How to Make IDLE the Default Editor for Python Files on Windows

See Python: Tips and Tricks for similar articles.

Want to be able to open files in IDLE on Windows by double-clicking on them? You need to make IDLE the default editor for Python files. Here is how:

  1. Open a folder that contains a Python file.
  2. Right-click on any Python file.
  3. Select Properties.
  4. Next to the section that says “Opens with”, click the Change button.Change opens with button
  5. You may need to select More Apps.More Apps
  6. Click on Look for another app on this PC.Look for another app on this PC
  7. Navigate to where you installed Python. For me, that’s the Python35 folder on the C drive.
  8. Open Lib
  9. Open idlelib
  10. Select the idle.bat file.
  11. Click Open.
  12. Click OK to close out of Properties.
  13. Now you can open .py files in IDLE simply by double-clicking on them.Opens with IDLE

Written by Nat Dunn. Follow Nat on Twitter.

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