How Do I Change My Default Pdf Viewer In Chrome?
How is that Google Chrome tin make itself the default PDF viewer?
Ok, kickoff of all I DON'T WANT suggestions on how to change my default applications, I'k a very seasoned system administrator and I'k well aware of how to practice it.
Since Windows ten Merely allows me as a sys admin to fix a list of default awarding associations via an .xml file One Time at a computer login or a user login via GPO, HOW IN THE World DOES GOOGLE CHROME REPEATEDLY Go on Changing THE DEFAULT PDF VIEWER TO ITSELF FOR MY USERS????
I've been working on this for months at present and it is really piss poor that Microsoft does not allow sys admins command the default file associations to the degree they are doing information technology now. That would be FAR MORE SECURE than MS deciding that their stupid piss poor browser is the best options if a registry key that controls it is inverse. These types of controls might be fine for stupid habitation users, but not for business concern. If MS tin can't successfully permit for optimal functionality between both then perhaps they need to have ii lines of products one for business organisation where sys admins are immune to do their jobs and 1 for stupid home users.
I simply had some other user with this result today. They logged on to their computer, my GPO did its job set the default pdf viewer to Adobe Reader, the user opened/closed several pdf files no problem. A short time later goes to open a pdf file and it opens in CHROME!!!
I scrubbed through the registry on the computer and NOWHERE was in that location an association between chrome and pdf files, in fact it was quite the reverse every pdf file association and userchoice key was set to Adobe every bit it should exist. However in settings, apps, default apps, view apps by file types it listed chrome and all shortcuts to pdfs had a chrome icon and opened in chrome.
So evidently in that location is a serious FLAW in Microcraps plan to protect and keep a users default application file associations. So if anyone out at that place knows how chrome is doing this, when I tin't even get around it equally a sys admin, or can help set the root cause of this outcome, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks in advance!
Hello @CGMANI-7825,
I sympathise all right. In my example took some months (it was an educational entity, with hundreds of PCs) simply I hope this tin can serve every bit some example:
What the team establish was a legacy GPO was used to set either Adobe Read or Adobe Pro as the default PDF reader for the user based on security groups using the side by side registry primal: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts.pdf\UserChoice\Progid. A new Hash value in Windows 10 is also added to UserChoice key.
In a repro we found that either having no ProdID or a randomized ProdID, so opening a PDF with Chrome, Chrome would so exist the default PDF application. Basically your file association ProdID MUST match the Adobe version hash. If non it will revert.
Setting the file association to Adobe would then create the correct Hash value, so when accessing a PDF with Chrome, it would reload the default. So we disabled the GP applying the registry change, and have changed to using the Win10 supported method using Fix a default associations configuration file GP for our users.
We did also try with some policy with WMI filtering and as far I recollect there was some success in some deployments. I don't have exactly recorded the change documentation, but the related classes:
Awarding Name: Adobe Acrobat 2017
ProgID: Acrobat.Certificate.2017
WMI Filter: select from cim_datafile where (Proper name = "C:\\Plan Files (x86)\\Adobe\\Acrobat 2017\\Acrobat\\Acrobat.exe" or Name = "C:\\Program )
Awarding Name: Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
ProgID: AcroExch.Certificate.DC
WMI Filter: select * from cim_datafile where (Name = "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Adobe\\Acrobat Reader DC\\Reader\\AcroRd32.exe" or Name = "C:\\Programme Files\\Adobe\\Acrobat Reader DC\\Reader\\AcroRd32.exe")
Application Name: Adobe Acrobat DC
ProgID: Acrobat.Document.DC
WMI Filter: select * from cim_datafile where (Proper noun = "C:\\Program Files\\Acrobat\\acrobat.exe" or Name = "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Acrobat\\acrobat.exe")
Application Proper noun: Adobe Acrobat Ten
ProgID: AcroExch.Certificate
WMI Filter: select * from cim_datafile where (Proper name = "c:\\Program Files\\Adobe\\Acrobat x.0\\Acrobat\\Acrobat.exe" or Proper name = "c:\\Program Files (x86)\\Adobe\\Acrobat 10.0\\Acrobat\\Acrobat.exe")
Application Proper name: Adobe Acrobat XI
ProgID: Acrobat.Document.eleven
WMI Filter: select * from cim_datafile where (Name = "C:\\Programme Files\\Adobe\\Acrobat 11.0\\Acrobat\\Acrobat.exe" or Name = "C:\\Plan Files (x86)\\Adobe\\Acrobat 11.0\\Acrobat\\Acrobat.exe")
Hope this helps with your effect,
--If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept equally answer--
Hi.
This issue just came up for me today out of the blue. Everything was fine before with Adobe being the default PDF viewer, and then suddenly all my PDF files have the Chrome icon beside it. In my Outlook, all PDF attachments that people sent me also bear witness the Chrome icon.
I checked and Adobe is fix as my default app to open PDF files, then I was really confused.
I am NOT an Information technology person but I googled to discover various possible fixes and I tried a couple with no success. The conversation here is mode over my caput only since I'm drastic to restore "guild", I kept reading. Anyway, I found a simple prepare and information technology actually worked. I forget who to credit but I plant information technology somewhere online, then thanks to that person.
Basically, I went to a file on my figurer (which has the Chrome icon abreast it). I correct-clicked on it and selected "Open with". At this point, I was thinking, "Yes, yeah, I tried this already". But I read this particular instruction more closely from the webpage I was on, and it said to select "Cull another app". I did that, and Adobe was already selected. BUT THE KEY Flim-flam IS TO CHECK OFF: "Ever apply this app to open up .pdf files".
I thought, "Can it be this uncomplicated?" I tried something like this already but not this bodily last stride, and sure enough, normalcy was restored! All my PDF files are at present showing the Adobe icon beside it, along with the attachments in my Outlook inbox that are supposed to show Adobe.
Because I had problem finding this simple fix, I thought I would mention what worked for me here, to help my beau net users who may be pulling their hair out.
Cheers Andrew. Followed your lead and what was once inexplainable turned out to be a simple set. Thanks and so much for sharing this.
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Thank you then much, Andrew! That fixed my issue. It was really annoying!
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Andrew,
We are aware of this, and it is our electric current best option for resolving the issue. However, information technology has not been a 100% solution. We have had several dozen echo bug afterward doing this method, So we are still looking for the silver bullet on this one. What I'thousand really trying to empathise though is how Chrome is able to insert itself equally the default pdf viewer in the kickoff identify. Supposedly Microcrap has put measures in place to just allow the user to select the default apps, and us equally admins can fix them merely Once at initial login, and if it is done whatever other way Microcrap volition revert it to their crappy browser as the default pdf viewer. Withal in this case they are not able to practise it for some reason, Chrome inserts itself and Microcrap leaves information technology solitary, Why?????? How?????? Oh, aye, it is a Microcrap solution!!!
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The "Gear up as Default" is not the solution unfortunately.
CGMANI,
I'k seeing the aforementioned affair with a single user. I have no PDF GPO'southward setup in the domain.
I've narrowed this downward to when the user Uploads a PDF thru a website in Chrome. Chrome so assumes control. I don't know if MS Edge does the same thing (I'll have her test it on her next upload).
Check to come across if you user is doing the same matter.
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Give thanks yous. That'due south brilliant. Worked for m
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Cheers then much for a straightforward and quick solution to this issue. I didn't actually experience like earthworks around using the admin tools and the context setting that you have indicated hither worked like a champ for me. Non that it works for everyone of form; it is likely that the GPO solution is the more solid 1. I was lucky in that this worked and thanks for posting it. Man was it annoying the heck out of me. I am fed upwards, as I am sure anybody else is, with applications hijacking these settings in users' profiles.
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Bear witness more comments
IT admin hither. In the final few weeks, I've had this issue spreading beyond my entire ecosystem. I've been setting the default app associations via the local GPO for years to indicate to an XML file stored on a share on my file server, and have had zero issues. At present, out of the bluish, Chrome is taking over user PC'south slowly but surely. The fix, weirdly enough, has been to disable the GPO. That'southward not a long-term solution however, as I want Chrome to be the forced default browser, and Microsoft seems to love pushing Edge out as the default when doing Win10 version updates.
All PC's are running Reader DC
Here'due south my XML file, stored on a hidden share of the file server, permissions fix for it to exist Read-Only by everyone company wide:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-eight"?>
<DefaultAssociations>
<Association Identifier=".3g2" ProgId="VLC.3g2" ApplicationName="VLC media actor" />
<Association Identifier=".3gp" ProgId="VLC.3gp" ApplicationName="VLC media role player" />
<Association Identifier=".3gp2" ProgId="VLC.3gp2" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier=".3gpp" ProgId="VLC.3gpp" ApplicationName="VLC media actor" />
<Association Identifier=".aac" ProgId="VLC.aac" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".acrobatsecuritysettings" ProgId="Applications\AcroRd32.exe" ApplicationName="Adobe Acrobat Reader DC" />
<Association Identifier=".adts" ProgId="VLC.adts" ApplicationName="VLC media actor" />
<Association Identifier=".aif" ProgId="VLC.aif" ApplicationName="VLC media role player" />
<Association Identifier=".aifc" ProgId="VLC.aifc" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier=".aiff" ProgId="VLC.aiff" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".amr" ProgId="VLC.amr" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".arw" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".asf" ProgId="VLC.asf" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".asx" ProgId="VLC.asx" ApplicationName="VLC media role player" />
<Association Identifier=".au" ProgId="VLC.au" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier=".avi" ProgId="VLC.avi" ApplicationName="VLC media histrion" />
<Clan Identifier=".bmp" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".cda" ProgId="VLC.cda" ApplicationName="VLC media actor" />
<Association Identifier=".cr2" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".crw" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".dib" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".erf" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".flac" ProgId="VLC.flac" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".gif" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".htm" ProgId="ChromeHTML" ApplicationName="Google Chrome" />
<Clan Identifier=".html" ProgId="ChromeHTML" ApplicationName="Google Chrome" />
<Association Identifier=".inf" ProgId="inffile" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Association Identifier=".ini" ProgId="inifile" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Association Identifier=".jfif" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Clan Identifier=".jpe" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".jpeg" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".jpg" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".jxr" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".kdc" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".log" ProgId="txtfile" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Association Identifier=".m1v" ProgId="VLC.m1v" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".m2t" ProgId="VLC.m2t" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier=".m2ts" ProgId="VLC.m2ts" ApplicationName="VLC media role player" />
<Association Identifier=".m3u" ProgId="VLC.m3u" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".m4a" ProgId="VLC.m4a" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".m4p" ProgId="VLC.m4p" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier=".m4v" ProgId="VLC.m4v" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".mid" ProgId="VLC.mid" ApplicationName="VLC media actor" />
<Association Identifier=".mka" ProgId="VLC.mka" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".mkv" ProgId="VLC.mkv" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".mov" ProgId="VLC.mov" ApplicationName="VLC media thespian" />
<Association Identifier=".MP2" ProgId="VLC.mp2" ApplicationName="VLC media role player" />
<Association Identifier=".mp2v" ProgId="VLC.mp2v" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier=".mp3" ProgId="VLC.mp3" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".mp4" ProgId="VLC.mp4" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier=".mp4v" ProgId="VLC.mp4v" ApplicationName="VLC media histrion" />
<Clan Identifier=".mpa" ProgId="VLC.mpa" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".MPE" ProgId="VLC.mpe" ApplicationName="VLC media histrion" />
<Association Identifier=".mpeg" ProgId="VLC.mpeg" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".mpg" ProgId="VLC.mpg" ApplicationName="VLC media actor" />
<Association Identifier=".mpv2" ProgId="VLC.mpv2" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier=".mrw" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Clan Identifier=".mts" ProgId="VLC.mts" ApplicationName="VLC media thespian" />
<Clan Identifier=".nef" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".nrw" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".orf" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".pdf" ProgId="AcroExch.Document.DC" ApplicationName="Adobe Acrobat Reader DC" />
<Association Identifier=".pdfxml" ProgId="Applications\AcroRd32.exe" ApplicationName="Adobe Acrobat Reader DC" />
<Clan Identifier=".pef" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Clan Identifier=".png" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Clan Identifier=".ps1" ProgId="Microsoft.PowerShellScript.1" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Association Identifier=".psd1" ProgId="Microsoft.PowerShellData.1" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Clan Identifier=".psm1" ProgId="Microsoft.PowerShellModule.1" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Association Identifier=".ra" ProgId="VLC.ra" ApplicationName="VLC media actor" />
<Clan Identifier=".raf" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".ram" ProgId="VLC.ram" ApplicationName="VLC media role player" />
<Association Identifier=".raw" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".rmi" ProgId="VLC.rmi" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".rw2" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".rwl" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".s3m" ProgId="VLC.s3m" ApplicationName="VLC media histrion" />
<Association Identifier=".scp" ProgId="txtfile" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Association Identifier=".snd" ProgId="VLC.snd" ApplicationName="VLC media actor" />
<Clan Identifier=".sr2" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Clan Identifier=".srw" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Clan Identifier=".tif" ProgId="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff" ApplicationName="Windows Photo Viewer" />
<Clan Identifier=".tiff" ProgId="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff" ApplicationName="Windows Photograph Viewer" />
<Association Identifier=".TS" ProgId="VLC.ts" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier=".TTS" ProgId="VLC.tts" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".txt" ProgId="txtfile" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Association Identifier=".url" ProgId="IE.AssocFile.URL" ApplicationName="Net Browser" />
<Clan Identifier=".vlt" ProgId="VLC.vlt" ApplicationName="VLC media role player" />
<Association Identifier=".voc" ProgId="VLC.voc" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".wav" ProgId="VLC.wav" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".wdp" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".website" ProgId="IE.AssocFile.WEBSITE" ApplicationName="Cyberspace Explorer" />
<Association Identifier=".wma" ProgId="VLC.wma" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".wmv" ProgId="VLC.wmv" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier=".WPL" ProgId="VLC.wpl" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".wsz" ProgId="VLC.wsz" ApplicationName="VLC media actor" />
<Association Identifier=".wtx" ProgId="txtfile" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Clan Identifier=".wvx" ProgId="VLC.wvx" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier=".xht" ProgId="xhtmlfile" ApplicationName="Net Explorer" />
<Association Identifier=".xhtml" ProgId="xhtmlfile" ApplicationName="Internet Explorer" />
<Association Identifier=".xm" ProgId="VLC.xm" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".zpl" ProgId="VLC.zpl" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier="bingmaps" ProgId="AppXp9gkwccvk6fa6yyfq3tmsk8ws2nprk1p" ApplicationName="Maps" />
<Clan Identifier="http" ProgId="ChromeHTML" ApplicationName="Google Chrome" />
<Association Identifier="https" ProgId="ChromeHTML" ApplicationName="Google Chrome" />
<Association Identifier="microsoft-edge" ProgId="AppX7rm9drdg8sk7vqndwj3sdjw11x96jc0y" ApplicationName="Microsoft Border" />
<Clan Identifier="microsoft-edge-holographic" ProgId="AppX3xxs313wwkfjhythsb8q46xdsq8d2cvv" ApplicationName="Microsoft Edge" />
<Clan Identifier="ms-xbl-3d8b930f" ProgId="AppXdn5b0j699ka5fqvrr3pgjad0evqarm6d" ApplicationName="Microsoft Edge" />
</DefaultAssociations>
The ProgID looks correct, and I've been smacking my head around for weeks on this. I'll accept any insight at this point.
Establish the outcome solution on my stop, peculiarly if you're using the GPO to ready the default applications. Modify this in your definition file
<Association Identifier=".pdf" ProgId="Acrobat.Document.DC" ApplicationName="Adobe Acrobat Reader DC" />
The new ProgId changed with the most recent Adobe Reader update, they evidently no longer fork betwixt Adobe Reader and the full version of Adobe Acrobat, both have the same ProgId.
So, if that is the case, what if you have both the total version and reader in your environment, do you think the applicationname will be enough to distinguish them?
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I can't requite you any insight into that, unfortunately. Don't run Acrobat in my organization, only Reader. What I can tell you is what finally clued me in to the issue:
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On test machine/VM, install Acrobat and Reader. Disable the GPO for application associations existence set by XML file, and so that the machine is just looking at it's own config. All-time to reboot or do a gpupdate /strength just to be sure after disabling the GPO.
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FULLY UPDATE BOTH. What screwed me upwardly initially is that I was doing an install using the Reader offline installer. It initially installed a version of Reader with the sometime ProgId. I had to go into Reader, tell it to manually update, then permit that fully complete. I'thou bold the process is the aforementioned in Acrobat.
-
Prepare your PDF's to open by default with Acrobat, then run this in an elevated Control prompt: Dism /Online /Export-DefaultAppAssociations:"F:\AppAssociations.xml" (change F:\AppAssociations.xml to wherever you desire the exported file to save to)
-
Prepare PDF's by default to open up with Reader, and run the aforementioned command. Look at both lines that refer to PDF's, and note any differences exist in either the ProgId or ApplicationName.
Good luck sir/madam
Edit: Only reason I constitute out information technology was the same Id was because of this page: https://world wide web.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AdminGuide/pdfviewer.html However, keep in heed information technology is lying to you, that ProgId for Reader has 100% changed.
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Source: https://docs.microsoft.com/answers/questions/565723/how-is-that-google-chrome-can-make-itself-the-defa.html
Posted by: kingtordese.blogspot.com
LT2700,
Thanks for the information. This sounds promising. I'll dig into a fleck and post dorsum if I find anything to line up in my surround.
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