How to modify Windows Vista/7 AutoPlay settings

Posted Date: 11-Aug-2010		Category: Microsoft Windows
Author: D.Jeya Kumar(JK)	Member Level: Diamond
Rating:	Points: 30 (Rs 25)

This article explains how to modify the Autoplay setting in Windows Vista and Windows 7, by modifying the Autoplay settings you can change the default behavior of the media type to open the media in respective software

How to modify Windows Vista/7 AutoPlay settings

Windows autorun settings can be set to default action for various media and devices. Each time when you attach a new device it will show a pop up window with choice to open the attached device. You can set a default action for each of the media and devices that are plugged in to your system. Windows operating system has done the default settings for the devices and the file types that are in the device which can be set to Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Windows automatically detects the type of files in the attached USB, CD/DVD or other devices. From Windows XP the Autoplay software is enhanced to support the digital media like music CD, movie CD/DVD, graphics files, Camera and other device that are connected to Windows operating system.

Autoplay settings can be changed in order to avoid selecting the action which is required when you connect a device to the system. You can also restrict by selecting no action will not open the attached device automatically. CD/DVD with files and other software's should not be allowed to Autoplay as it might have some malicious software or virus which may affect your computer.

Media with audio or video media can be opened directly with the respective application and Windows 7 also restricted the Autoplay mode to audio and video files and it will not allow opening the other files as it might harm the computer. Patches are available for the other operating system to restrict Autoplay.

In order to modify the settings of AutoPlay open the control panel and open the AutoPlay otherwise click the Windows startup menu and type AutoPlay in the Windows search hit enter to open the AutoPlay Window (Check the below screenshot).

Windows Vista Autoplay

Once the Autoplay Window is opened then you can select the various options for each media type listed. For each media type the list of options will differ depends on the applications supported to open the devices or media file. By default no option is selected and for all the Media type Take no action, Ask me every time or Open folder to view files using
Windows Explorer will be available as a common action.

By default all the media types will be shown as "Choose a default" and you can choose the various options from the dropdown box for each media type. Finally you can save the modified change using "Save" button. To restore all the media type back to default by choosing "Reset all defaults" button

For each type of media you can select an option from the dropdown, for the software and games select Take no action or Ask me every time as it is a software program that might have virus or malicious code that will infect your computer

Windows Autoplay settings

For Audio files there are various options which we can choose the best available software from the list, for the mixed contents choose Take no action or Ask me every time.

Once configured then automatically it will open the video or audio files in the selected video software will reduce your job

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