How to Restore Office File Associations

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Microsoft Office files can be quickly re-associated with the proper application using the Run command.

Microsoft Windows comes equipped with the ability to associate data files. These file associations are stored in the Windows Registry, which is a database of programs and the file types that they may be used to open. All files that can be opened using Microsoft Office applications are automatically associated with the proper office program when you install Microsoft Office. If you'd like to re-associate Office files with the proper Office program, then you only need to issue a few simple run commands.

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Step 1

Click on the Start button and choose Run. Type the following in the run command box and press the Enter key: "winword /regserver". Doing so will start the Microsoft Word application and automatically re-associate all word processing file types with the Word program.

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Step 2

Click on the Start button and choose Run. Type the following in the run command box and press the Enter key: "excel /regserver". This will start the Microsoft Excel application and will associate all spreadsheet data file types with the Excel program.

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Step 3

Click on the Start button and choose Run. Type the following in the run command box and press the Enter key: "powerpnt /regserver". This will start the Microsoft Powerpoint application and will associate all Powerpoint presentation files with the Powerpoint program.

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Step 4

Click on the Start button and choose Run. Type the following in the run command box and press the Enter key: "msaccess /regserver". The Microsoft Access application will start and it will associate all appropriate database file types with the Access program.

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