Downloaded files only open in VLC player

frag420 · 21-08-2014 9:36am #1

Hi,

Since yesterday for some strange reason anything I download goes into my download folder with a VLC media player file logo? When I try to open the files the options I get are for VLC player. This is happening for PDF, Zip, RAR etc. Trying to download a PDF file for a job presentation and it won't work!!!

Has anyone got any suggestions as to how I can get it back to normal?

Thanks

Alan B

ZENER · 21-08-2014 5:04pm

Someone has changed the default app for opening the files.

Right-click on a file and scroll to Get Info.

In the resulting window you will see the file info and which application is designated as the default for opening that file type. You can change the default app here but be sure to select the option to apply to all files of that type.

Not at my Mac at the moment so can't post a pic but you'll figure it out from there I'm sure

Ken

frag420 · 21-08-2014 5:20pm

It was sent to me as a zip/rar file via dropbox. So when I click on the file it jumps to my downloads on my dock. When I expand it out it has the VLC logo, can't right click to get info. Also the first time I tried it the Safari logo was on it!

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

frAg

ZENER · 21-08-2014 5:29pm

Open the downloads folder, locate the file with the VLC logo, Right-Click it or simply Select it and Press CMD + I to bring up the Info Pane. Are you sure the file is legit ? Do you know what the file is supposed to be: A photo, text document or an executable ? VLC defaults itself as the app to open a lot of odd filetypes. Unless you know what it's meant to be it will be difficult to help.

Ken

frag420 · 21-08-2014 6:23pm

Thanks Ken,

There is software in the file I need for a presentation. Its a win/rar file, what is the best application to open it?

thanks

frAg

ZENER · 21-08-2014 6:29pm

It depends on the file type. Can you tell us any more about it ? If it's a photo you can use Preview to open it ?

The info on the file should give the full name of it. For example a photo might be photo.jpg or photo.tiff etc. If it's a text document the Texedit should work. If it's a file type that was made in an application on a Windows machine there might be a viewer available for it.

What's the full name of the file ?

When you double click the .rar file the Mac should open it and leave the extracted file where the original file was.
Ken

frag420 · 21-08-2014 6:50pm

The file name is Microsoft Office 2011 14.0-2.rar

I have double clicked in dropbox and in downloads folder but nothing is happening!! Just tried it again and its going onto download folder but has the Safari logo now, not VLC!!

ZENER · 21-08-2014 6:58pm

While a file is downloading through Safari it will have it's icon until the download completes then it takes on its own icon. If you look in the Downloads folder there's probably a file in there with the name you gave above.

If it's actually Microsoft Office then you need to know if it's Microsoft Office for Mac. If it is then it will be a large file and probably a .dmg or a folder with the Office installer in it.

Have a look and see if there's anything like that in there.

If there's a .rar file then you can use this free expander from the Mac App Store.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rar-extractor-free/id646295438?mt=12

Ken

Downloaded files only open in VLC player

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