Strange open with list (inconsistent with registry)

Look at my open with list:

And look at my settings for HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.txt\OpenWithList in the registry:

I don't get why my open with menu looks so different. Can you explain?

Solution 1:

I also encounter this problem and compared the applications visible with the one invisible.

It turns out that the main reason for an application to become invisible in the open with menu is that it does not contain ApplicationCompany entry in the file information within the exe file.

This information is copied into the registry to the folder Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\MuiCache.

In your example the entry for sublime_text.exe is set as the second entry but it is missing in the open with menu.

You should check the registry key mentioned above. There have be two REG_SZ entries for a visible app:

• One that ends with .FriendlyAppName
• One that ends with .ApplicationCompany

Example:

• C:\Program Files\Sublime Text 2\sublime_text.exe.FriendlyAppName
• C:\Program Files\Sublime Text 2\sublime_text.exe.ApplicationCompany

In my case the second entry was missing which caused the application to be not shown in the open with menu. If it missing just create and empty REG_SZ entry of that name and check the open with menu - it should be visible now.

Edit: Unfortunately Windows 10 seems to update this table regularly, removing manually added entries. Therefore adding the necessary entries only fixes the problem a certain time.

Tested with Windows 10 version 17.04 and 17.09