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?

[davidr61855514]

thank you...

[Sydney G]

I feel your pain also. The response by @D Fosse does work. I'm just going to be installing and uninstalling both of these apps for an hour just to get PS as the last installed.
So "for me", while in Bridge and for just opening PS (not beta) psd files I did go into preferences of Bridge and for Photoshop Documents I took the browse to file option, and drilled down directly to the actual PS.exe (not beta) (windows) and clicked save. And now a dbl click on a PS file in Bridge now opens PS (not beta).

This is not ideal because as I look there are MANY other associations that would open PS (beta).. but my concern is only for open PSDs in PS (not beta). 

[sharibeth78]

Thank you!!!  It worked for me.  yay!

[warren0057]

Hi
I would appreciate your help.
I use: windows 10 . PS CC 2024 version 25.3.1 (the latest )
Since I have uninstalled PS Beta, my .psd file is no longer associated with PS ( see attached screenshot)Scrrenshot from my PC. before I posted this topic, I have already looked at a similar problem in the previous discussion. There were 4 solutions ( see below). Solution 1 & 2 won't work as have tried. Solution 4 , change registry, I am not so comfortable to have a go. This leaves me solution 3 , uninstall CC and reinstall . my question is, will i loose the plug ins, 3 party filters , brushes that I have installed in the past if uninstall and reinstall CC. I know this might sound a very naive question, but I am not an expert, so it is better to ask rather regret. many thanks for your help, guys

Windows

Solution 1: Use the Open With dialog box to establish the file association

Solution 2: Use Windows control panel to establish the file association

Solution 3: Uninstall and reinstall the Creative Cloud apps

Solution 4: Set a default path in the Registry

[Myra Ferguson]

You could try using Bridge to change the file type association (Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Adobe Bridge > Preferences (macOS), and select File Type Associations):

• https://helpx.adobe.com/bridge/using/view-files-bridge.html
  
  

[warren0057]

Thank you so much Myra. I tried your suggestion, but it did not work. Perhaps the only option that I have is to uninstall and re-install the PS CC but my question is; after reinstallation, will I loose features like imported brushes, 3rd party plug-in, filters etc ?  

[toddb30644149]

This is one of the MOST AGGRAVATING issues that's been going on since the introduction of Photoshop BETA. Adobe, why can't you fix this? I don't want to use BETA, so why do you force all my file formats to default back to it every time I update Photoshop?! STOP IT!!! I have to go in and do INFO on all my file formats and change them back, EVERY TIME! You give us AI capabilities, but you can't fix this?! It's ridiculous. 

[toddb30644149]

Sorry, I meant to add, I'm on a Mac too...OS 14.3.

[bmw4.jpg]

my photoshop app is not showing up on the list of apps. pls help

[bmw4.jpg]

if i uninstall the beta version, will my files be deleted somehow and not be accesible in normal photoshop. bc i have opened my files mistakenly and been brought to the beta version. thanks!

[D Fosse]

@bmw4.jpg 

Your files aren't "in" Photoshop. They are safely sitting on disk where you saved them.

What can get broken are your file associations - which application opens the files by default. This is the complication that can happen by having multiple versions installed. This isn't a problem if you always install and uninstall in strict version order - but a beta tends to be installed outside the standard version sequence, and that causes problems unless you observe some basic rules.

In Windows, the last installer activity will always take over the file associations. So what you should do is uninstall all your installed versions and start with the one currently holding the file associations. Then go backwards.

When you've done that, reinstall the version you want to keep.

Again, this is not a problem as long as you understand how file associations work and take a few basic precautions.

[Peter A Lund]

Hey, 

can we pls discuss, why after installing the beta version of photoshop this becomes the primal app to open all images. 

I would love if we can agree that we should not change it from the original photoshop version that is installed. 

I have to always change this every single time and its anoying me a lot. 

I want to open the beta on purpouse not by accident. 

I am working on macOS (version 14) 

And it does not matter the machine I am working on. 

cheers Peter 

[c.pfaffenbichler]

The beta version has the higher version number so it seems logical that it »assumes« it takes precedence. 

What »single time« are you talking about? Opening an image or installing/updating the Beta version? 

Because one can set the »Open with«-application for all images of a file format (»Change All«), but one may have to repeat that after installing/updating the Beta version. 

Installing the Beta version is a choice; if it interferes with your work you may want to evaluate whether it is beneficial for you. 

[D Fosse]

In Windows, the latest installed version will take the file associations. It doesn't follow version chronology (unless you installed them in that order), just installer activity.

As long as you haven't uninstalled anything, file associations can easily be reassigned in Windows Settings.

Problems can happen if you uninstall an older version with a newer one still in place. When uninstalling, always start with the one currently holding file associations. Then work backwards if necessary.

[Peter A Lund]

Hey, 

I am working on a Macbook Pro. 

And every time I install a new Beta Version I have to change it to be not the primary app. 

I wonder if we can change this. 

I get that the Beta version has a higher version number. 

But the main App should always be prioritize to open images. 

[Peter A Lund]

Yes , 

I know that I can do this. 

But why cant we change this? 

We can make suggestion. 

[c.pfaffenbichler]

You can post a Feature Request (mark the thread as »Idea«, not as »Discussion«) but I suspect that this may actually be an OS-issue, not a Photoshop issue. 

Not my »cup of tea« but as the Macintosh OS provides some automation features itself it might be possible to create an AppleScript that works on the OS-level to (re-)assign the file association to the relased Photoshop version. 

[Hjorthmedh]

I have both photoshop and photoshop beta installed. I want to have normal photoshop as default app, but every time there is a Beta update, it becomes the new default.

So I have to change default app in Finder every time there is an update. Would be great that if Photoshop Beta is freshly installed it becomes default app, but if it is already installed and just gets an update it does not become the default app.

[D Fosse]

The last installed version will always take over file associations. That includes updates. That's just how it works in Windows.

As long as you have them both installed, you can easily reassign file associations in Windows Settings.

Problems can happen if you uninstall a version that is currently not holding file associations. Don't do that. When installing/uninstalling, always follow strict version order, and start with the one currently holding file associations. Last in, first out.

[ArtOfPendleton]

So I just installed Windows 10 (I know, but Windows 11 won't open all my older software) on a new hard drive and re-installed my CC Photography Plan apps. But when I try to associate photo files so they'll open in Photoshop CC, the Photoshop 2024 icon does not show up, unless I install Photoshop Beta -- not regular Photoshop. So I uninstalled Beta and I can't get the OS to recognize Photoshop 2024 as an option, even when I directly select it in the File association window. Is there a fix for this, or do I just have to drag every file into Photoshop as I go?

[Per Berntsen]

Try setting the file associations in Adobe Bridge, which comes with your subscription.

Edit > Preferences > File Type Associations.

[D Fosse]

I'd uninstall and reinstall.

The underlying problem is that only one version can hold the file associations. So the way it works in Windows is that the latest installer activity will take over the file associations. Version numbers don't matter, only which is installed last.

Problems can happen if you uninstall an earlier version with a later version still in place. The outgoing version will then take file associations with it on the way out, leaving them orphaned. It doesn't hand them over to a newer version which it doesn't "know" about.

This is one of the risks of having a beta installed, because they usually won't be following the natural chronological order. That means you need to keep track of this when you install/uninstall. When uninstalling, always start with the latest installed, the one holding file associations.

[ArtOfPendleton]

Turns out the "uninstall/reinstall" approach worked. Changing the associations in Bridge did not. Last installed version takes precededent, ironically.

[D Fosse]

What's ironic? It seems logical that since only one version can have the file associations, it should be the last one you installed.

The only trick is to go in reverse order when you uninstall. Think of it as adding tennis balls in a plastic tube, and then removing them again.

[ArtOfPendleton]

I said "last" and "precedent" in the same sentence. And if Adobe is making tennis balls now I won't be able to afford the licensing, the way my dog goes through 'em. But thank you for the help -- it solved this conundrum.