Set File Type Associations

When working with Parallels Desktop, you may need to open a macOS file in some Windows application or a Windows file in some macOS app. If you often need to do so, change the file association for the file.

Associate macOS files with a Windows application

To make some type of macOS files always open in a Windows application, do the following:

1. Right-click a macOS file in Finder, point to Open with and click Other.
2. Navigate to Macintosh HD > Users > <user name> > Applications (Parallels) and open the required virtual machine folder.
3. Select a Windows application you want and click Open.
4. Parallels Desktop shows a macOS notification asking whether you want to make the application default for this type of files. Click Make. Now all files of this type will open in the selected Windows application.

You can also make some type of macOS files always open in a Windows application the following way:

1. Right-click a macOS file and choose Get Info.
2. In the Open with section, click the Open with menu and choose Other.
3. Navigate to Macintosh HD > Users > <user name> > Applications (Parallels) and open the required virtual machine folder.
4. Select a Windows application you want, choose Always Open With and click Add.
5. Click Change All and close the file info menu. Now all files of this type will open in the selected Windows application.

Associate Windows files with a macOS application

For Windows 10:

To make some type of Windows files always open in a macOS application, do the following:

1. Right-click a Windows file and choose Open with > Choose another app.
2. Select the macOS application you want to use with that type of file and make sure Always use this app to open <file_extension> files is selected. Now all files of this type will open in the selected macOS application.

For Windows 8 and Windows 7:

To make some type of Windows files always open in a macOS application, do the following:

1. Right-click a Windows file and choose Open with > Choose default application.
2. Select the macOS application you want to use with that type of file and make sure Use this app for all <file_extension> files is selected. Now all files of this type will open in the selected macOS application.