How do I set the default program?

How do I set the default program that I use?

I have tried to open System Info → Default Program → change my program, but it won't work,

Any idea? Or should I use Terminal?

I want to replace the default movie player with VLC media player, because the current movie player is useless to me.

Solution 1:

There's yet another GUI solution, which might come handy for you ;)

Try opening the properties (right click -> Properties) of the file type you want to be always played by VLC.

Choose the Open with tab and either choose from a list or add one (by choosing from an extended program list or simply typing vlc as the command)

EDIT:

... and click on Set as default

Solution 2:

If you're really desperate, just manually edit the file ~/.config/mimeapps.list.

format:

application/TYPE=LAUNCHER.desktop

Just add this under the [Default Applications] section if you want it to be default, or under [Added Associations] if it shouldn't be default.

Some programs still use the now deprecated ~/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list, however, best is to make that a symlink to ~/.config/mimeapps.list to have a single config for this:

$ cat ~/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list >> ~/.config/mimeapps.list
$ rm ~/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list
$ ln -s ~/.config/mimeapps.list  ~/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list

Solution 3:

1. Choice number one: Open a terminal where your file is and do the following command.

   mimeopen -d your_video.avi
   

   There is the output:

   Please choose a default application for files of type application/x-ms-dos-executable
   1) vlc
   2) ...
   3) Other...
   

   Use application #3
   Use command: vlc %f

   Press 1 if you see vlc, if not, chose the Other solution (3 in that case). Then type the name of your application followed by %f.

2. Choice 2: Generic way

   mimeopen .avi
   

   And then do the step above.