Make Paint 3D the Default Opener Instead of Paint

Microsoft 365 and Office
1

Fixing Open With Paint 3D to Launch in Paint 3D, Not Paint

• When right-clicking on a file and selecting “Open with” followed by Paint 3D, the file opens in Paint instead of Paint 3D.
• How can I resolve this issue?
• I’m using Windows 10 Pro on a Surface Pro laptop.

2

Hi there.

So you’re having trouble with Paint 3D not opening as the default when you choose it from the “Open with” menu. This issue seems to be a common problem for many users across different versions of Windows. Here’s how you can try to resolve it:

Reset Paint 3D

First, let’s try resetting Paint 3D. This often resolves issues related to default app settings and permissions.

  1. Go to the Apps section in your Windows settings.
  2. Click on Paint 3D in the list of installed apps.
  3. Click on the “Advanced options” button.
  4. Click the “Reset” button.

Check for File Associations

Next, make sure Paint 3D is properly associated with the file types you want it to open by default.

  1. Right-click on the file you want to open with Paint 3D.
  2. Click on “Show more options” at the bottom of the menu.
  3. Click on “Open with” and then click on “Choose another app.”
  4. In the Open with window, if Paint 3D is not listed, click on “Look for another app on this PC.”
  5. Navigate to the Paint 3D app’s location (usually in the C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\ directory).
  6. Select the Paint 3D app and click “Open” to set it as the default for that file type.

Uninstall and Reinstall Paint 3D

If the above steps don’t work, try uninstalling and reinstalling Paint 3D. This should refresh its setup and possibly resolve any issues with file associations and the “Open with” menu.

  1. Go to the Apps section in your Windows settings.
  2. Click on Paint 3D in the list of installed apps.
  3. Click on the “Uninstall” button.
  4. Wait for the uninstall process to complete.
  5. Open the Microsoft Store app.
  6. Search for Paint 3D and install it again.

Classic Context Menu

If you are using the Classic Win10 context menu, you can still edit with Paint 3D by right-clicking on an image and choosing “Show more options” at the bottom of the list. Then, select “Open with” and choose Paint 3D from the list.

These steps should help you resolve the issue of Paint 3D not opening as the default when you choose it from the “Open with” menu. Good luck