Cannot "Open With Photoshop 2026"

[CMalwitz]

Ever since the update to Photoshop 2026, I can no longer set my default for opening .webp files in Photoshop. When I right click to "Open With" only Photoshop 2025 pops up but when I click that, it doesn't work. I tried remapping through the Default Apps panel, but that doesn't work either. I have tried uninstalling Photoshop, restarting, and re-installing. Still no luck. (I'm on Windows 11).

[D Fosse]

This is broken file associations, most likely caused by uninstalling the old version after the new one has been installed. The old version takes file associations with it on the way out.

Normally, an uninstall-reinstall will fix it and reinstate the correct file associations.

I really wish Adobe would make this small change to the CC installer:

If "remove older versions" is turned on, by whatever updater configuration, uninstall the older versions first (after checking system compatibility). Then install the new version.

This would completely avoid the problem, which turns up regularly with every update cycle.

[AndyFearnley]

This has happened to me before, what fixed it for me was resetting the file association through the old Control Panel interface instead of the newer Windows 11 Default Apps settings.

Here’s what I did:

1. Open Control Panel (you can search for it in the Start menu).

2. Go to Default Programs > Associate a file type or protocol with a program.

3. Scroll down to .webp, click it, then hit Change program.

4. If Photoshop 2026 doesn’t show up in the list, click More apps > Look for another app on this PC, and manually navigate to the Photoshop 2026 executable (usually something like C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop 2026\Photoshop.exe).

5. Select it, hit OK, and that should force Windows to use the right version.

In my case, even though I had multiple Photoshop versions installed, Windows was still defaulting to the older one until I manually pointed to the 2026 .exe. Also make sure the old version isn't registering the file type again after install, uninstalling any older versions might help if the problem persists.

[CMalwitz]

Thanks. I tried this and navigated to the Adobe Photoshop 2026 > Photoshop.exe. file and clicked Just Once and the window just keeps popping up in and endless loop. I have tried every variation of uninstalling every version of it and only installing the 2026 version, also tried going back to 2025 and just running the update to get to the 2026 version and checking the box to remove old versions. 

I also tried going straight through the Default Apps and setting it that way. When I try to open the file the same menu (below) just keeps popping up.

[Celso_MC]

Why does Adobe launch a product that doesn't work? Why does Adobe launch new products when the previous ones are full of issues that were not dealt with in the first place? AI will be helpful on a product that already does its job, not one with issues that were not corrected. Adobe seems to forget that users should spend more time working, instead of searching for patches and corrections that allow them to respect their deadlines.

[Claire H.]

Hi @CMalwitz, welcome to the Photoshop community! Let's try a couple of things and see if it fixes the issue:
1. Clear old file associations in the registry: Delete the .webp key under: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts. Restart and reassign Photoshop 2026 as the default. https://adobe.ly/4oHdaRH
2. Clear your media cache: you can check out the different ways to clear your media cache here: https://adobe.ly/3K9s8kj

If neither of these steps resolves the issue, we can continue troubleshooting. I hope this helps! ^CH

[Casey M.]

Thank you for attempts. Neither of these worked.

[alang31]

Before I installed PS2026 on my Windows 11 PC, if I right-clicked on a RAW file from any of my cameras, I was offered 'Open with' PS 2025 as an edit option. Since my upgrade, I find that files from my older (DSLR) cameras, EOS 5Dm4 and 7Dm2 are being offered to 'open with' both PS 2025 and 2026. So far, so good. However, when I try to do the same with my newer mirrorless bodies (R5, R7 and R5m20, the option for PS 2026 is not given and I am offered only PS2025. These files can be opened to edit in 2026, but this is not being offered as an option when I right click on the file.

[AxelMatt]

Please see here: Cannot "Open With Photoshop 2026" - Adobe Product Community - 15575317

[alang31]

Thanks for the suggestions. Uninstalling PS 2025, leaving only PS 2026 for it to choose from seems to have done the trick

[CMalwitz]

I have tried this four times and it has not worked for me. Glad it did for you!

[nikunj.m]

We are sorry that didn't work for you!

You can try doing that using the Creative Cloud Cleaner tool once instead. Check out how to use the Creative Cloud Cleaner tool here: https://adobe.ly/4paLBQP

Let us know how it goes! 
Thanks,
Nikunj

[D Fosse]

@CMalwitz 

Have you tried to uninstall and reinstall 2026? That's what it usually takes. Uninstalling the older versions is precisely what causes the problem in the first place. Reinstalling the new version should establish the correct file associations again.

[CMalwitz]

Yes, I have tried that. Initially, I just did the update to get from 2025 to 2026. That's when it stopped working. Then someone said to make sure 2025 was uninstalled, so I did that. Still didn't work. Then I uninstalled literally everything and reinstalled. That didn't work. I tried every variation several times. The only way I can get it to work (both right-click "Open With" Photoshop and mapping it through Default Apps), is to only have Adobe 2025 (26.11.2) installed. I can't get 2026 to work at all. At this point, I'm hoping there's some bug fix down the road that will magically fix it.