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I am using a certain file type (.QTZ) which I have successfully linked to an application. When I double click, the correct application starts. However, in Windows Explorer, it still says it is a "QTZ File".

How can I change that type description? I have found the "Default Programs" tab in the Control Panel, but it only lets me edit associations, not file types.

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21

  • Launch regedit.

    step1

  • In HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, find your extension (you just have to type .qtz). Example with .ods file:

    step2

  • Look for the Data of the (Default) value (in my case, opendocument.CalcDocument.1, but in yours, something related to your application), and find this name in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT again, by typing the first letters. Example with opendocument.CalcDocument.1:

    step3

  • Change the Data of the (Default) value to the description you want.

    step4

  • Close regedit.

To see your changes appear, you can either reboot, or change the default association of some file by choosing "Open with > Choose default program..." (I couldn't find the proper method). Here is the result:

result

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2
  • 2
    The (slightly) easier way to apply the changes is to kill the explorer.exe process using Task Manager, then File > Run new task and type explorer to reboot it. – ArtOfCode Aug 1 '16 at 17:29
  • I had the folder completely – Elazar Oct 18 '19 at 11:00
6

You can also use NirSoft's GUI-based FileTypesMan utility. It's available for both 32- and 64-bit systems.

  • Use Ctrl+F or Edit -> Find to find your file type
    • Searches by any field available. See the Edit File Type dialog below.
      • Include the . for faster extension searches, such as .script
  • Edit properties as desired.
  • Toggle advanced options as desired.
  • Click OK.

FileTypesMan Edit dialog

Pretty great, flexible, and very easy.

References

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1
  • That's good, but sadly you can't edit more than one file at a time. – Unknow0059 Jun 26 '20 at 12:25
2

The solution proposed by m4573r used to be the only way to do this up to Windows XP but doesn't always work in Windows 7 if file extensions are first associated with a program from Explorer (when using "Open with >").

In such cases you might have to navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts

and change the (Default) value directly under your file extension registry key.

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1

types.exe program. https://ystr.github.io/types/ open the prg, select the ext, type new name, type descriptor changes when you close prg.

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0

Comment on the answer above from Oct 18 '19 by user1103198 (not enough reputation to comment properly):

To make Types.EXE even more convenient, save this code as Types.REG and merge the file into the registry:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\*\shell\Type]
@="Edit file type"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\*\shell\Type\command]
@="\"C:\\Path\\Types\\Types.exe\" \"%1\""

Then open your Explorer context menu and follow the new item. (Tested on Win 8, not 7.)

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-2

All my video file types were "MediaPlayerClassic-HC" files, regardless of the extensions (mov, mp4, wmv etc...). To avoid this, you should associate the files directly in MPC-HC "View/Options/Formats" instead of using "Open With" and "Choose Default" in Windows Explorer.

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-2

After changes on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT , open task manager > processes, then select explorer.exe, end process button , go to applications tab, press new task button, write explorer.exe, and can see new filenames on type name.

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1
  • 1
    In which way is this better than accepted answer? – Toto May 25 '18 at 12:43

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