Windows 7 - Excel - Default Program

[Elle__]

Hi. I bought a new computer with Excel 2016 installed. I have two older versions that I use so I never bothered opening 2016. One day I accidentally did, and now my settings are screwed up. Normally you just Right Click > Properties > Change, then find the program file you want to use. Since I have two versions of Excel, and they both appear as Microsoft Excel when trying to change the program, there are problems. The typical files .xls open with the correct version, but .xlsx aren't. I've tried what feels like hundreds of times trying to change the program, even selecting Notepad as what to use, then switching back, but nothing. Still opening with the wrong [older] version, thus everything looks like jibberish.

I have made sure to go into Properties when selecting Excel as the program, then Details, where it lists the version I want, but.. I've even tried going through Default Programs > Set Associations, in Control Panel, but that's just a fancier way of changing the default program compared to Folder > Right Click on file > Properties > Change

Thank you

 

[Elle__]

Part of the problem was when going in to Programs and Features in the Control Panel, the older version allowed for repairs [after uninstalling 2016 [something I should have done before I started installing other programs], but the newer version didn't. I decided to click on Change, at which a program pop-up appeared asking if I wanted to make repairs. So I did, restarted the computer, and voila. Now two versions appear when trying to change which program to use, each with a different icon.

A live and learn sort of thing. It seems like all is now well for the most part.