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To make Word, Excel, or PowerPoint open files by default on a Mac, change the file’s association in Finder: select a file, choose File > Get Info, set the app under Open with, then click Change All. Repeat for each file type you want to associate. This changes which app opens the file; it does not change its format or how Office saves new files.
Set a default app for a file type
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In Finder, locate a sample file of the type you want to change—for example, a
.docxdocument.As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Select the file and choose File > Get Info. You can also Control-click the file and choose Get Info.
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In the Info window, expand Open with.
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Choose the matching app: Microsoft Word for a Word document, Microsoft Excel for a workbook, or Microsoft PowerPoint for a presentation.
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Click Change All to use that app for all files of the selected type. Confirm if macOS asks.
Apple’s instructions are for changing the default across files of that type; don’t click Change All if you only want the selected file to open in a different app (Apple Support: Choose an app to open a file on Mac).
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Repeat for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats
The change applies to the selected file type, not every Office file. Use a representative file for each format you want to set. Common Office file extensions are .docx for Word, .xlsx for Excel, and .pptx for PowerPoint (Microsoft Support: Save a file in Office for Mac). If your files use other extensions, repeat the process with a file in each relevant type.
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For Word documents, select a
.docxfile, choose Microsoft Word, and click Change All.Rank #3
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For Excel workbooks, select a
.xlsxfile, choose Microsoft Excel, and click Change All. -
For PowerPoint presentations, select a
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Choose between a one-time opening and a default
Use Finder’s Open With command when you want to open one file in a different app without changing the default. Control-click the file and choose Open With, drag the file onto an app icon, or open the app and choose File > Open. By contrast, Change All updates the association for that file type (Apple Support).
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The Finder association tells macOS which app to launch when you open a file of that type. It does not rename or convert existing files, and it does not change the format Office uses when saving new files. Office’s save-format preference is a separate setting documented by Microsoft (Save a file in Office for Mac).
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If the Office app is missing or the file will not open
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If the app does not appear under Open with, confirm that it is installed and available on the Mac. The documented steps do not specify a separate method for forcing an app into the list.
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If the selected app cannot open the file, changing the association will not repair the file or make an incompatible format readable. Apple notes that a file may be damaged or unrecognized by the app; try opening it with another app (Apple Support).
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Menu wording or placement can vary with macOS version. If the labels differ, look for the selected file’s Info window and its Open with control.
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