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How To Set FoxIt As Your Default PDF Reader

Salvaging An Old Desktop Computer

My neighbor threw away her old desktop computer which I decided to salvage for parts, if nothing else. I hooked it up to see if it was even working. It powered up. It tried to load what looked like Windows 10, but wouldn’t, and then it would shut down.

After changing out a lot of parts I had laying around, I got Windows installed (I should have taken some pictures and written an article). This is just a test machine, so I just might do that later.

I used Ninite to install most of my programs. Read How To Set Up New Computer With Ninite to learn more.

One program I installed was Foxit Reader for PDF files, but Windows 10 didn’t set it up as my default PDF reader. It insisted on using Microsoft Edge as the default reader.

How To Set FoxIt As The Default

I insisted on FoxIt, so here is how to remedy that problem. This article is about FoxIt, but the following steps can apply to any program that you want to set up as default. So, click on the Start button, then click on the Settings button.

windows 10-settings-button

In the window that opens, click on the Apps section.

windows 10-apps-section

Then click on Default apps in the left menu.

windows 10-default-apps-option

If you click on any of the default programs listed, you’ll get a pop-up list of all the possible default Apps for that option, but PDF files and FoxIt were not mentioned.

I scrolled to the bottom and clicked on, Set defaults by app.

windows 10-set-defaults-by-app

In the next window, click on Foxit Reader. Then a button appears labelled Manage. Click on it.

windows 10-set-defaults-by-app-manage-button

It shows all the extensions, handled by FoxIt: .fdf, .ppdf, .xdp, and .xfdf.

But .pdf was originally set to Microsoft Edge. In the image below, I have already changed it.

windows 10-setting-foxit-reader-as-default-by-clicking-on-it

I clicked on the Microsoft Edge icon and up popped a window with other options for defaults. Then clicked on FoxIt Reader. If you prefer your browser to handle PDF files, leave it on Microsoft Edge, or set it to your favourite browser.

5 thoughts on “How To Set FoxIt As Your Default PDF Reader”

  1. Terry, just out of curiosity, what is it about FoxIt Reader you like so much, Mindblower!

    1. Terry Hollett

      No real reason. Just the one I started using since I moved from adobe reader a long time ago.

  2. I tried this but each time it runs the set by app process it just vanishes, any ideas?

    1. Terry Hollett

      I don’t know why that might be vanishing, but another option would be to right-click on a file, click on Open with…, then Choose another app. Pick an app from the list that opens and check the option Always use this app to open .(extension) files.

      You also might want to run system file checker according to theses instructions: https://davescomputertips.com/sfc-fails-to-fix-errors-what-now/

  3. That worked fine thanks. This will teach me to buy an off the shelf PC. I really should know better at my age!

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