Android remembers which app you chose last time
When you tap a file on Android — a PDF, a photo, a document — the phone usually opens it in the same app you used before. If you want a different app to open that file type instead, you can change it in two ways: by clearing the default for that app, or by choosing a new default the next time you open the file. The method you use depends on whether you want to change it once or make the change permanent.
Android stores this choice in your system settings, so the change sticks across all your apps and folders. You do not need to reinstall anything or restart your phone.
Key Takeaways
- You can change which app opens a file type by holding the file, tapping "Open with", and selecting a different app.
- To make that choice permanent, tap "Always" instead of "Just once" when the app picker appears.
- To undo a permanent choice, go to Settings, find the app, and tap "Clear defaults" in the app info screen.
- Different file types (PDFs, images, documents) can have different default apps, and you can change them independently.
- Some apps cannot be set as defaults for certain file types — only apps designed to open that type will appear in the picker.
Change the default app for one file
The quickest way to open a file in a different app is to do it directly from your file manager or folder. Find the file you want to open, then hold your finger on it until a menu appears. Tap "Open with" or "Open as" (the exact wording depends on your phone's manufacturer).
A list of apps that can open that file type will appear. Tap the app you want to use. If you only want to use that app this one time, tap "Just once". The file will open in that app, and your default will not change. If you want that app to become your new default for all files of that type, tap "Always" instead. From now on, files of that type will open in the app you chose.
Clear a default app so you get the picker every time
If you have set a default app and want to go back to being asked which app to use each time, you need to clear the default. Open your phone's Settings app and scroll down to find "Apps" or "process manager" (the name varies by manufacturer — Samsung calls it "Apps", Google Pixel calls it "Applications").
Find the app that is currently set as your default. Tap it to open its information page. Look for a button labeled "Clear defaults" or "Reset defaults" and tap it. The next time you open a file of that type, Android will show you the picker again instead of opening it automatically.
This method works even if you cannot find the file you want to change — you do not need to have the file in front of you. You only need to know which app is set as the default.
Set a new default when you do not have the file
If you want to change your default app but do not have a file of that type handy to open, you can set it through Settings instead. Open Settings and go to "Apps" or "process manager". Find the app you want to make the default and tap it.
Look for a section called "Default apps", "Set as default", or "Open by default" (again, the exact wording depends on your phone). Tap it and you will see a list of file types that app can handle. Select the file types you want it to open by default. Some apps let you set them all at once; others require you to choose each one.
Why some apps do not appear in the picker
When you tap "Open with", you might notice that some of your installed apps do not show up in the list. This is not a bug — Android only shows apps that are designed to open that particular file type. A calculator app will not appear when you try to open a PDF, because it cannot read PDFs. A photo editor will not appear when you try to open a Word document.
If the app you want to use is not in the list, it means that app is not built to handle that file type. You would need to use a different app, or check the app's settings to see if there is an option to enable that file type (some apps have this as a hidden setting).
Different file types can have different defaults
Android treats different file types separately. You might have PDFs set to open in one app, images set to open in another, and documents set to open in a third. Changing the default for PDFs does not affect which app opens your photos.
This means you can be very specific about your choices. If you prefer one PDF reader for work documents and a different one for casual reading, you can set them up by clearing the default before opening each type, then choosing "Always" for the app you want. The phone will remember which app you chose based on the file type, not the content.
What to do if you accidentally set the wrong default
If you tapped "Always" by mistake and now the wrong app opens your files, the fix is straightforward. Go to Settings, find the app that is now the default, tap it, and select "Clear defaults". The next time you open a file of that type, you will get the picker again and can choose the correct app.
You can also just open the file using the "Open with" method described above and tap "Always" for the correct app. This will overwrite the previous default without needing to go into Settings first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set multiple default apps for the same file type?
No. Android allows only one default app per file type. However, you can clear the default and use the "Open with" picker each time, which lets you choose between multiple apps. Or you can change which app is the default whenever you want by going to Settings and clearing the current default, then opening a file and choosing "Always" for a different app.
Will changing the default app affect files I have already opened?
No. Changing the default only affects files you open from now on. Files you opened in the past will not change. The default is only used when you tap a file to open it.
What if I want different defaults for the same file type on different apps?
Android does not support this. You can only have one default app per file type across your entire phone. If you need to use different apps for the same file type, clear the default and use the "Open with" picker each time you open a file.
Does clearing defaults delete any files or data?
No. Clearing a default only tells Android to stop automatically opening that file type in that app. It does not delete files, uninstall the app, or remove any data. The app and all your files remain unchanged.
Why does my phone keep opening files in the old app even after I set a new default?
Make sure you tapped "Always" and not "Just once" when you chose the new app. If you tapped "Just once", the change only applied to that single file. Go back and open another file of the same type, then tap "Always" for the app you want. If you already set a default and it is not changing, try clearing the old default first, then opening a file and choosing "Always" for the new app.