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To make Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint open files by default on a Mac, change the file association in Finder: select a file, choose File > Get Info, set the app under Open with, then click Change All. Repeat for each file type you want to associate.
Set the default app for a file type
- In Finder, locate a representative file—for example, a Word document, Excel workbook, or PowerPoint presentation.
- Select the file, then choose File > Get Info. You can also Control-click the file and choose Get Info.
- In the Info window, expand Open with.
- Choose the matching app: Microsoft Word for a Word document, Microsoft Excel for a workbook, or Microsoft PowerPoint for a presentation.
- Click Change All to use that app for files of the same type.
- Repeat these steps for each file type you want to change.
Common Office formats are .docx for Word, .xlsx for Excel, and .pptx for PowerPoint. A document saved in another format may have a different extension, so set the association for each type you use. Microsoft’s Office for Mac guidance describes these formats and save options.
Choose between opening once and changing the default
| Finder action | Scope | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Open With | The selected file | Opens that file with the app you choose; it does not change the default for all files of that type. |
| Get Info > Open with > Change All | Files of the selected type | Changes the app macOS uses by default for that file type. |
For a one-time choice, Control-click a file and choose Open With, drag the file onto an app icon, or open the app and choose File > Open. Apple cautions: “Don’t click Change All if you only want the specific file you selected to open with that app.” Apple’s instructions for choosing an app to open a file cover both options.
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What this setting changes—and what it does not
The Finder association determines which app macOS launches when you open a file of that type. It does not change the file’s extension, convert the file, or set the format Office uses when saving new documents. Those save-format preferences are configured separately in Office; see Microsoft’s Office for Mac save guidance.
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If Word, Excel, or PowerPoint is unavailable
- If the app is missing from the Open with list, check that it is installed and available on your Mac. The documented Finder instructions do not specify additional steps for forcing an app into the list.
- If the selected app cannot open the file, changing the association will not repair its contents or make an unsupported format compatible. Apple notes that a file may be damaged or unrecognized by the app; try opening it with another app.
- Menu labels can vary across macOS releases. If the steps differ, check the Finder controls available on your installed version.
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