When you double-click a file on your computer, Windows will choose to open that file in whichever program is currently set as the default option for the file type. For files with the .doc or .docx file type, as well as some other text file types, this is often Microsoft Word.
However, if you have another word processing application on your computer, you may prefer to open those files in that program instead. Unfortunately this means that Word will prompt you to set it as the default program whenever you are editing in Word 2013, which is behavior that you might like to stop. Our guide below will show you how to disable this default program nag.
How to Get Word 2013 to Stop Asking You to Set the Default Program
The steps in this guide are going to turn off the pop-up window that appears where Microsoft Word 2013 asks you to set it as the default program for opening compatible file types. This assumes that you do not want Word to be the default program. Otherwise the nag should stop if you elect to set Word as the default.
Step 1: Open Word 2013.
Step 2: Click the File tab at the top-left of the window.
Step 3: Click Options at the bottom of the column on the left side of the window.
Step 4: Uncheck the box to the left of the Tell me if Microsoft Word isn’t the default program for viewing and editing documents option in the Start up options section of this menu. Click the OK button at the bottom of the window when you’re done.
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Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.