# I downloaded Photoshop, now all my jpegs open in Photoshop. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 6, 2004, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771 "2004-05-06T03:17:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/1 "2004-05-06T03:17:57Z")
Big problem. I am new to Photoshop, and I do not want my jpegs, gif’s and stuff opening there. I called one of my techie buddies, he was unable to do anything. So I removed Photoshop altogether from my computer, hoping that my pics would open like they used to. They don’t. Now whenever I click an icon to open a pic, windows just asks for photoshop. As far as I can tell, they are still in JPEG, or original formats. I will reinstall it later. Right now, I just want my pics back to what they were before. Please help me. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Llama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@The\_Llama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Llama)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/2 "2004-05-06T03:20:34Z")
Pick a pic (hehe)) and right click on it hit properties there will be a button that says change next to a thing that says “opens with” Choose whatever you want it to open with. The computer will remember next time. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/3 "2004-05-06T03:24:14Z")
Don’t panic. This is easy to fix. Navigate to a JPEG file–any one will do. If you’re using a non-NT OS, like Win 9x or ME, shift (or is it CTRL?) + right-click it, and click Open With. For NT, 2000 and XP, simply right-click it and click Open With. Then select the program you wish to use to use to open these files. ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/4 "2004-05-06T03:39:06Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Don’t panic. This is easy to fix. Navigate to a JPEG file–any one will do. If you’re using a non-NT OS, like Win 9x or ME, shift (or is it CTRL?) + right-click it, and click Open With. For NT, 2000 and XP, simply right-click it and click Open With. Then select the program you wish to use to use to open these files. Already tried that. I don’t get an “Open With” function. Open is at top, followed by “Add to ZIP.” ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/5 "2004-05-06T03:45:57Z")
What OS are you using? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Llama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@The\_Llama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Llama)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/6 "2004-05-06T03:46:11Z")
**QED**'s way is only a temporary fix anyway, the computer won’t remember if you do it that way. You want to right click and go to properties. Do the “open’s with” from there. That will apply it to every pic in the folder. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/7 "2004-05-06T03:46:58Z")
Are you pressing “shift” when you select and right-click? ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/8 "2004-05-06T03:47:10Z")
You’re holding the shift key while right-clicking the icon? I get a menu that starts with “Open,” then “Print…,” then “Open With…” Once I go to the Open With dialog, there’s a checkbox for “always use this app to open this kind of file.” ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/9 "2004-05-06T03:49:01Z")
> [@The\_Llama](#): > > **QED**'s way is only a temporary fix anyway, the computer won’t remember if you do it that way. You want to right click and go to properties. Do the “open’s with” from there. That will apply it to every pic in the folder. Yes, it will, though I forgot to mention this part. You have to check “Always use this application to open this type of file”. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/10 "2004-05-06T03:52:14Z")
Try this: - Open “My Computer” - Pull down “View” menu and select “Folder Options” - Click “File Types” tab - Scroll down to JPEG image - Click Edit, select Open, and enter your favorite quick-loading JPEG viewing program Works with Windows 98 at least. D ---
**Author:** ![The\_Llama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@The\_Llama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Llama)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/11 "2004-05-06T03:53:02Z")
Yeah, I wasn’t trying to be a jerk, just that someone who uses “downloaded” in place of “installed” (like my father does quite a lot) is most likely going to follow directions to the letter, and wonder why he’s got to do that every time. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/12 "2004-05-06T04:08:20Z")
> [@The\_Llama](#): > > someone who uses “downloaded” in place of “installed” Notice that **Road Rash** used “installed” – correctly, I might add – later in the same post. It would seem that he does, in fact, know the difference. ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/13 "2004-05-06T04:09:42Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > What OS are you using? Windows 98. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Llama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@The\_Llama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Llama)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/14 "2004-05-06T04:13:01Z")
Again, I wasn’t trying to be a jerk (didn’t I mention that?) I was just saying where I was coming from. Thanks for the post that doesn’t help this thread though. (I _am_ trying to be a jerk on this one.) ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/15 "2004-05-06T04:19:11Z")
I used the shift key and checked the box that says “always use this program” or something like that. It seems to work! Thanks guys. BTW, I used Internet Explorer as the default. Should I have picked something else? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/16 "2004-05-06T04:22:08Z")
> [@Road Rash](#): > > BTW, I used Internet Explorer as the default. Should I have picked something else? It’ll work, if all you care about is viewing the files. If you want to edit them, you’ll have to open them from Paint or Photoshop, or whatever editor you prefer to use. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/17 "2004-05-06T04:47:40Z")
> [@The\_Llama](#): > > Thanks for the post that doesn’t help this thread though. > > (I _am_ trying to be a jerk on this one.) I was just indirectly pointing out that this thread is probably a borderline violation of the forum rules prohibiting promoting illegal activity. Kind of like a thread titled “I just stole this car, how do I operate the radio?” would be. After all, we all know what it means when someone says “I just downloaded \” (when they clearly know the difference betweem “downloaded” and “installed”, that is). In retrospect, perhaps I should have just left well-enough alone and not posted in the first place. In fact, the only reason I’m posting _this_ message is to show you that I wasn’t nitpicking, nor did I intend to be unhelpful. I was simply (probably needlessly) concerned about the nature of the thread, and my attempt to be tactful about it turned out to be a dismal failure. :o I’ll just quietly slink away, now. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/18 "2004-05-06T06:06:05Z")
IE is tolerable but a faster loading program like ACDSee or Irfanview would serve much better ---
**Author:** ![The\_Llama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@The\_Llama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Llama)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/19 "2004-05-06T06:20:30Z")
Eh, since I was posting about a method that works in XP, none of my posts helped this thread. Funny that you were supporting him, and not digging at me. Sorry. Just when I’m asked computer advice (which seems to happen a lot) it’s usually a good bet that if the person is intermixing their terms like that, then you have a pretty good feel for their level of comfortability with computers. And then you structure your responses accordingly. Anywho, in one last ditch effort to contribute something useful, if win98 has Windows Picture and Fax Viewer, or some other varient, try that. I find that it opens pictures the fastest. IE has to load so much more crap it can take a while for it to open the pic for you, especially on older computers with little RAM. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771/20 "2004-05-06T11:24:13Z")
> [@Joe Random](#): > > I was just indirectly pointing out that this thread is probably a borderline violation of the forum rules prohibiting promoting illegal activity. Kind of like a thread titled “I just stole this car, how do I operate the radio?” would be. After all, we all know what it means when someone says “I just downloaded \” (when they clearly know the difference betweem “downloaded” and “installed”, that is). Um, not all downloaded software is stolen. It’s a perfectly legitimate and common paid distribution method. :: checks Adobe site :: In fact, I see that Photoshop is indeed available for purchase via download (224MB, so I hope you have DSL or cable!). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-downloaded-photoshop-now-all-my-jpegs-open-in-photoshop/243771.md?page=2)