OpenWith Enhanced

If you are not satisfied with a certain file association, you can access the Open With dialog and choose a different application. Unfortunately, Windows does not provide you with accurate information when you try to open a file with another application. It displays a large stack of programs and you may end up trying to open an image with a BitTorrent client. OpenWith Enhanced comes with a series of improvements for the standard Open With dialog. Besides showing you a number of installed applications, it will let you know which ones are popular or not. Furthermore, it displays applications that are not installed on your computer, which you may download and use, to open specific file types.

OpenWith Enhanced can be installed almost instantly, on Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8. You don't have to install any prerequisite tools and you will not sacrifice too many resources while running this application.

As the software's name suggests, it enhances the traditional Open With dialog, on which you can decide to open specific file types with different applications. This means that OpenWith Enhanced does not include an interface of its own, but it adds new options and menus on the aforementioned dialog.

The enhanced Open With dialog can be accessed the same way as the original. The recommended program group includes applications that are installed on your computer, as well as applications which are not installed. Instead of recommending programs from your own computer, OpenWith Enhanced will recommend popular applications, which can be found on the Internet. The listed items are color coded, making it easier to spot programs that are installed or not.

If you select an application which is not installed, OpenWith Enhanced will bring up a download page, on your default browser, where you can find and download the selected application. Additionally, you can choose to remove a file's association or manage the items in its "Open With..." menu. It is possible to change the way OpenWith Enhanced color codes applications and set it to handle partial extensions of your choice. You can also switch from the traditional tiles view mode, on the Open With dialog, to a report view.