Cannot set default JPG etc file associations to Photoshop 2024

Did you at any point earlier uninstall an old version with a newer version still in place? That's when file associations get stuck.

I came across this way back with CS2-CS3, and ever since I've followed strict version order both in and out. Last in, first out. Never had any problems since (although I usually have two versions installed, current and previous).

This is actually normal operation for Windows, and easy to avoid with one basic precaution:

 

The last installed version will always take over the file associations. Knowing that, it's easily avoided.

By @D Fosse 

The last installed version is Ps25.3.1, so this doesn't apply.

Ps 24.7 has kept the file associations, and the more recently installed 25.3.1 (later both in time and version number) has not taken them over, so this is not displaying default Windows behaviour as you suggest.

I'm well familiar with default Windows behaviour, over decades of experience, and am hardly an "unsuspecting" user, as the tone of your post seems to assume 🙂

This bug has existed in previous versions of Photoshop (and maybe other Adobe apps too) - the latest installation is simply not taking on the default file associations as it should, as the several other posts here seem to attest to, and no amount of manual resetting of associations seems to change it.

PS. Forum seems broken - I couldn't Reply to your post by clicking "Reply" under your post as this replies to my Original Post, and not to yours, and there is no way I can find to Quote your post, so had to do it manually.

[DELETE]

This is actually normal operation for Windows, and easy to avoid with one basic precaution:

The last installed version will always take over the file associations. Knowing that, it's easily avoided.

But yes, I agree that this is something the CC installer should take into account - and it doesn't. So unsuspecting users can be excused for tripping over this. There should be a warning (if not an automatic procedure) when installing over previously installed versions. For instance, just updating an older version will cause this to take over the file associations.

You did the correct thing to fix it. If you're in this jam, first uninstall the one holding the file associations. Then work backwards with other versions if necessary.

When that is done, reinstall in strict version order.