How to change your default programs and enable or remove access to Microsoft Windows and non-Microsoft programs

When you install Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a), the Set Program Access and Defaults feature is added to the Add or Remove Programs tool in Windows XP. You can use this feature to change the default programs that you use for certain activities on your computer, such as surfing the Internet, sending e-mail messages, playing CD-ROMs, or talking with friends by using an instant messaging program. You can also specify the programs that are available on the Start menu, on the desktop, and in other locations.

You must have administrative rights to change the default program settings in Windows XP. If you use Microsoft Windows XP Professional, and your computer is part of a network domain, you must be logged on as an administrator or as a member of the Administrators group to change the default program settings. If you use Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home Edition, and your computer does not belong to a network domain, you must be logged on as a computer administrator to change the default program settings.

To use the Set Program Access and Defaults feature to change the default programs that you use for certain activities, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, and then click Set Program Access and Defaults.
2. Use one of the following methods to perform the appropriate task:
   • To restore your settings to the settings that were established by the manufacturer of your computer, click Computer Manufacturer. This option is available only if the computer manufacturer installed Windows XP SP1 on your computer and established settings for this feature.
   • To use programs that are included in Microsoft Windows as the defaults for the activities that are listed earlier in this article, such as surfing the Internet, click Microsoft Windows. You can use this configuration to access Microsoft programs or non-Microsoft programs on your computer, on the Start menu, on the desktop, and from other locations.
   • To use non-Microsoft programs that are installed on your computer as the defaults, click Non-Microsoft, and then select the options that you want. This configuration removes access to the specified Windows programs.
   • To use a combination of non-Microsoft and Microsoft Windows programs for the activities that are listed earlier in this article, click Custom, and then select the options that you want. By setting up a custom configuration, you can select the programs that are set as the default for each activity, and the programs that are available on the Start menu, on the desktop, and in other locations. If you do not want the specified program to appear on the Start menu, on the desktop, or in other locations where programs typically appear, clear the Enable access to this program check box that is next to a particular program name.

Note Software manufacturers determine how their products work with the Set Program Access and Defaults feature. Some non-Microsoft programs may continue to show icons on the Start menu and elsewhere even if you clear the Enable access to this program check box for that program in the Custom area.

For additional information about how to use the Set Program Access and Defaults feature, including troubleshoot information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For additional information about Windows XP service packs, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: