# Setting Files to Open in Your Preferred Application

You can set files of a particular type that you open from the macOS Finder to open in the Windows application of your choice. For example, you could set files ending in `.txt` to always open in Windows Notepad.

You can also set files opened from Windows to always open in the macOS application of your choice.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note**: This feature is not supported in the App Store edition of Parallels Desktop. For more information on the differences between the Standard and App Store editions, follow this [link](https://kb.parallels.com/123796).
{% endhint %}

### Set macOS Files of a Particular Type to Open in a Windows Application

To open a macOS file once with a Windows application:

1. Right-click (or Control-click) the file in the Finder and choose **Open With** from the shortcut menu.
2. Select a Windows application.

   If you don't see the application you want, click **Other** and choose a Windows application from `/username/Applications (Parallels)/Windows Applications.`

You can also open a macOS file in a Windows application by dragging it to the application's icon in the Dock.

To set files of a particular type to always open in a Windows application:

1. Right-click (or Control-click) a file and choose **Get Info** from the shortcut menu.
2. Click the triangle next to "Open with" to expand the section.
3. Choose a Windows application from the pop-up menu.

   If you don't see the application you want, choose **Other** and choose a Windows application from `/username/Applications (Parallels)/Windows Applications.`
4. Click **Change All**.

From this point on, double-clicking a file of this type (`.txt` in the example above) in macOS Finder opens the file in the Windows application. If Windows is shut down, suspended, or paused, double-clicking the file starts or resumes Windows in Coherence mode. When Windows starts up, the file opens in the Windows application.

### Set Windows Files of a Particular Type to Open in a macOS Application

To open a Windows file with a macOS application only this time:

* Right-click (or Control-click) on the file in Windows, choose **Open With** from the shortcut menu and choose an application.

To set all files of a particular file type to open in a macOS application:

1. Right-click (or Control-click) on a file in Windows, choose **Open With** from the shortcut menu and click **Choose default application**.
2. Select an application, choose **Always use the selected application to open this kind of file**, and click **OK**.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** To set files to open in the application or application of your choice, Parallels Tools must be installed. In most cases, Parallels Tools are installed by default. Also, the [**Isolate Mac from Windows**](/landing/pdfm-ug/parallels-desktop-for-mac-26-users-guide/use-windows-on-your-mac/protecting-your-data/isolating-windows-from-mac.md) option must be disabled, and [Windows application sharing](/landing/pdfm-ug/parallels-desktop-for-mac-26-users-guide/use-windows-on-your-mac/setting-how-windows-works-with-macos/sharing-items-between-macos-and-windows/sharing-applications.md) must be enabled.
{% endhint %}


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