In Windows, right-clicking on a file provides the "Use Open" option, allowing you to select the application to open the selected file. Sometimes, you may encounter options that are not related to the file type. While this is not a serious problem, it can be a bit annoying.

You may also want to remove older versions of applications that will still appear even after uninstalling. To completely remove any application from the Windows "Use Open" list, we provide several methods below.

Table of contents

• Using the Registry Editor
• Using OpenWithView
• Use CCleaner to remove registry items

Using the Registry Editor

As a warning, I usually don't tamper with the registry editor without being sure I fully understand the operation. It is best to back up your registry before proceeding. To use the Registry Editor method, follow these steps.

In the Start menu, enter regedit, click the Registry Editor menu and confirm the UAC prompt displayed.

Navigate or copy and paste the following path in the address bar of the Registry Editor and press Enter.

 <code>Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts</code>

Return to File Explorer and right-click to select any file. This will help you identify any apps you wish to remove from the Use Open option. For example, I will remove the Image Device Control Panel from the list of applications where the AVI file is opened.

If you are not sure about the file type, select Select another application . A new pop-up will appear, providing a detailed description of the file type.

Expand the FileExts key and navigate to the file extension type (AVI in this case) from which you want to remove some applications. Then select the OpenWithList folder. This will show all the applications that can be used to open them.

Select the program you want to remove. Right-click it and select Delete . Avoid any changes to the default subkey. You will also see a warning that asks you to confirm the value deletion . The choice is to continue.

After removing the application from a subkey in the Registry Editor, it no longer appears in the application list for that particular file extension. You need to repeat this process for all file types that you wish to modify their list. Also, consider cleaning the Windows registry to avoid unused applications.

If there is a series of items in the right panel next to any FileExts key, you can change the order in which they appear by renaming. For example, if your entries are named "a, b, c, d" in order, you want the third item to appear first in your Open Use menu, you simply rename "c" to "a".

While the registry editor is effective in removing unrelated file types, it does not allow you to remove any outdated applications. To do this, you need to have the registry key completely. For this, using a third-party app will be easier.

Using OpenWithView

Download and run OpenWithView. It does not require installation, but needs to run with administrator privileges. This free software from Nirsoft is the easiest way to edit the Windows "Use Open" list.

This is especially useful if you have many applications on your Open list that you want to streamline them quickly.

However, I found this approach not particularly useful on the latest version of Windows 11, and Windows Security tagged this program. But it will certainly achieve good results on Windows 10 and earlier.

After running the program, it will display all the apps that appear when you right-click.

To remove a program from the list, right-click the program and select Disable Selected Item . This will remove the program from the Open program list.

Read also : Check out various solutions to the most common file explorer problems in Windows.

Use CCleaner to remove registry items

The CCleaner method is one of the best ways to remove unnecessary registry items, such as the extra legacy programs displayed in the Windows "Use Open" list. You can download and install its free version to resolve this issue. This is one of the most commonly used tools when optimizing your PC.

Once the application starts, go to Tools -> Registry and select an issue like outdated software . You can also select the application and unused file extensions . After that, click Scan the question .

The list will populate all application-related issues on your device. Find the option named Use Open and select Review selected questions . You will encounter a large number of invalid program identifiers that remain on your device for a long time after uninstalling the application.

CCleaner will ask you to fix the issue, which mainly involves deleting registry files that do not use extensions. You can use the method described above to delete the registry, or you can delete it directly from CCleaner. Once done, you will no longer see the legacy application when you try to open any file type. This approach is more effective because you don't have to review each file type one by one.

We cover all the ways you can remove unnecessary and unrelated items from the Windows Use Open list. Of course, another way is to simply uninstall programs you don't want to see in the list. In fact, some of these apps are outdated and you should uninstall them from your device right away.

Image source: Unsplash. All screenshots are courtesy of Sayak Boral.

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