- Microsoft is working on a new “Open With” interface to select apps to open files.
- The feature includes a new modern design that matches the design language of Windows 11.
- The “Open with” picker is not yet available for testers.
Alongside all the new features that Microsoft has announced, Twitter user @XenoPanther (via XDA-Developers) has uncovered a new interface on build 22563 to choose the application you want to use to open a file on Windows 11.
The new interface replaces the old design when right-clicking a file and the “Choose another app” option from the “Open with” menu. The updated interface follows the same style as the rest of Windows 11 with rounded corners and semi-transparent material.
Once you open the interface, you can choose the app to open the file, or you can use the option to search the computer for another app. You also get the option to open the file with the app only once, or you can set the app to the new system default for the file extension.
Again, this is another feature that Microsoft hasn’t announced officially, but it’s expected to ship (at least for Insiders) in the future preview of Windows 11 in the Dev Channel. However, even if the new interface makes its way to testers, it would continue to be unclear when it would be available to all users since features in the Dev Channel are experimental and not tied to any specific version of Windows 11.
If you want to try this feature on Windows 11 build 22563, you will need to use the vivetool addconfig 36302090 2 command using the open-source ViveTool available in GitHub.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].