How to Set the Default Apps Using Intune (Windows)

SUMMARY:

Using Intune and a configuration profile, you can control which applications open as the default for specific file types and protocols on all your Windows devices.

For example, with Intune, you can set Google Chrome as the default browser or Adobe Acrobat as the default PDF viewer.

Table of Contents

Step 1: Set the Default Applications on a Test Machine

Step 2: Export the Configuration

Step 3: Modify the App Association File

Step 4: Convert the XML to Base64

Step 5: Create the Configuration Profile

Deployment Steps

IMPORTANT:

For best results, use only one configuration profile for all application defaults. Having multiple configuration profiles for different apps may cause one or all to not work. Ensure to include all of the desired defaults apps when going through the steps below.

Step 1: Set the Default Applications on a Test Machine

To create this configuration profile, you must first create a "mock environment." Once you've set the desired application defaults on a test machine, you can export the configuration as an XML file. Later, we'll need this file to upload to Intune.

1. Ensure the applications you will set as the default are installed on the test machine.

2. Open the Settings app and navigate to Apps > Default Apps.

3. You can set the default apps via the common apps at the top of the page. You can also use the links at the bottom to set the default apps via the protocol, file type, or app itself.

Step 2: Export the Configuration

Once you've set the desired defaults, export the configuration, also known as the app association XML file. See the steps below:

1. Open an elevated Command Prompt window (right-click and select Run as Administrator).

2. Enter the following command (change the destination path as needed):

Dism /Online /Export-DefaultAppAssociations:"C:\AppAssociations.xml"

Step 3: Modify the App Association File

Once you've created the app association file, open it to view its contents. Listed are all the application default settings; remove any that you do not want to deploy using Intune. The only application default settings left should be the ones you want to deploy using Intune.

In the example below, the green box indicates the protocol or file type; the red box shows which application is set as the default for that protocol/file type.

Remember to remove all entries except for the ones you want to deploy. Save the file once done.

Step 4: Convert the XML to Base64

Before uploading the content to Intune, we must convert it to Base64.

1. Open the XML file and copy its contents.

2. Convert the copied contents to Base64 using a tool similar to the ones below:

3. https://codebeautify.org/xml-to-base64-converter

4. https://www.base64encode.org/

In the example below, I used Code Beautify to convert the contents of my App Associations XML file to Base64. I then clicked the "copy" button; I will need the Bae64 content for the next step.

Step 5: Create the Configuration Profile

• Open the Intune Portal.

• Select Devices > Windows > Configuration.

• Select + Create and then select + New Policy

  • Platform: Windows 10 and later

  • Profile Type: Settings Catalog

• Select Create.

• Name the deployment and optionally provide a description.

• Select + Add Settings

• Type Application Defaults in the search bar and hit Enter.

• Select Application Defaults from the results.

• Select the checkbox next to Default Associations Configuration

• Select the X in the top right corner to close the settings picker.

• Copy the Base64 converted text from Step 4, and paste it into the text box next to Default Associations Configuration.

• Select Next.

• Optionally add scope tags.

• Add the appropriate assignment.

• Review + Create!

NOTE:

The default apps configuration profile won't take effect on the devices until they have been rebooted.

Cover Picture provided by Freepik