024 and  2025 installed.