Mac Change Default App For An Extension

If you want to change a default app other than your browser or email client then you can still do so. Open up Finder, navigate to the file in question and right-click it to bring up the contextual. Apr 12, 2018 Change Your Mac’s Default Image Viewer. This process will change the default application to open a specific type of image. It’s the same basic process to change the associated app for any file type. Locate an image file in Finder. Look for extensions like.jpg or.png.

By default, the Mac OS X identifies files without file extension as Unix Executable File. But often these can also be found as simple text files with instructions, version history, frequently asked questions, settings etc. and called like README, READ-ME, INFO, SETTINGS, OPTIONS etc.

Mac OS X tries to open files without extension with the Terminal app, which often causes an error message that the file doesn't contain any executable data.

If you want to change default application with Finder → Get Info option, you will only change the app for the current file. If you click on Change All... button you will get an error message.

However, there is a way how you can change default app for all files with no file extension found on your Mac.

Use RCDefaultApp to change default software for files without file extension

is free file association management tool for Mac that is installed as Preference Pane to System Preferences.


Default Apps main window

DownloadRCDefaultAppOpen the DMG archive → double click on RCDefaultApp.prefPane file.

OpenSystem Preferences → Section Other → Click onDefault Apps icon.

Mac


Mac System Preferences

Click onUTIs (Uniform Type Identifiers) tab.

Mac Change Default App For File Extension

Uniform Type Identifiers are used by OS X to identify common system objects, like documents, image file types, folders etc.

Scroll down the UTIs list and find public.unix-executable key and change Default Application to for example TextEdit.app.


Default Apps UTIs settings

Now files with no file extension will be opened in the TextEdit as a simple text files.

This solution changes the default app also for Unix Executable File, or other file types without file extension that will caused unexpected problems in system.

If you want to change an icon for files without file extension. Right click on a file → Get Info.

Drag a new icon archive with *.icns file extension by a mouse and drop it on default icon in upper left corner in Get Info panel.


Change default icon

Mac change default app for an extension download

If you want to set the default icon.Right click on file → Get Info. Click on icon in upper left corner and press the backspace key.

Change your default web browser

  1. Choose System Preferences from the Apple () menu.
  2. Click General.
  3. Choose your web browser from the ”Default web browser” pop-up menu.

Change your default email app

  1. Open Mail.
  2. Choose Preferences from the Mail menu, then click General. Or, if you're prompted to set up an email account, add your account, then choose Preferences from the Mail menu.*
  3. Choose your email app from the ”Default email reader” pop-up menu.

Mac Change Default App For An Extension Address

* You can also set your default email app in the preferences of your third-party email app.