When it comes to using your Mac, default programs play a crucial role in determining which applications open by default for certain file types. While Mac has its pre-set defaults, sometimes you may want to change them to better suit your preferences and workflow. In this step-by-step guide, we will walk you through the process of changing default programs on your Mac.

Step 1: Open System Preferences

To begin, click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select “System Preferences” from the drop-down menu. This will open the System Preferences window, where you can customize various settings on your Mac.

Step 2: Choose the Desired Default Program

In the System Preferences window, locate and click on the “General” icon. This will open the General preferences pane, where you can modify several settings related to your Mac’s overall behavior. Look for the “Default web browser” and “Default email reader” options and click on the respective drop-down menus to choose the desired default programs for these functions.

Step 3: Customize Other Default Programs

Depending on your needs, you may want to change default programs for other file types as well, such as image viewers, document editors, or media players. To do this, navigate to the specific file you want to associate with a different program, right-click on it, and select “Get Info” from the context menu. In the Info window, locate the “Open with” section and select the desired default program from the drop-down menu. You can also click on the “Change All…” button to apply the change to all similar files.

By following these simple steps, you can easily customize the default programs on your Mac, ensuring that your preferred applications open automatically for specific file types. This will help streamline your workflow and enhance your overall experience with your Mac.

Find Your Applications Folder

Before you can change the default programs on your Mac, you need to locate your Applications folder. This folder contains all the installed applications on your computer.

Here’s how you can find your Applications folder:

1. Click on the “Finder” icon located in the dock at the bottom of your screen. The Finder window will open.
2. In the Finder window, you will find a list of different locations on the left-hand side. Look for and click on the “Applications” option.
3. Once you click on “Applications,” the contents of the folder will appear in the main section of the Finder window. This is where you will find all of your installed applications.

Alternatively, you can also access the Applications folder by using the keyboard shortcut “Command + Shift + A” while you are on the desktop or in any Finder window.

Once you have located your Applications folder, you can proceed to change the default programs on your Mac.

Locate the File Type

Before you can change the default program for a specific file type on your Mac, you need to first locate the file type in question. This will help you identify the file extensions associated with that particular file type.

To locate the file type:

1. Open a Finder window by clicking on the Finder icon in the dock.
2. Navigate to the folder or location where the file of the desired type is saved.
3. Locate the file with the file extension you want to change the default program for.
4. Right-click on the file to open a contextual menu.
5. In the contextual menu, hover over the “Open With” option. A sub-menu will appear.
6. In the sub-menu, you will see a list of suggested default programs that can open the file type. The program currently set as the default will have a checkmark next to it.

By locating the file type and identifying its associated file extensions, you will be better equipped to proceed with changing the default program for that file type on your Mac.

Assign a New Default Program

1. Right-click the file you want to change the default program for and select “Get Info”.

2. In the Info window that appears, find the section labeled “Open with” and click on the arrow to expand it.

3. Click on the drop-down menu next to “Open with” to view a list of available programs.

4. Select the program you want to set as the new default.

5. Click the “Change All” button to apply the new default program to all files of the same type.

6. Close the Info window.

7. Repeat these steps for any other file types you want to change the default program for.

Now, whenever you double-click on a file of the specified type, it will open with the newly assigned default program.

If you ever want to revert back to the previous default program, simply follow the same steps and choose the original program, or click the “Use… as default” option in the Info window.

What if the program I want to set as the default is not listed?

If the program you want to set as the default is not listed in the “Open with” menu, you can click on the “Other” option. This will allow you to browse your computer to find the desired program. Simply navigate to the location where the program is installed, select it, and click on “Add” to add it to the list of available programs. Once added, you can select it as the default program for the file type you are working with.

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