Sometimes when you download a file from the Internet, a File Download dialog box appears asking if you want to open the file or save the file to disk. This dialog has a checkbox to “Always ask before opening this file type.” If you do not want to see the File Download dialog when uploading a file, you can clear this check box.
However, if you clear this check box, the next time you upload a file, it will be automatically downloaded, and then the action you last selected in the File Download dialog box (open or save) will be automatically performed. Since the File Download dialog is no longer displayed, you cannot select the Always ask before opening this file type check box.
Windows XP has an easy way to check this box again. In Windows 7 and Vista, it is no longer possible to reset or change this behavior using the regular graphical interface. You must use Registry Editing to change the setting. We will show you both methods.
Windows XP
To select the Always ask before opening this file type check box in the File Download dialog box in Windows XP, open My Computer or Windows Explorer and choose Folder Options from the Tools menu. You can also access the folder options in the control panel.
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The Folder Options dialog box appears. Click the File Types tab. Find the file type in the list of registered file types for which you want to revert to the default file download mode (the File Download dialog box will be displayed for the selected file type). Click the Advanced button.
NOTE. You must be logged into an account with administrator privileges to make any changes on this tab. The New, Delete, Edit, and Advanced buttons are not available for restricted user accounts.
The Change File Type dialog box appears. Select the Confirm Open After Boot check box to have a NO check box. Click OK.
You will be returned to the Folder Options dialog box. Click “Close” to close it.
Windows 7 and Vista
In Windows 7 and Vista, you need to remove some value data items from a specific key to re-select the Always ask before opening this type of file check box.
NOTE. We recommend that you back up the registry before making any changes to it. See the next post for help with backing up the registry.
- How to back up and restore the Windows registry
To open Registry Editor, open the Start menu and type “regedit†(without the quotes) in the Search for programs and files box. Click the regedit.exe link that appears in the results, or press Enter if the regedit.exe link is highlighted automatically.
If the User Account Control dialog box appears, click Yes to continue.
NOTE. This dialog box may not appear depending on the User Account Control settings. For more information see our post Windows – How to set up UAC (User Account Control)
The Registry Editor will open. Navigate to the next key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER Software Microsoft Windows Shell AttachmentExecute
Under the AttachmentExecute key there will be at least one key with a long string of numbers. The key in the image below, {FF55E06F-EB92-4CF5-AE8C-35F4B839C7CB}, was added because we unchecked the “Always ask before opening this file type” checkbox in the File Download dialog when uploading a file in Apple Safari. browser.
If you disabled the Always ask before opening this file type check box in the File Download dialog when uploading a file in Internet Explorer, you will see {0002DF01-0000-0000-C000-000000000046} as a key under the AttachmentExecute key.
Select one of the keys under the AttachmentExecute key. The right pane contains the (default) value plus values ??for each of the file types for which you have cleared the Always ask before opening this file type check box.
Right-click the file type (elg., .Zip) for which you want to re-select the Always ask before opening this file type check box and choose Delete from the pop-up menu. This sets the File Download dialog box and the Always ask before opening this file type check box to their default values ??when downloading files of the type you have deleted.
The “Confirm Deleting Value” dialog box appears to verify that you really want to delete the value permanently. Click Yes.
Close Registry Editor by choosing Exit from the File menu.
Now that you can reset this setting in the File Download dialog box, you don’t have to worry about turning it off. Turning on again is pretty simple. Enjoy!
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