User profile for user: redknox
redknox Author
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iMac (Sonoma 14.4) won't save default apps for video, .7z

My iMac (Sonoma 14.4) refuses to change default video app to VLC. Instead it reverts to Books as the default. When I click a video to open, Books is the default app but Quicktime opens the vid. Very weird!!

I make mp4s and most are on a portable hard drive. I thought this might be a problem, so I ensured VLC remained on the iMac hard drive, moved some videos to the Desktop, and tried to change the default to VLC, but same problem.

This also occurs with .7z files. I use Unarchiver, but again the iMac refuses to change the default app to Unarchiver, instead defaulting to Archive Utility.

I bought Power Suite to hopefully resolve the issue, but it doesn't.

Any suggestions? I have a feeling I may need to update Sonoma or get the latest OS update, but maybe one of you Mac lovers has a fix? Thanks in advance for your help.

iMac 27″, macOS 14.4

Posted on Dec 14, 2025 3:42 PM

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User profile for user: Urquhart1244
Urquhart1244
User level: Level 10
146,256 points

Posted on Jan 1, 2026 2:57 AM

I've done this many times. It doesn't change the default.

Be sure to also hit the ‘Change All’ button, to have the new setting be applied to all documents with the same suffix, instead of only the current document for which Get Info was asked.


Any suggestions?

A tool like Onyx allows admin users to selectively rebuild from a nice GUI the Launch Services database, which is designed to keep track of which document should be opened with which app (i.e. default for double-clicking).

Onyx has many functions, but this is for just one of those. Try not doing more Onyx functions at this time, to avoid making the cause–effect relation hazy. The app will ask for several extended permissions, to be able to do various tasks. The rebuild task at hand includes a restart, so don’t be alarmed when your screen goes black as part of it.

Onyx has separate versions for each major macOS version. In this case, follow their recommendation, instead of blindly grabbing the latest version. E.g. get OnyX 4.6.2 for macOS 14.x Sonoma.


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User profile for user: Urquhart1244
Urquhart1244
User level: Level 10
146,256 points

Jan 1, 2026 2:57 AM in response to redknox

I've done this many times. It doesn't change the default.

Be sure to also hit the ‘Change All’ button, to have the new setting be applied to all documents with the same suffix, instead of only the current document for which Get Info was asked.


Any suggestions?

A tool like Onyx allows admin users to selectively rebuild from a nice GUI the Launch Services database, which is designed to keep track of which document should be opened with which app (i.e. default for double-clicking).

Onyx has many functions, but this is for just one of those. Try not doing more Onyx functions at this time, to avoid making the cause–effect relation hazy. The app will ask for several extended permissions, to be able to do various tasks. The rebuild task at hand includes a restart, so don’t be alarmed when your screen goes black as part of it.

Onyx has separate versions for each major macOS version. In this case, follow their recommendation, instead of blindly grabbing the latest version. E.g. get OnyX 4.6.2 for macOS 14.x Sonoma.


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iMac (Sonoma 14.4) won't save default apps for video, .7z

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