- Customization #1: Change the Desktop Theme
- Customization #2: Create a Desktop Slideshow
- Customization #3: Move the Taskbar
- Customization #4: Add Programs and Documents to the Taskbar
- Customization #5: Personalize the Start Menu
- Customization #6: Change What the Power Button Does
- Customization #7: Add Gadgets to the Desktop
- Customization #8: Change Windows 7's Default Programs
- Customization #9: Remove Auto-Loading Programs
- Customization #10: Remove Unnecessary Windows Components
Customization #8: Change Windows 7's Default Programs
One of the nice changes in Windows 7 is that you're no longer tied down to Microsoft's default programs, such as Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player. If you want to use another program for specific operations, it's easy to change what launches automatically.
Here's how to do it:
- Open the Windows Start menu and select Default Programs.
- When the Default Programs window appears, click Set Program Access and Computer Defaults.
- When the Set Program Access and Computer Defaults window opens, as shown in Figure 6, click the down arrow to expand the Custom section.
- For each operation listed, check the program you want to use as the default application.
- Click the OK button when done.
Figure 6 Changing program defaults
Remember that you can set a program as your default only if you have it installed on your computer. So, for example, if you want to switch from Internet Explorer to Mozilla Firefox, you first have to download and install Firefox on your PC.