Can't make Musescore 3 default program
I recently downloaded Musescore 4 to finally try it out. I decided I prefer to stick with MS3 but I'd keep MS4 just to convert new files for MS3.
My problem is that files open with MS4 by default and none of my attempts to make MS3 the default have worked (I'm using Windows 10 by the way).
I have tried:
1.) changing the default app in the 'right-click, properties menu' of a MS file. It ignored the change.
2.) navigating to the 'right-click, open with, choose another app, always use this app' method. It also ignored the change.
3.) Finally, I gave up and just uninstalled MS4 but even now, when double clicked, it tries to open it with MS4 and asks me to choose a different program since it can't find the deleted file. The attached picture shows this.
I apologize if this is more of a Windows problem than a MS problem but I'm hoping someone else has already solved this issue.
Thanks
EDIT: I solved the problem by uninstalling all Musescore versions and deleting the remaining registry files
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Musescore opening problem.png | 47.13 KB |
Comments
Uninstalling MU4 doesn't get rid of everything. That's part of it. But for now, you should be able to right click on a MU3 file and select MU3 to open it. This isn't a universal change. Only file by file. Unless you had opened the MU3 file In MU4, then it is a different procedure.
For Windows 10, try this...
Press 'Start' button then select 'Settings', then select 'Apps', then select 'Default apps', then select 'Choose default apps by file type' where you scroll through all file types until you find .mscx, .mscz, etc. and set the default app to MuseScore 3.
In reply to For Windows 10, try this… by Jm6stringer
It currently shows that MS3 is the default, but when I double click a .mscz file, it brings up the dialog box I screenshot in my original post.
Also, the default program screen doesn't let me choose MS3 for .mscs files.
In reply to It currently shows that MS3… by Jediblase1
mscs or mscx?
In reply to mscs or mscx? by Asher S.
Strange.
My computer shows .mscs as a musescore filetype but the website dosent mention it
In reply to Strange. My computer shows … by Jediblase1
🤔
The solution 1 and 2 you're mentioning should definitively work.
There is a serious problem with your windows registry or you are not clicking exactly on the correct option.
You can paste a screen capture of what you are trying here if you want, we'll have a look to better help you.
Your picture doesn't match your issue description. Your picture shows that Windows is going to open MS3. What happens if you click "OK" to "Keep using this app"?
As mentioned above, your Windows registry could be broken. Have you tried re-installing MS3? If this doesn't work then you can:
(1) Uninstall all MuseScores
(2) Use RegEdit to remove any references to MS from your Windows registry.
(3) Re-install MS
Don't mess with anything else in the registry as you could unwittingly render your computer non-bootable.
In reply to Your picture doesn't match… by yonah_ag
Windows seems to be playing things both ways.
On one hand, it says MS3 is the default program for these files, and on the other, it asks me what program I want to use when attempting to open a file (my screenshot). When trying to "keep using the app", it reverts immediately to whatever messed up state it's in as if it never asked to begin with. I expect I will have to try your steps here.
And thanks for the 3.7 recommendation
In reply to Windows seems to be playing… by Jediblase1
I would uninstall all versions of MS, purge the registry of MS then install your preferred MS. Something has glitched: possibly Windows or possibly the MS4 uninstall.
But you could try a re-install of 3.6.2 first as it's less drastic.
In case you are not familiar with the Windows Registry see:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/performan…
Note that MS3 Evolution can open MS4 files.
See https://github.com/Jojo-Schmitz/MuseScore/wiki/
I have the same problem. I have installed on Windows both MS3 and MS4 and want to have mscz / mscx files by default opened in MS3.
The problem is NOT problem of Windows but malicious practice of the MS4 installer!
I am afraid it's not coincidence, it's not bug it's on purpose.
In reply to I have the same problem. I… by vlavasa
"The problem is NOT problem of Windows but malicious practice of the MS4 installer!"
I don't think it's either of those. MuseScore Studio quite correctly assumes that the default application should be the latest version of MuseScore which is installed on your computer.
I have both Mu3 and Mu4 installed on Windows 10, but the standard MuseScore file types (.mscz, .mscx, .mxl, musicxml, .midi etc) mow all open by default as I have directed: in MuseScore 3.6.2 (not Mu 4.4.3).
It should simply be a question of changing the file associations in Windows to your preferred MuseScore version. Search in the Windows taskbar for Apps & features:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/change-default-apps-in-wind…
In reply to "The problem is NOT problem… by DanielR
Hallo,
as is described before, all standard ways to change files association back to MS3 realy doesn't work.
I try it on two independent Windows 10 machines.
Only way is manual editation of Windows registry!
So the situation is, that after instalation MS4, the MS4 installer is making such changes in Win 10 system that prevent users from changing the file association back to MS3 in any official way. And these erroneous system changes remain even after uninstalling MS4.
It is realy bug or intentional malicious behavior of MS4 the application installer.
NOTE: I installed MS4 via MuseHub, may be problem can be associated with it.
In reply to Hallo, as is described… by vlavasa
Report it on GitHub if it's not already logged.
In reply to Report it on GitHub if it's… by yonah_ag
Mu3 won't get fixes, so reporting on GitHub won't help, or would it?
In reply to I have the same problem. I… by vlavasa
Of course it's on purpose and it's not unreasonable - and definitely not malicious. If you don't want MS4 to be the default associated with MuseScore files then simply change your defaults back to MS3 by following the advice in this thread.
In reply to Of course it's on purpose… by yonah_ag
Simply changing defaults back is realy not working. Only manually clearing of registry!
In reply to Simply changing defaults… by vlavasa
A bit odd but still a solution.
In reply to Simply changing defaults… by vlavasa
There is no windows API that musescore 4 could use to say "it's me and don't allow the user to change it"
So if the regular "open with" "always use this program" didn't work to reassign musescore 3, I highly suspect a corrupted registry rather than intentional action from musescore 4.
Anyway glad you could solve it by cleaning the registry.
>> "deleting the remaining registry files"
Just so I'm totally clear - do you mean deleting all Musescore-related entries in the system registry ? (as several have suggested below)
Or actually files ???
In reply to >> "deleting the remaining… by BanjoJake
If you manage to delete all registry files then you will render your computer dead.
This will only be registry entries but it would then make sense to delete all related MuseScore 4 files and folder using Windows Explorer. There are probably entries in more than 1 registry hive.