Pahkui

Mac default app guides

Choose the app you want when you double-click a file. Start with Finder’s built-in method, or manage multiple file types together with Pahkui.

Open files with the apps you prefer

Browse formats and default apps, review your choices, and apply changes with Pahkui.

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Find your workflow

Code & text editors

Visual Studio Code · .css

How to open CSS files in VS Code by default on Mac

Make Visual Studio Code the default app for .css files on Mac using Finder or Pahkui. Includes steps for changing all CSS files and fixing the wrong editor.

Visual Studio Code · .html, .htm

Make VS Code the default HTML editor on Mac

Open .html files in Visual Studio Code instead of a browser when double-clicking in Finder. Learn how to keep browser previews separate from your default editor.

Visual Studio Code · .json

Open JSON files in VS Code by default on Mac

Set Visual Studio Code as the default app for .json files on macOS. Fix JSON files opening in TextEdit and understand the difference from JSON language settings.

Typora · .md, .markdown

Make Typora the default Markdown app on Mac

Set Typora as the default app for .md files on Mac, or choose VS Code instead. Compare a one-time Open With action with changing all Markdown files.

Visual Studio Code · .py

Open .py files in Visual Studio Code by default on Mac

Set Visual Studio Code as the default app for .py files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does double-clicking run my Python program?

Visual Studio Code · .js, .mjs, .cjs

Open .js, .mjs, .cjs files in Visual Studio Code by default on Mac

Set Visual Studio Code as the default app for .js, .mjs, .cjs files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does this change the default JavaScript runtime?

Visual Studio Code · .ts, .tsx

Open .ts, .tsx files in Visual Studio Code by default on Mac

Set Visual Studio Code as the default app for .ts, .tsx files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Why does my .ts video open in an editor?

Visual Studio Code · .yaml, .yml

Open .yaml, .yml files in Visual Studio Code by default on Mac

Set Visual Studio Code as the default app for .yaml, .yml files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will setting the default app fix invalid YAML?

Visual Studio Code · .xml

Open .xml files in Visual Studio Code by default on Mac

Set Visual Studio Code as the default app for .xml files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does an XML editor default change Safari feed handling?

Visual Studio Code · .sh, .bash, .zsh

Open .sh, .bash, .zsh files in Visual Studio Code by default on Mac

Set Visual Studio Code as the default app for .sh, .bash, .zsh files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does this change the default terminal?

Sublime Text · .txt

Open .txt files in Sublime Text by default on Mac

Set Sublime Text as the default app for .txt files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does choosing Sublime Text turn plain text into a project?

BBEdit · .log

Open .log files in BBEdit by default on Mac

Set BBEdit as the default app for .log files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will changing the default app alter running server logs?

CotEditor · .txt

Open .txt files in CotEditor by default on Mac

Set CotEditor as the default app for .txt files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will this remove formatting from existing documents?

Zed · .rs

Open .rs files in Zed by default on Mac

Set Zed as the default app for .rs files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does this configure Cargo or rust-analyzer?

Visual Studio Code · .go

Open .go files in Visual Studio Code by default on Mac

Set Visual Studio Code as the default app for .go files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does changing the opener install Go?

Visual Studio Code · .java

Open .java files in Visual Studio Code by default on Mac

Set Visual Studio Code as the default app for .java files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will .jar applications start in VS Code too?

Visual Studio Code · .php

Open .php files in Visual Studio Code by default on Mac

Set Visual Studio Code as the default app for .php files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does this configure my PHP server?

Visual Studio Code · .rb

Open .rb files in Visual Studio Code by default on Mac

Set Visual Studio Code as the default app for .rb files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does double-clicking run the Ruby script?

Visual Studio Code · .sql

Open .sql files in Visual Studio Code by default on Mac

Set Visual Studio Code as the default app for .sql files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will opening SQL execute it?

Visual Studio Code · .scss, .less

Open .scss, .less files in Visual Studio Code by default on Mac

Set Visual Studio Code as the default app for .scss, .less files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will VS Code compile styles when I double-click?

Zed · .toml

Open .toml files in Zed by default on Mac

Set Zed as the default app for .toml files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does a TOML association change Rust or Python settings?

BBEdit · .ini, .cfg

Open .ini, .cfg files in BBEdit by default on Mac

Set BBEdit as the default app for .ini, .cfg files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will the app reload settings as soon as I change the default?

Xcode · .swift

Open .swift files in Xcode by default on Mac

Set Xcode as the default app for .swift files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will this choose the command-line developer tools?

Xcode · .c, .h, .cpp

Open .c, .h, .cpp files in Xcode by default on Mac

Set Xcode as the default app for .c, .h, .cpp files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will this compile C++ when I double-click?

PDF, images & design

Preview · .pdf

Open .pdf files in Preview by default on Mac

Set Preview as the default app for .pdf files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will PDFs inside my browser open in Preview?

Adobe Acrobat · .pdf

Open .pdf files in Adobe Acrobat by default on Mac

Set Adobe Acrobat as the default app for .pdf files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does Pahkui include Acrobat paid features?

Preview · .jpg, .jpeg

Open .jpg, .jpeg files in Preview by default on Mac

Set Preview as the default app for .jpg, .jpeg files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does this change my Photos library?

Preview · .png

Open .png files in Preview by default on Mac

Set Preview as the default app for .png files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does changing the PNG opener change screenshot shortcuts?

Adobe Photoshop · .psd

Open .psd files in Adobe Photoshop by default on Mac

Set Adobe Photoshop as the default app for .psd files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will Pahkui provide a Photoshop license?

GIMP · .xcf

Open .xcf files in GIMP by default on Mac

Set GIMP as the default app for .xcf files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Can I rename XCF to PNG?

Inkscape · .svg, .svgz

Open .svg, .svgz files in Inkscape by default on Mac

Set Inkscape as the default app for .svg, .svgz files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does choosing Inkscape convert SVG into a bitmap?

Blender · .blend

Open .blend files in Blender by default on Mac

Set Blender as the default app for .blend files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does opening a BLEND file produce a final render?

Preview · .heic

Open .heic files in Preview by default on Mac

Set Preview as the default app for .heic files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will changing the opener change my iPhone camera format?

Preview · .tif, .tiff

Open .tif, .tiff files in Preview by default on Mac

Set Preview as the default app for .tif, .tiff files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does a Preview default compress my TIFF scans?

Video & audio players

VLC · .mkv

Open .mkv files in VLC by default on Mac

Set VLC as the default app for .mkv files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will setting VLC convert MKV to MP4?

VLC · .avi

Open .avi files in VLC by default on Mac

Set VLC as the default app for .avi files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does changing the player improve video quality?

VLC · .flac, .wav

Open .flac, .wav files in VLC by default on Mac

Set VLC as the default app for .flac, .wav files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will this add tracks to my music library?

IINA · .mp4

Open .mp4 files in IINA by default on Mac

Set IINA as the default app for .mp4 files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will this change online streaming playback?

QuickTime Player · .mov

Open .mov files in QuickTime Player by default on Mac

Set QuickTime Player as the default app for .mov files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does this change the recording format?

IINA · .webm

Open .webm files in IINA by default on Mac

Set IINA as the default app for .webm files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does a WebM file default change my web browser?

Audacity · .aup3

Open .aup3 files in Audacity by default on Mac

Set Audacity as the default app for .aup3 files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Can VLC play my AUP3 project?

VLC · .mp3

Open .mp3 files in VLC by default on Mac

Set VLC as the default app for .mp3 files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will choosing VLC delete songs from Music?

Documents & spreadsheets

Microsoft Word · .docx, .doc

Open .docx, .doc files in Microsoft Word by default on Mac

Set Microsoft Word as the default app for .docx, .doc files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Can this make a .pages file a Word document?

Pages · .docx

Open .docx files in Pages by default on Mac

Set Pages as the default app for .docx files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will setting Pages as default automatically convert every DOCX?

Microsoft Excel · .csv

Open .csv files in Microsoft Excel by default on Mac

Set Microsoft Excel as the default app for .csv files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does CSV preserve Excel formulas and formatting?

Microsoft Excel · .xlsx, .xls

Open .xlsx, .xls files in Microsoft Excel by default on Mac

Set Microsoft Excel as the default app for .xlsx, .xls files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does this enable workbook macros?

Numbers · .csv

Open .csv files in Numbers by default on Mac

Set Numbers as the default app for .csv files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does a Numbers default turn CSV into a .numbers file?

Microsoft PowerPoint · .pptx, .ppt

Open .pptx, .ppt files in Microsoft PowerPoint by default on Mac

Set Microsoft PowerPoint as the default app for .pptx, .ppt files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will this convert Keynote presentations?

Keynote · .pptx

Open .pptx files in Keynote by default on Mac

Set Keynote as the default app for .pptx files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Will PowerPoint-only features always work in Keynote?

TextEdit · .rtf, .rtfd

Open .rtf, .rtfd files in TextEdit by default on Mac

Set TextEdit as the default app for .rtf, .rtfd files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Is choosing TextEdit the same as converting to plain text?

LibreOffice · .odt

Open .odt files in LibreOffice by default on Mac

Set LibreOffice as the default app for .odt files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Can I rename ODT to DOCX?

LibreOffice · .ods

Open .ods files in LibreOffice by default on Mac

Set LibreOffice as the default app for .ods files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does changing the ODS opener recalculate all my workbooks?

LibreOffice · .odp

Open .odp files in LibreOffice by default on Mac

Set LibreOffice as the default app for .odp files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does an ODP default change PowerPoint files too?

Archives & extraction

Keka · .zip, .7z

Open .zip, .7z files in Keka by default on Mac

Set Keka as the default app for .zip, .7z files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Does changing the default recompress my files?

The Unarchiver · .rar

Open .rar files in The Unarchiver by default on Mac

Set The Unarchiver as the default app for .rar files on Mac with Finder or Pahkui. Can this make The Unarchiver create RAR files?

macOS file associations

your preferred app · .pdf, .txt, .css and more

How to change the default app for a file type on Mac

Change which app opens a file type on macOS using Get Info and Change All. Manage several file associations together with Pahkui, and fix common Open With problems.