.docx not appearing in default apps

JRG 20 Reputation points
2026-07-05T18:36:09.37+00:00

I bought Word Home today and installed it. I'm trying to set Word as default for all documents, but in Default Apps, .docx is not an option. When I create a document in Word and save it as a Word document, it saves as DOCX, but then when I open it later, it opens in Notepad. I right click on the file name, click Open With, and Word is an option but only as Just Once.

I tried repairing the program, and then reinstalling the program, but nothing is working.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows
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Ron Barker 2,245 Reputation points
2026-07-05T20:56:00.3966667+00:00

Hi JRG, Not sure what you have done with Ramesh's suggestion, there should be a change button. In any event, Click on Start>Settings>Apps>Left hand side>Default Apps>Bottom of list>Reset Default all Apps (somehow yours has been set to 'Note Pad)

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  1. Ramesh Srinivasan 87,865 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-07-05T19:09:33.29+00:00

    Hi,

    Please right-click on a .docx file and click Properties.

    Let me know if there is a "Change" button in that dialog.

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