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.

Note: This functionality is available only for Windows XP and later versions with Parallels Tools installed .

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.
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