Photoshop BETA hijacks all associated file types in Windows 10

[Red Point]

I installed Photoshop beta on Windows 10, which I regret insofar that all my file types are now hijacked by Beta. All my Photoshop files are now associated with beta. When I click any PSD file, beta opens. I cannot change file association in Windows 10, as Windows doesnt "see" regular Photoshop and wants to open the Windows App Store (for all other filetypes besides PSD normally associated with Photoshop).

Any ideas how I can have Beta installed without this Photoshop filetype nightmare?

[Daniel Donahue]

The icon for the app is right but the file still opens in beta.

[Daniel Donahue]

However, I still have this despit the icon.

[davescm]

Your screenshot now looks correct for PSDs. Version 24.0 is the current Photoshop 2023 public release. If all versions of Photoshop are now closed and you open a PSD from Bridge, it should use Photoshop 2023 (v24)

You will need to set the other file types from 24.1 to 24 in the same way

Dave

[Daniel Donahue]

Its very confusing, becasuse the Bridge Psd files still only open in Beta.  The thumb nail looks right, but 2023.24.1 is Beta.  If I unistall Beta that goes away and there is no file connection.  Then I can't find the origional Photoshop 2023 to asign to the types of files to open.  It just isn't there.  

I wonder if I unistalled Beta and Photoshop 2023, and installed 2022, if the icons would actually open in the correct Photoshop program.

[Daniel Donahue]

I finally got it.  🙂

When I picked "Brouse" to find the program to change to from Beta in Bridge, I would go to Adobe>2023 and try to apply that.  That didn't work. But, I had to open that folder and pick "Photoshop" and click "Open" to get it assigned.  I'll bet I spent about 10 hours trying to get it working.  Part of that was trying to find all the brushes and Actions I had and import/export to Beta.  I couldn't get that done either.  So, I can go about my day now.  I was going to call Adobe today.  

[davescm]

Hi

Glad you got it 🙂

That is what I meant earlier when I said you have to go to navigate to the relevant Photoshop.exe file not just the folder

Dave

[Daniel Donahue]

I get that now.  But that file didn't have .exe after it, so I didn't pick that file.  I wonder if there is anything else Beta has changed.  

[Dave Swarthout]

I'm about to uninstall Photoshop Beta 24.1 (it's very buggy) and thought I'd correct my file associations ahead of time but it's a tedious task. Why does Adobe alter the file associations for a beta product? I was presented with the option of using the Beta as the default after installing it, and I chose to do it, but I assumed it would be easy to revert if I uninstalled it. That is emphatically not the case.

While there is a lot to like about subscription software, I wish we could go back to the "old days" when Photoshop never crashed and a release was good for a year or two. I think Photoshop is an incredible program and I've been using it for decades but I'm noticing bugs in every update. They get fixed eventually but there are weeks, sometimes months, during which I have to learn to work with or work around these bugs.

If I didn't have so much experience with Photoshop I would be tempted to quit my subscription and try some other image editing program. In my estimation, Adobe has fallen from the top rank.

[dinemom]

i tried everything within windows 11 but the .psd files won't open on doubleclick. I can only open them thru Photoshop running. I can not choose Photoshop in "open with" command although PS is running without problems.

 

[D Fosse]

Uninstall and reinstall.

Your file associations are broken, probably by uninstalling an older version after the new version is installed. The old and outgoing version sometimes takes file associations with it, leaving them orphaned.

In the future, always follow strict version order both ways. When uninstalling, start with the newest and work backwards. Then reinstall the one you want to keep.

[Test Screen Name]

When you install multiple apps that open the same file, you're really choosing to give up double clicking to open files. Start the relevant app and use File > Open. 

[D Fosse]

From what I can see, the currently available beta is 24.1.

What version is the "regular" Photoshop you refer to?

Just in general terms, any installer activity, whatever it is, will assume and take over file associations. Any install or update will take file associations, no matter where in the chronology it is. From my own experience, just updating an older version will then make it the default app.

File associations can very easily get messed up, and I always advise caution. This is partly the way the Windows registry works, and partly (IMO) a poorly implemented CC installer which doesn't take this into consideration. The biggest problems occur with uninstalls and "remove old versions", with a flood of posts here in the forum as a result, but any fiddling with file associations and PS versions is potentially a bit risky.

The safe way to avoid all problems is to always follow strict version order both ways. Last in, first out and so on.

[Red Point]

Thank you. I do want to keep BETA. So I manually recreated file associations. However, I fear when a new beta version comes out with major update, the file associations may get messed up again. I wonder if Adobe ever published a correct "procedure" on how to avoid this issue. 

Would it work to install beta first, then re-install regular Photoshop?

[MPDAEF]

I've downloaded the public Beta to play with it.  It now is the default app that opens when using Ctr-E from LR Classic--unless I already have normal PS already open.  Is there a way to change this behavior, or do I have to uninstall the Beta?

TIA

Gail

[MPDAEF]

I don't use Bridge, so the answers in the Beta discussion don't help.  Also, I was never given a choice of whether or not to use Beta as a default, which I wouldn't ever have done.  G

[TheDigitalDog]

Yes, the Edit In points to the latest version of Photoshop installed. All you can do is add the older version to the list below as an external editor and circumvent the Command-E usesge. 

[MPDAEF]

Sure wish Adobe would mention this when urging people to try the Beta. I
guess the easiest around this, for me at least, is to open PS 2023 before
using Ctr-E. But what a nuisance! Especially since the Beta doesn't turn
out to be particularly useful or interesting at this time.

Thanks for the response.
Gail

[TheDigitalDog]

Uninstall the beta, and problems solved.

[MPDAEF]

I did that, and now Photoshop is greyed out in the "edit in" menu, even
though it's the default "external editor" in LRC preferences. Not good.

[TheDigitalDog]

When the 'link' between Lightroom Classic and Photoshop has issues, one of the first things to try is this:
1. Use the Adobe Creative Cloud application to uninstall both Photoshop and Lightroom Classic and when asked, keep preferences. 
2. Install Photoshop first, then Lightroom Classic. 
Better? 

[MPDAEF]

Thanks. I'll try this and let you know.
G

[balou06]

Hello,

it's not only a problem with Edit, even in windows (W11), the file association is broken and Beta version is used when double-clicking on a psd file. Tried to point to the production version, even manually, it does not restore the initial setting with windows 11.

Regards,

[MPDAEF]

The only solution I know is to uninstall Beta--but then you can't use it
any more. Apparently, Ctrl-E defaults to the latest version of PS you have
installed. I didn't try to get PS and PS Beta installed in the opposite
order, which might be worth a try.
Gail

[defaultreuiunjmin3h]

I installed PS beta to try the new remove tool. I then uninstalled PS 2023 then re-installed it as I was having the same issue - it worked!!!

[Frogman38]

We all have the same issue, it is a pain. However, I discovered that providing a previous version of your (non-beta) Photoshop is available in the creative cloud app, then you can downgrade and then (re-) upgrade. Yes, this is a pain but fortunately providing you stay in the same main build version, it doesn't appear to mess up your settings, plugins, or presets. I did this yesterday and it seems OK, and of course Adobe released an update to the Beta app. and of course this will mess up associations again. It would be really good if Adobe could issue a simple utility to reset the the file associations, to the desired version.