Set as Default Version in PowerPoint 2016 for Windows

At times, you may want to change your default version of PowerPoint. This decision can be important for you if you have multiple versions of PowerPoint installed on your system. Typically the last version installed is the default version, but there are other ways to change the defaults, and all of them do not work all the time! Let us explore some options if you want to set PowerPoint 2016 as your default version:

1. Firstly, you can modify the default version by right-clicking any PowerPoint file. Then choose the Open with option in the resultant contextual menu, as shown highlighted in red within in Figure 1. You may also see a submenu when you click the Open with option. In the submenu, choose the Choose Default program option.
2. 
   Figure 1: Open with option lets you choose the default PowerPoint version
3. Either of these actions will bring up a dialog box similar to what you see in Figure 2, below. Note that the dialog box you bring up may differ based upon the version of Microsoft Windows you are using but the options will still be similar.
4. 
   Figure 2: Choose a recommended program or browse
5. You can choose from these options, as shown in Figure 2, above:
6. Keep using this app: Lets you continue using the app selected. If this is what you want to do, then you need not do anything.
7. Look for an app in the Store: Windows 8 and 10 users will be able to look for an app in the Windows Store. This option is not available for Windows 7 users.
8. More apps: Lets you select from a list of installed apps on your system, as shown in Figure 3, below. Having said so, don’t count on all your apps showing up here!
9. If you choose the More Apps option, you can choose from one of the expanded program options, as shown in Figure 3, below. You can also click the Look for another app on this PC option (highlighted in red within Figure 3) to navigate your computer, and choose the PowerPoint version that you want to launch when you double-click a PowerPoint file.
10. 
    Figure 3: Look for another app
2. You can change the default version by peeking inside your Registry. Here is a link to a post called Register the Default Version of PowerPoint. Remember that anything to do with the Registry requires caution; it is good to have a backup of your complete system in place, just in case.
3. You can bring up the list of programs on your computer by typing appwiz.cpl in the Run dialog box, and then hitting the Enter key. Once you select the version of Microsoft Office you want to be the default, you will find an option called Change (highlighted in red within Figure 4). Click the Change option.
4. 
   Figure 4: Change option to be selected
5. This will bring up the window that you can see in Figure 5, below. Here select the Repair button that you can see highlighted in red within Figure 5.
6. 
   Figure 5: How would you like to repair your Office programs?
7. This repairs the installation and also sets the selected version as the default one.
4. This one is probably the easiest way. If you want to make PowerPoint 2016 the default version, just launch Word 2016. Word might take a while to launch, and then you can close Word. PowerPoint 2016 now automatically becomes the default version. This trick has also worked with PowerPoint 2013, 2010, and 2007.