Inspiring

Answered

Photoshop 2023 not working with Default App in Windows Pro

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
October 23, 2022
12 replies
17502 views

When I double click on a .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, or a .png, I am asked to select an application. Photoshop is the top choice, but when I select it, it just repeats asking me to select an app. So I click on "More Apps:, and then "Look for mor eapps on this PC". I surf to the Photoshop directory and select the exe. But it still won't open the files. The only way to open these file types is to drag their icon to the open Photoshop window.

When I click on a .psd file, it opens in Photoshop with no problem.

After rebooting my laptop, the same problems remain. I tried using the Default App control panel to set the errant file types, but this didn't work either.

My laptop recently installed an upgrade to Windows Pro, specifically to 10.0.22621 Build 22621. Also, I think Adobe Creative Cloud updated Photoshop, specifically 24.0.0 which seems to be installed at C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop 2023

I hope someone has a solution. Thanks in advance.

Windows

Correct answer D Fosse

I think it's probably both. This is a problem that is a little more complex than it seems at first.

Only one version can be the default app for any given file type. The way it works, it's the last installed.

When you uninstall an application, it obviously needs to release any file associations. But Photoshop 2021 doesn't "know" that there's a Photoshop 2022 that came after it, it just says "Photoshop should no longer be the default for xxx".

I think the most practical way to solve this, at least on Adobe's end, is to modify the installer a bit, so that if you check "remove old versions", it will first uninstall what's there and then install the new one. That would avoid all problems.

It's important to emphasize this: as long as you follow strict version order both ways, you never get these problems. This happens when you uninstall older versions with a new one in place. When uninstalling, always start with the newest and work backwards. Then reinstall any newer version you want to keep.

I have actually posted bug reports about this, for many years. But no one seems to listen.

W

WassimJLS

Participating Frequently

After these years this bug is back again for me. Can't use any version starting from 2025. I am stuck with 2024.12 or older. The update simply breaks the file association, tried to reinstall, remove everything, install again, I also tried that registry change but for some reason there was nothing to change, it pointed to the correct path for the 2025 version. But when I choose open with from capture one and select photoshop 2025, a windows popup asks me to choose which application to open with. I select photoshop 2025. the file opens without any issue. Then again if I open another PSD, after confirming the association, windows asks me again which app would you like to use?
Reverted back to 2024.12 and all is working fine again.
By the way, even double clicking on a PSD file gives me that same popup when photoshop 2025 is installed, but no issues with 2024.

D Fosse

Community Expert

@WassimJLS

Uninstall and reinstall 2025.

The basic principle here is that the last installer activity, whatever it is, will claim the file associations. Observing this simple principle will avoid all problems.

If you made a modification to the registry, I would strongly advise that you undo that. It sounds like maybe that registry edit locked to a certain version.

Rob_Cullen

Community Expert

Every upgrade of Photoshop, I lose the 'Default App' for JPG files.

This is how I set Ps as default in Windows-11 (from Windows File Browser)-

And a similar procedure should work for .AI files.

1) Select JPG file, [Right-Click] > [Open with]

2) [Choose another app]

3) Scroll to bottom of List

4) Choose [More Apps...]

5) Scroll to bottom of next List

6) Choose- [Look for another app on this PC]

7) Check the box for [Always use this app to open .jpg files]

😎 In File Explorer: Locate and select {Photoshop.exe} in the {Adobe Photoshop 2023} (or latest version) folder. {C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop 2023}

9) And [OPEN]

Regards. My System: Windows-11, Lightroom-Classic 15.1.1, Photoshop 27.3.1, ACR 18.1.1, Lightroom 9.0, Lr-iOS 10.4.0, Bridge 16.0.2 .

jamiewisconsinAuthor

Inspiring

Finally got it working!!!!

After installing PD2024 I still had troubles. I could not get Photoshop to appear in the list of Default Apps in Win11. So went to regedit and looked over the settings. For Photoshop.exe, there was a file Default of teh type REG_SZ that had no value. Shell has two REG_SZ files, Default and FriendlyCAche. No value.

Next was "edit" folder which had a Default with no value. Inside that folder was a folder "command" which had another Default with value set to Photoshop.exe, no string pointing to the app.

Also under the shell folder is the folder "open", which had a Default file with no string value. And finally inside of teh "open" folder was also a folder "command" with a Default file that only had Photosop.exe.

After trial and error, reading other posts here on Adobe, I took the advice of "David_Draws" comments on another similer thread to this one. I deleted all strings from all folders and sub folders, then added the string to point to PS2024 to the Default file inside of Photoshop.exe\shell\open\command\

Next I rebooted and voila, I could now right click a jpg file and select to open with Photoshop, opening to PS2024. I tested ,gif, ,png, and .webp and set each one to PS2024. I am finally happy, at least until the next upgrade by Adobe. I don't know why this can't be easier on Adobe's part. I hate fiddling in the registry. I'm a graphic artist and web designer, not a OS IT lady and shouldn't have to waste time figuring this out. So thanks to all who suggested answers and suggested regedit.

I hope what I discribed here helps someone else.

M

Melanie339578198cn2

Participant

I can totally relate to the frustration you're experiencing with Photoshop 2023 on Windows Pro. It sounds like a perplexing issue, and I appreciate your detailed description of the problem.

One thing you might want to check is whether there have been any recent updates or changes to your Windows Pro system that could be affecting the default app associations. Sometimes, system updates or changes can lead to unexpected behavior in file associations.

Additionally, you might want to try resetting the default app settings for image files. In Windows 10 and 11, you can do this by going to Settings > Apps > Default apps. Scroll down and click on "Reset" under the "Reset to the Microsoft recommended defaults" section. This might help in resolving any conflicts or glitches in the default app settings.

If the issue persists, you could also consider uninstalling and reinstalling Photoshop 2023. This can sometimes address any corrupted files or configurations that might be causing the problem.

Have you checked the Adobe support forums or community for similar issues? It's possible that someone else has encountered and resolved a similar problem. Sharing your experience there could help you get insights from others who might have faced and overcome this issue.

I hope these suggestions prove helpful, and you can get Photoshop working seamlessly with your default app settings again. Let me know how it goes!!

R

Risa0101

Participating Frequently

I have this same problem, but for Illustrator .ai files. It was defaulting to the beta Illustrator app after the 2023 update, so I uninstalled that thinking that the 2023 Illustrator app would take its place after I restarted. However, that didn't work and I only have the option to look on Microsoft Store to find the app that I can use.

F

Foodlust.studio

Participant

Hello, I recently got a problem similar to yours. Speicifcally, I usually use lightroom to open into photoshop, it would open photoshop but not the file.
I tried opening the file manually as well but after camera raw it would just close again.

What I did was download a previous version of camera raw, I then used lightroom to open the file in photoshop again as to where it gave the option to render with lightroom, which worked great. If I chose to use camera raw though the problem would continue.

So, it isn't a full fix but I hope it helps.

D Fosse

Community Expert

This is a different issue from the one discussed here - but yes, it's a genuine bug somewhere in the latest release. There's a lot of similar posts all over the forum now. AFAIK it's been acknowledged, and I would expect a fix shortly.

In the meantime, use workarounds like the one you describe here.

M

marekc37609644

Participating Frequently

We may be not be all on the same page here.

Lightroom: Lightroom opens files. .lrcat is a Lightroom Classic (not Lightroom) file. Indeed, image files need to imported to LC to be opened. But we are really off on a tangent here.

Registering the executable and associating files are two different issues.

Editing the path to the executable in Window's registry will point the OS to the program you want to use. This will make PS2023 appear in the apps list and will make it available in the "Open with" menu. It will NOT change file associations. To illustrate: if you edit the registry as described in earlier posts and then right click on an image file and select the "Open with" option, PS2023 should offer itself as one of the available programs. But if you double click on the same file, it will either open in the old version of the PS, if you have not removed it, or possibly not at all, if you have. This is because file associations have not changed. You need to do it either in the registry (not recommended) or in the Windows settings. These are two different tasks. But you need to perform the first to accomplish the latter. (Otherwise you will not see PS2023 in the list of apps you can associate your image files with).

Now for the "remove the old version" option. It simply tells PS installer to keep or to remove the previous major version of PS. If you choose to keep the earlier version, the new release will be installed alongside the old one in a different location. If you chose not to keep the older version, you will have just the new one in its new location. The new release is not installed on top of the old one. The sequence uninstall/install (whatever it is) is irrelevant. There is no issue of computer hygene here.

Plug-ins: Sometimes you may have to reinstall your plug-ins (Topaz, Nik, etc.) afer a new major release. This is normal. This is because they need to be pointed to the new PS executable in its new location. The easiest way is to copy your old plug-in folders from the previous release to the equivalent locations in the new release directory tree.

D Fosse

Community Expert

Now for the "remove the old version" option. It simply tells PS installer to keep or to remove the previous major version of PS. If you choose to keep the earlier version, the new release will be installed alongside the old one in a different location. If you chose not to keep the older version, you will have just the new one in its new location. The new release is not installed on top of the old one. The sequence uninstall/install (whatever it is) is irrelevant. There is no issue of computer hygene here.

By @marekc37609644

We are indeed not on the same page. There's no need to repeat these perfectly obvious things. Yes, I've known all that for 20 years.

The point is that with every new Photoshop release, going back at least 12-15 years and probably longer, we get a large number of users here in the forum with broken file associations, and for many of them, the associations can't be easily restored. That's what actually happens. Yes, it happened to me too, many years ago.

What they all have in common, as far as I can tell, is that they have either checked "remove old versions", or uninstalled the old version after the new one is in place.

In the course of those 20 years, I have discovered that there is a way to avoid this problem, and that is to install in version order, and uninstall in reverse version order. Then it never happens. Just try it for yourself.

I never pretended to "explain" it. I can't pretend to understand the Windows registry.

S

Susan26927036vpyv

Participant

My wife is not computer savvy, allowed the photoshop 2023 upgrade. She is now missing the Canon plug ins she ysed to print with. They fiels are still in the Plug in folder for Photoshop 2022.

May try uninstalling Photoshop 2023.

M

marekc37609644

Participating Frequently

This looks like a bug in the PS2023 installation procedure. The procedure clearly does not write any values to the shell/open/command entry for Photoshop.exe in the Windows registry. By definition, if you have the older version of PS, the old values remain and "Open With" command will be pointing to the old executable. This has happened before to Adobe products. The problem lies with Adobe not with the OS.

If the values are not written to the registry, uninstalling the old version and installing only the new one will not help. (On my part I like to keep the old version for a while along with the new one, in case the new one turns out to be buggy).

If you have PS2022 and PS2023 installed, follow the solution suggested by user Baz-mo, ie open RegEdit, go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\Photoshop.exe\shell\, open any subfolders there (eg. "edit" and "open") and edit the string values, so that the path points to the executable in the PS2023 folder. This will replace PS2022 with PS2023 in the "Open with" menu. (You cannot have both PS2022 and PS2023 as "open with" programs as the path can point only to one executable by the same name, ie Photoshop.exe).

Now for Part 2. In Windows settings go to Default Apps, select "Choose defaults by file type" and replace PS2022 with PS2023 for any files which used to be opened with PS2022. There is quite a number.

This should do it, but no, there should be no need to go through such a rigmarole.

N

Nature Light

Inspiring

This does not work for me simply because after drilling all the way down in regedit as specified, there is no command containing PS2022. The only thing shown in both open and edit is: default REG_SZ (value not set)

M

marekc37609644

Participating Frequently

The key might have been deleted when you've uninstalled PS2022 or not written to the registry at all if you have only installed PS2023. You can enter it manually if you brave enough. (Key values for Photoshop.exe, shell, open and command, and string value for the path). Don't do it though if you not sure. I am sure Adobe will eventually rectify it.

michaelc22150954

Participant

I have exactly the same problem. Have unistalled, rebooted, reinstalled rebooted and still the same. Photoshop 2023 not evein in Apps > Default Apps

I can open photoshop 2023 itself and the open jpg etc but not by double clikcing im,age.

Whose fault is this Microsoft or Adobe? Someone needs to fix.

D Fosse

Correct answer

Community Expert

I think it's probably both. This is a problem that is a little more complex than it seems at first.

Only one version can be the default app for any given file type. The way it works, it's the last installed.

When you uninstall an application, it obviously needs to release any file associations. But Photoshop 2021 doesn't "know" that there's a Photoshop 2022 that came after it, it just says "Photoshop should no longer be the default for xxx".

I think the most practical way to solve this, at least on Adobe's end, is to modify the installer a bit, so that if you check "remove old versions", it will first uninstall what's there and then install the new one. That would avoid all problems.

It's important to emphasize this: as long as you follow strict version order both ways, you never get these problems. This happens when you uninstall older versions with a new one in place. When uninstalling, always start with the newest and work backwards. Then reinstall any newer version you want to keep.

I have actually posted bug reports about this, for many years. But no one seems to listen.

michaelc22150954

Participant

I took my life - or perhaps my computer in hand and edited the registry as suggested by a respondent, and changed the key to Photoshop 2023 from 2022 - rebooted and it now works. Thus is though risky not to mention daunting for the ordinary user - and I would class myself in that - we shpuld not need to go anywhere nwear the registry.

I reallt dont understand why Adobe or Microsoft have not resolved this - we pay them enough!

Chuck Uebele

Community Expert

first right click on the file you want to open to get this dialog and select "Choose another app."

Next scroll all with way down, make sure you click on "Always use this app...." Then click on look for another app on this PC."

Then navigate to the programs folder and find the version of PS in the adobe folder, and select the .exe file.

jamiewisconsinAuthor

Inspiring

That's the problem, there is no checkbox anymore. And I have used Choose Another App several times and then have to select it from the Applications folder. But it doesn't open.

-------------------

When I double click on an image file, it gives me this popup which is also missing the checkbox. It at least thinks Photoshop is a choice, but when I click on it, it just keeps repeating the same popup window.

---------------

When I open the Default Apps contrrol panel, I do not see Adobe Photoshop in the list, alphabeticallu under Adobe or under Photoshop.

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I'm thinking next I will uninstall Photoshop again, and install an earlier version. I'm thinking the registery keys are messed up or not doing what they should and that's above my pay grade.

D Fosse

Community Expert

I'm thinking next I will uninstall Photoshop again, and install an earlier version. I'm thinking the registery keys are messed up or not doing what they should and that's above my pay grade.

By @jamiewisconsin

Yes, that's what happens. It sounds like you got a really severe case, usually this is fairly straightforward to correct. Worst case uninstall/reinstall.

There is still a last resort: the CC cleaner tool. This will remove every trace of installed apps, including resetting the registry keys. It sounds like you may need that.

I've warned about this for many years. The underlying problem here is that the CC installer removes the previous version after the new one is installed. And so the outgoing version takes the file associations with it on the way out. And sometimes this can get really stuck, like here.

In the future (and for anyone else reading this) - don't check "remove old versions". Do it manually. If you don't want to keep the old version, uninstall it before installing the new. Or if you do it later, uninstall in strict version order, newest first, work backwards. Then reinstall the new version. That's always safe and avoids all problems.

jamiewisconsinAuthor

Inspiring

So I took my own advice, uninstalled Photoshop. Reinstalled it and rebooted the laptop. But the problem persists. Any other suggestions?

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