How to fix This File Does Not Have an App Associated With It

Each file type requires a unique app or program to be opened. Video files, for instance, can be opened with a video player, text files and documents with a text/document editor, etc. Windows have many default software that opens most file types on your system. However, this is not possible for whatever file type you attempt to execute on Windows. Windows may not recognize certain files, resulting in the This file does not have an app associated with it error.

Moreover, users have reported seeing this problem with previously supported file types on Windows. It is a common issue seen by many Windows 10 and Windows 11 users. So, what should be done to resolve the This File Does Not Have an App Associated With It issue?

Fix: This File Does Not Have An App Associated With It For Performing This Action Windows 10

This article discusses numerous troubleshooting procedures for resolving the error “This file does not have a program associated with it.”

Run SFC and DISM Scan

You should conduct an SFC and DISM scan as your initial step. This problem is caused by corrupted files and can be resolved by running SFC and DISM scans. We recommend running the SFC scan to determine whether this resolves the issue. To execute the SFC scan, please follow the instructions below:

• Hit the Windows key to open Start Menu. In the Start Menu, search for CMD.
• From the search result, right-tap on Command Prompt, then on Run as Administrator.
• Now in the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter to execute it-
  sfc /scannow

• The process will start running. Wait until the process finishes, then restart your PC.

It should likely resolve the This File Does Not Have an App Associated With It issue. However, if the issue persists, you should run the DISM scan. To do so, follow the instructions below:

• Run Command Prompt with administrative privileges.
• Here, type & execute the following command-
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• When done, close the Command Prompt window and restart your PC.

Make Changes To The Registry

Performing particular Registry edits can also help resolve the issue. You should create a backup of your Registry settings before making any modifications. Follow the simple steps below to modify the Registry and fix the ‘This file does not have an app associated with it’ error:

• Firstly, open Start Menu by pressing the Windows key. Here, search for Registry Editor, then opens it.
• Head to the following address in Registry Editor-
  Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile
• Check if IsShortcut value available or not. If it is available, move to the next troubleshooting step; else, follow the next step.

• Right-tap on the space on the right pane, tap on New, then on String Value.
• Next, rename the new key you created to IsShortcut.
• Afterward, head to the following path-
  HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\shell\Manage\command
• Here, double-tap on Default to edit it.

• Ensure the Value Data is set to-

%SystemRoot%\system32\CompMgmtLauncher.exe

• If the value data isn’t the same, you can change it.
• When done, restart your PC and see if you are still encountering this issue or not.

Add User Account To The Administrator Group

The following step in troubleshooting is to assign the user account to the administrator group. When you lack administrator capabilities, you may be unable to access some files on your computer. You can do so by following the instructions below:

1. Hit Windows + R key combo, type lusrmgr.msc, and tap on the OK button.
2. Double-tap on the Groups folder on left sidebar to open it.
3. Now on right side, double-tap on Administrators to open its properties.
4. Tap on Add button here.
5. Here, enter the object names to select the field, enter your name, and tap on Check Names.
6. Now, tap on OK. Afterward, check if the user account is added to administrator or not.
7. When done, tap on Apply, then on OK.
8. Now, sign out of your PC, then sign in again.

Note- This method doesn’t work with Windows 11 home edition.

Run PowerShell Command

You can execute the PowerShell command to reinstall all universal apps, which should resolve the problem you’ve been experiencing. To do so, please follow the simple instructions below:

• Press the Windows key on keyboard and enter “PowerShell” into the Start menu. Now, right-click the PowerShell result and choose the Run as administrator option.
• It executes PowerShell with administrative privileges. Now, execute the following PowerShell command:

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers |Where-Object {$_.InstallLocation -like “*SystemApps*”} | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”}

• When done, check if the issue is resolved or not.

Disable Autoplay

Disabling autoplay on all devices is the next step you can take. You can accomplish this by following the instructions below:

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• First, press the Windows + I key to open Settings app on your PC.
• On the left sidebar of Settings app, tap on Bluetooth & other devices.
• Now, on the right side, tap on AutoPlay.

• Turn off the toggle for AutoPlay.
• Set the Removable drive and Memory card to Take no action.

• When done, the issue should be fixed.

Perform System Restore

If you are experiencing the This File Does Not Have an App Associated With It issue after an update, installing an app, upgrading the driver, or reinstalling the driver, we suggest conducting a system restore. It will restore your computer to the point before the modifications are done. To do a system restoration, you must have a restore point.

Final Words

It is how to fix the issue This file does not have an app associated with it for performing this action. please install an app. If you face this error when attempting to open a file, you can solve it by following the instructions outlined in this article.