Why can I not change my default .pdf app to anything other than Microsoft Edge?

Anonymous

I follow the steps (via Settings) and no change. I try to open Adobe Reader and it will not open on my PC. I see from a search that this is not a new issue and it's frustrating. This feels predatory and proprietary - forcing us to use Microsoft products. I'm thinking of stopping my personal subscription and moving to another option.

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Anonymous

2024-05-01T05:04:35+00:00

It worked! Thank you!
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Anonymous

2024-05-01T07:42:58+00:00

it worked, thanks
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Anonymous

2024-05-01T08:08:35+00:00

This worked for me too!
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Anonymous

2024-05-01T13:26:02+00:00
Microsoft is now using a Windows driver (c:\windows\system32\drivers\UCPD.sys) to prevent users from changing the configured Windows 10 and Windows 11 default browser through software or by manually modifying the Registry. This driver was introduced as part of the February updates for Windows 10 (KB5034763) and Windows 11 (KB5034765).

This driver is described as a "User Choice Protection Driver," and when loaded, prevents direct editing of the Registry keys associated with the HTTP and HTTPS URL associations and the .PDF file association.

The associated registry keys are:
```
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http\UserChoice
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\https\UserChoice
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.pdf\UserChoice
```
You cannot unload this driver, but you can disable it with the following PowerShell command:
```
New-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UCPD” -Name “Start” -Value 4 -PropertyType DWORD -Force
```
You also need to delete/disable the "UCPD velocity" scheduled task under \Microsoft\Windows\AppxDeploymentClient or else it will be automatically re-enabled.

Source
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Anonymous

2024-05-01T14:13:03+00:00

I had to kill all msEdge.exe instances from the Task Manager, and it finally let me. Using Edge 124.02478.67 64-bit.

Thanks - this solved my problem :-)
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