Setting File Type Associations

When running a Parallels Desktop setup, you may need to assign certain file types in macOS to a certain Windows app, and vice versa. This is done by changing the respective file type associations.

Notes: 1. This functionality is available only for Windows with Parallels Tools installed. 2. 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.

Assigning a macOS File Type to a Windows Application

To make a certain type of macOS files always open in a Windows application, do the following:

1. Right-click a macOS file in Finder, point to Open with and click Other.

2. Navigate to Macintosh HD > Users > <user name> > Applications (Parallels) and open the required virtual machine folder.

3. Select a Windows application you want and click Open.

4. Parallels Desktop shows a macOS notification asking whether you want to make the application default for this type of files. Click Make. Now all files of this type will open in the selected Windows application.

There is an alternative way to achieve the same:

1. Right-click a macOS file and choose Get Info.

2. In the Open with section, click the Open with menu and choose Other.

3. Navigate to Macintosh HD > Users > <user name> > Applications (Parallels) and open the required virtual machine folder.

4. Select a Windows application you want, choose Always Open With and click Add.

5. Click Change All and close the file info menu. Now all files of this type will open in the selected Windows application.

Assigning a Windows File Type to a macOS Application

For Windows 10 and 11:

To make some type of Windows files always open in a macOS application, do the following:

1. Right-click a Windows file and choose Open with > Choose another app.

2. Select the macOS application you want to use with that type of file and make sure Always use this app to open <file_extension> files is selected. Now all files of this type will open in the selected macOS application.

For Windows 7 and 8:

To make some type of Windows files always open in a macOS application, do the following:

1. Right-click a Windows file and choose Open with > Choose default application.

2. Select the macOS application you want to use with that type of file and make sure Use this app for all <file_extension> files is selected. Now all files of this type will open in the selected macOS application.