Windows – Set default application for file extension

adobegroup-policywindowswindows-server-2012-r2

I try to set the default application for .pdf files depending on the users group with a GPO. We have Adobe Acrobat Reader DC and Adobe Acrobat DC installed on a Windows Server 2012 R2 terminal server. There's a group for each application.

My attempt to solve this with folder options failed.

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To set the default application via registry also failed. An unique hash is needed for each user and I don't know how to generate them.

Is there a simple solution for this problem?

Best Answer

To set the default association please export HCU\Softwares\Classes\ (pdf related classes after) (twice for each acrobat product)

You can by login to the TS and make sure of the association are ok and just export a .reg and clean it after. (to not import all the classes)

If the RSAT tool are installed on the terminal you could use the Group Policy mmc GPP Registry Wizard to directly make the GPP.

  • Please note that you need to be logged on to make the dump or editing the GPO, in the GPP registry wizard you can connect to a remote machine, but the HCU's branch is not selectable that way.

If you make a GPO, you can do a reg import file.reg in a login script pushed by GPO with a security's filter depending on the Acrobat you want them to use.

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