How To Set Chrome As Default Pdf Viewer Windows 10
How is that Google Chrome can brand itself the default PDF viewer?
Ok, first of all I DON'T WANT suggestions on how to change my default applications, I'm a very seasoned system administrator and I'm well aware of how to do it.
Since Windows 10 ONLY allows me as a sys admin to set a list of default application associations via an .xml file Once at a computer login or a user login via GPO, HOW IN THE Earth DOES GOOGLE CHROME REPEATEDLY Go on CHANGING THE DEFAULT PDF VIEWER TO ITSELF FOR MY USERS????
I've been working on this for months now and it is really piss poor that Microsoft does not permit sys admins command the default file associations to the caste they are doing it at present. That would be FAR More SECURE than MS deciding that their stupid piss poor browser is the best options if a registry central that controls it is changed. These types of controls might be fine for stupid home users, just non for business organisation. If MS can't successfully allow for optimal functionality betwixt both then mayhap they demand to accept 2 lines of products ane for business where sys admins are immune to practise their jobs and 1 for stupid abode users.
I just had another user with this issue 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 up a pdf file and it opens in CHROME!!!
I scrubbed through the registry on the reckoner and NOWHERE was there an association betwixt chrome and pdf files, in fact it was quite the contrary every pdf file association and userchoice fundamental was set to Adobe as 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 obviously in that location is a serious FLAW in Microcraps plan to protect and proceed a users default application file associations. So if anyone out at that place knows how chrome is doing this, when I can't even get around it as a sys admin, or can help set up the root cause of this issue, I would greatly appreciate information technology.
Cheers in advance!
Hello @CGMANI-7825,
I empathize all correct. In my case took some months (information technology was an educational entity, with hundreds of PCs) but I hope this tin serve every bit some case:
What the team found was a legacy GPO was used to prepare either Adobe Read or Adobe Pro as the default PDF reader for the user based on security groups using the side by side registry fundamental: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts.pdf\UserChoice\Progid. A new Hash value in Windows ten is also added to UserChoice key.
In a repro we found that either having no ProdID or a randomized ProdID, then opening a PDF with Chrome, Chrome would and so be the default PDF application. Basically your file clan ProdID MUST lucifer the Adobe version hash. If not it will revert.
Setting the file clan to Adobe would so create the correct Hash value, then when accessing a PDF with Chrome, information technology would reload the default. Then we disabled the GP applying the registry change, and have changed to using the Win10 supported method using Set a default associations configuration file GP for our users.
We did also attempt with some policy with WMI filtering and as far I remember there was some success in some deployments. I don't have exactly recorded the change documentation, simply the related classes:
Application Name: Adobe Acrobat 2017
ProgID: Acrobat.Document.2017
WMI Filter: select from cim_datafile where (Proper noun = "C:\\Programme Files (x86)\\Adobe\\Acrobat 2017\\Acrobat\\Acrobat.exe" or Name = "C:\\Program )
Application Proper 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:\\Plan Files\\Adobe\\Acrobat Reader DC\\Reader\\AcroRd32.exe")
Application Name: Adobe Acrobat DC
ProgID: Acrobat.Document.DC
WMI Filter: select * from cim_datafile where (Name = "C:\\Programme Files\\Acrobat\\acrobat.exe" or Name = "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Acrobat\\acrobat.exe")
Application Name: Adobe Acrobat X
ProgID: AcroExch.Document
WMI Filter: select * from cim_datafile where (Name = "c:\\Program Files\\Adobe\\Acrobat ten.0\\Acrobat\\Acrobat.exe" or Name = "c:\\Programme Files (x86)\\Adobe\\Acrobat 10.0\\Acrobat\\Acrobat.exe")
Awarding Name: Adobe Acrobat 11
ProgID: Acrobat.Document.xi
WMI Filter: select * from cim_datafile where (Name = "C:\\Programme Files\\Adobe\\Acrobat 11.0\\Acrobat\\Acrobat.exe" or Name = "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Adobe\\Acrobat 11.0\\Acrobat\\Acrobat.exe")
Hope this helps with your outcome,
--If the answer is helpful, please Upvote and Have as answer--
Hello.
This issue just came up for me today out of the blueish. Everything was fine before with Adobe beingness the default PDF viewer, then suddenly all my PDF files take the Chrome icon beside it. In my Outlook, all PDF attachments that people sent me also prove the Chrome icon.
I checked and Adobe is set every bit my default app to open PDF files, so I was really confused.
I am NOT an IT person but I googled to find various possible fixes and I tried a couple with no success. The chat here is way over my head but since I'm desperate to restore "order", I kept reading. Anyway, I plant a simple fix and it actually worked. I forget who to credit just I found it somewhere online, so thank you to that person.
Basically, I went to a file on my computer (which has the Chrome icon beside it). I right-clicked on information technology and selected "Open with". At this point, I was thinking, "Yeah, yeah, I tried this already". But I read this item pedagogy more closely from the webpage I was on, and information technology said to select "Choose some other app". I did that, and Adobe was already selected. Only THE Primal Fox IS TO CHECK OFF: "Ever utilise this app to open .pdf files".
I thought, "Can it exist this simple?" I tried something similar this already but not this actual last step, and sure enough, normalcy was restored! All my PDF files are now showing the Adobe icon beside it, along with the attachments in my Outlook inbox that are supposed to prove Adobe.
Because I had trouble finding this simple fix, I thought I would mention what worked for me here, to assistance my boyfriend net users who may exist pulling their hair out.
Thank you Andrew. Followed your lead and what was in one case inexplainable turned out to be a simple fix. Thank you and so much for sharing this.
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Cheers so much, Andrew! That fixed my issue. It was actually abrasive!
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Andrew,
We are enlightened of this, and it is our current best choice for resolving the effect. However, it has not been a 100% solution. We have had several dozen repeat bug after doing this method, So we are notwithstanding looking for the silver bullet on this 1. What I'1000 really trying to understand though is how Chrome is able to insert itself every bit the default pdf viewer in the kickoff place. Supposedly Microcrap has put measures in place to only allow the user to select the default apps, and usa as admins can prepare them just ONCE at initial login, and if it is done whatsoever other mode Microcrap volition revert it to their crappy browser equally the default pdf viewer. However in this instance they are not able to do it for some reason, Chrome inserts itself and Microcrap leaves information technology lonely, Why?????? How?????? Oh, yeah, it is a Microcrap solution!!!
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The "Set as Default" is not the solution unfortunately.
CGMANI,
I'yard seeing the same matter with a unmarried user. I accept no PDF GPO's setup in the domain.
I've narrowed this down 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 aforementioned thing (I'll accept her exam information technology on her next upload).
Bank check to see if you user is doing the aforementioned thing.
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Thank you. That's vivid. Worked for m
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Thank you so much for a straightforward and quick solution to this issue. I didn't actually feel like digging around using the admin tools and the context setting that you have indicated here worked similar a champ for me. Not that it works for everyone of course; it is likely that the GPO solution is the more solid ane. I was lucky in that this worked and thank you for posting it. Man was it abrasive the heck out of me. I am fed upward, as I am sure everyone else is, with applications hijacking these settings in users' profiles.
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IT admin here. In the last few weeks, I've had this issue spreading across my entire ecosystem. I've been setting the default app associations via the local GPO for years to point to an XML file stored on a share on my file server, and accept had naught issues. At present, out of the blue, Chrome is taking over user PC's slowly but surely. The ready, weirdly enough, has been to disable the GPO. That's not a long-term solution nonetheless, every bit I desire Chrome to be the forced default browser, and Microsoft seems to beloved pushing Edge out as the default when doing Win10 version updates.
All PC'southward are running Reader DC
Here'south my XML file, stored on a hidden share of the file server, permissions set for it to be Read-Only past anybody company wide:
<?xml version="ane.0" encoding="UTF-viii"?>
<DefaultAssociations>
<Clan Identifier=".3g2" ProgId="VLC.3g2" ApplicationName="VLC media actor" />
<Association Identifier=".3gp" ProgId="VLC.3gp" ApplicationName="VLC media thespian" />
<Clan Identifier=".3gp2" ProgId="VLC.3gp2" ApplicationName="VLC media actor" />
<Association Identifier=".3gpp" ProgId="VLC.3gpp" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".aac" ProgId="VLC.aac" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".acrobatsecuritysettings" ProgId="Applications\AcroRd32.exe" ApplicationName="Adobe Acrobat Reader DC" />
<Clan Identifier=".adts" ProgId="VLC.adts" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".aif" ProgId="VLC.aif" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".aifc" ProgId="VLC.aifc" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".aiff" ProgId="VLC.aiff" ApplicationName="VLC media role player" />
<Association Identifier=".amr" ProgId="VLC.amr" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier=".arw" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".asf" ProgId="VLC.asf" ApplicationName="VLC media histrion" />
<Association Identifier=".asx" ProgId="VLC.asx" ApplicationName="VLC media thespian" />
<Association Identifier=".au" ProgId="VLC.au" ApplicationName="VLC media actor" />
<Association Identifier=".avi" ProgId="VLC.avi" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".bmp" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".cda" ProgId="VLC.cda" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<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" />
<Clan Identifier=".gif" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".htm" ProgId="ChromeHTML" ApplicationName="Google Chrome" />
<Association Identifier=".html" ProgId="ChromeHTML" ApplicationName="Google Chrome" />
<Association Identifier=".inf" ProgId="inffile" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Clan Identifier=".ini" ProgId="inifile" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Clan Identifier=".jfif" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".jpe" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".jpeg" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Clan 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" />
<Clan Identifier=".m1v" ProgId="VLC.m1v" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".m2t" ProgId="VLC.m2t" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".m2ts" ProgId="VLC.m2ts" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".m3u" ProgId="VLC.m3u" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".m4a" ProgId="VLC.m4a" ApplicationName="VLC media role player" />
<Association Identifier=".m4p" ProgId="VLC.m4p" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".m4v" ProgId="VLC.m4v" ApplicationName="VLC media histrion" />
<Association Identifier=".mid" ProgId="VLC.mid" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<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 actor" />
<Clan Identifier=".MP2" ProgId="VLC.mp2" ApplicationName="VLC media thespian" />
<Clan Identifier=".mp2v" ProgId="VLC.mp2v" ApplicationName="VLC media role player" />
<Association Identifier=".mp3" ProgId="VLC.mp3" ApplicationName="VLC media thespian" />
<Association Identifier=".mp4" ProgId="VLC.mp4" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".mp4v" ProgId="VLC.mp4v" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<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" />
<Clan Identifier=".mpg" ProgId="VLC.mpg" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".mpv2" ProgId="VLC.mpv2" ApplicationName="VLC media role player" />
<Clan Identifier=".mrw" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".mts" ProgId="VLC.mts" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".nef" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".nrw" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".orf" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Clan Identifier=".pdf" ProgId="AcroExch.Document.DC" ApplicationName="Adobe Acrobat Reader DC" />
<Clan Identifier=".pdfxml" ProgId="Applications\AcroRd32.exe" ApplicationName="Adobe Acrobat Reader DC" />
<Association Identifier=".pef" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".png" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".ps1" ProgId="Microsoft.PowerShellScript.1" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Association Identifier=".psd1" ProgId="Microsoft.PowerShellData.ane" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Clan Identifier=".psm1" ProgId="Microsoft.PowerShellModule.one" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Association Identifier=".ra" ProgId="VLC.ra" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".raf" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".ram" ProgId="VLC.ram" ApplicationName="VLC media actor" />
<Association Identifier=".raw" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".rmi" ProgId="VLC.rmi" ApplicationName="VLC media actor" />
<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 player" />
<Clan Identifier=".sr2" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association 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 Photo Viewer" />
<Association Identifier=".TS" ProgId="VLC.ts" ApplicationName="VLC media role player" />
<Clan Identifier=".TTS" ProgId="VLC.tts" ApplicationName="VLC media role player" />
<Association Identifier=".txt" ProgId="txtfile" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Association Identifier=".url" ProgId="IE.AssocFile.URL" ApplicationName="Internet Browser" />
<Association Identifier=".vlt" ProgId="VLC.vlt" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".voc" ProgId="VLC.voc" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".wav" ProgId="VLC.wav" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier=".wdp" ProgId="AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc" ApplicationName="Photos" />
<Association Identifier=".website" ProgId="IE.AssocFile.WEBSITE" ApplicationName="Internet Explorer" />
<Clan Identifier=".wma" ProgId="VLC.wma" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier=".wmv" ProgId="VLC.wmv" ApplicationName="VLC media histrion" />
<Association Identifier=".WPL" ProgId="VLC.wpl" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".wsz" ProgId="VLC.wsz" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Association Identifier=".wtx" ProgId="txtfile" ApplicationName="Notepad" />
<Clan Identifier=".wvx" ProgId="VLC.wvx" ApplicationName="VLC media thespian" />
<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" />
<Clan Identifier=".zpl" ProgId="VLC.zpl" ApplicationName="VLC media player" />
<Clan Identifier="bingmaps" ProgId="AppXp9gkwccvk6fa6yyfq3tmsk8ws2nprk1p" ApplicationName="Maps" />
<Association Identifier="http" ProgId="ChromeHTML" ApplicationName="Google Chrome" />
<Association Identifier="https" ProgId="ChromeHTML" ApplicationName="Google Chrome" />
<Association Identifier="microsoft-edge" ProgId="AppX7rm9drdg8sk7vqndwj3sdjw11x96jc0y" ApplicationName="Microsoft Edge" />
<Association Identifier="microsoft-edge-holographic" ProgId="AppX3xxs313wwkfjhythsb8q46xdsq8d2cvv" ApplicationName="Microsoft Border" />
<Association 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 take whatever insight at this point.
Plant the issue solution on my terminate, especially if you're using the GPO to gear up the default applications. Change this in your definition file
<Clan Identifier=".pdf" ProgId="Acrobat.Certificate.DC" ApplicationName="Adobe Acrobat Reader DC" />
The new ProgId inverse with the most contempo Adobe Reader update, they obviously no longer fork between 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 full version and reader in your surround, do you call back the applicationname will be enough to distinguish them?
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I tin can't give you any insight into that, unfortunately. Don't run Acrobat in my organization, only Reader. What I tin tell y'all is what finally clued me in to the issue:
-
On test car/VM, install Acrobat and Reader. Disable the GPO for awarding associations being set by XML file, then that the machine is only looking at information technology'due south own config. All-time to reboot or do a gpupdate /force just to be sure afterwards disabling the GPO.
-
FULLY UPDATE BOTH. What screwed me up initially is that I was doing an install using the Reader offline installer. It initially installed a version of Reader with the old ProgId. I had to go into Reader, tell information technology to manually update, and so let that fully complete. I'm assuming the process is the same in Acrobat.
-
Set your PDF'south to open past default with Acrobat, then run this in an elevated Command prompt: Dism /Online /Export-DefaultAppAssociations:"F:\AppAssociations.xml" (change F:\AppAssociations.xml to wherever you want the exported file to relieve to)
-
Ready PDF's by default to open with Reader, and run the aforementioned command. Look at both lines that refer to PDF'due south, and notation any differences exist in either the ProgId or ApplicationName.
Skilful luck sir/madam
Edit: Only reason I found out it was the aforementioned Id was because of this page: https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AdminGuide/pdfviewer.html Nevertheless, continue in mind it 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: thompsonprien1967.blogspot.com
LT2700,
Thanks for the information. This sounds promising. I'll dig into a bit and post dorsum if I find anything to line up in my environs.
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