Finally, Microsoft has updated Open with dialog in Windows 11 to match the look and feel of the new OS’s fluent design and rounded corners, here is how you can enable it right now.
Open with dialog UI in Windows 11
When you attempt to open a file with supported programs installed, Windows displays the options in open with dialog and let you choose and select always open the file with the selected app.
The “how do you want to open this file” dialog looks like this now in Windows 11.
Microsoft has redesigned most of the inbox Apps (Media Player, Notepad, Paint, Photos, Task Manager), services, and components in Windows 11. This is not the case with open with dialog or App Picker that lets you choose other apps to open a file.
It has been existing with outdated design from Windows 8 metro, Micorsoft has now updated with inline Windows 11 design in build 22567.
New Open with dialog
Features:
- Redesigned, the fluent design looks modern
- Acrylic
- respects light and dark theme
- Allows to update the default app in open with a dialog with one click when you select” Always”
The feature is still rolling out and available for a few, here is how you can get it right now.
Enable open with dialog new design in Windows 11
- Download the Vive tool from Github
- Extract its contents to a folder
- Open command prompt as administrator
- Copy Vivetool folder path in command prompt
- Run vivetool /enable /id:36302090
To restore the old open with dialog, run this command in the command prompt window: vivetool /disable /id:36302090
After completing the above steps, if you try to open a file (that could be PDF or text or MP4 or MKV) with another program, you get a chance to see the new design.
All you need to do is right-click on a file, select Open with and choose “choose another App“.
The dialog has crashed when we try to open an image. It worked and open well for PDF, MP4, MKV other files where the dialog displayed a supported App that can open the file.
What’s your take on Windows 11’s new open-with dialog interface? Don’t you think this should have been updated much before? Let us know in the comments below.
More on Windows 11:
How to make Windows 11’s Win+X menu work without crashing Explorer
How to get rid of the ‘System requirements not met’ watermark on Windows 11 Unsupported PCs
How to enable & use dark Mode for the new WhatsApp UWP app on Windows 11/10
Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge Scrollbars to get Fluent design
Redesign? They completely got rid off the option in win11.
There’s no “open with” option anymore. What the article is saying it’s just for the first time you open a file that’s not recognized.
When you click right click and then the annoying “show more options” on a file you wish to open with a different program there’s no option.
Only workaround was messing with the registry to bring the “old”, but, perfectly functional and complete menu back.
It’s great they try to upgrade the looks of windows, but, please, don’t break what was not broken.
Not working on lastest windows 11 beta build
Microsoft has intentionally disabled the open with dialog to address performance issues. Not sure when it will be available again.