220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question
A user reports that double-clicking a .jpg file opens Notepad instead of the Photos app. The technician wants to restore the default file association for .jpg files. Which tool in Windows 10 should the technician use?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse the 'Opens with' context menu option (which sets a one-time override) with the proper default apps interface, or they mistakenly believe the legacy Control Panel applet is still the authoritative tool for file associations in Windows 10.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Settings > Apps > Default apps > Choose default apps by file type
The correct tool in Windows 10 to restore the default file association for .jpg files is Settings > Apps > Default apps > Choose default apps by file type. This interface allows the technician to search for the .jpg extension and reassign it to the Photos app, directly modifying the user's file association registry entries without requiring administrative elevation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
File Explorer > Right-click file > Properties > Opens with
Why it's wrong here
Using File Explorer > Properties > Opens with lets you choose an app and optionally select "Always use this app," but it modifies only the per-user association stored in HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.jpg\UserChoice. This approach lacks the system-wide, policy-aware handling of the Settings app, can be overridden by newer defaults, and may not reliably list all registered applications. For a clean, supported fix, the Settings Default apps page is the appropriate tool.
- ✓
Settings > Apps > Default apps > Choose default apps by file type
Why this is correct
The Settings > Apps > Default apps > "Choose default apps by file type" page is the supported Windows 10/11 interface for controlling file associations. It queries the registered handlers for every extension, including modern UWP and packaged apps, and applies the default by writing the correct UserChoice registry entry with the proper hash. This method works uniformly for image files like .jpg, respects system integrity, and is the standard way to restore the Photos app as the default.
- ✗
Control Panel > Default Programs > Set Associations
Why it's wrong here
The legacy Control Panel > Default Programs > Set Associations utility still exists in Windows, but it is deprecated and increasingly unreliable because it relies on older ProgID registration methods rather than the modern UserChoice hash mechanism. It often fails to show Microsoft Store or packaged apps that can be default handlers, and on many Windows 10/11 builds the item simply redirects to Settings. Attempting to use it for .jpg may leave the association unchanged or set incompletely.
- ✗
DISM command to repair Windows image
Why it's wrong here
DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) is a command-line tool designed to repair and service the Windows system image, such as using /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to fix component store corruption. A file association problem is a per-user settings issue stored in the registry, not an OS image fault, so running DISM will not remap .jpg files to Photos. Using this tool here would waste time and resources while failing to address the actual configuration problem.
Go deeper
Related to this question
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macOS System Preferences and Settings
Key term
File association
File association is the operating system configuration that links a specific file type or extension to a default program that can open, edit, or execute that file.
Key term
Windows
Windows is a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft that manages computer hardware and software, providing a graphical user interface for users to interact with their devices.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1102 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1102 exam.