Mac OS X: Clearing the Finder "Open With" contextual menu

Ever wondered how to "clear" the Finder's Open With... contextual menu choices of any extraneous or older applications? (This is the menu that appears when you control-click or "right-click" a document icon.)

If your Open With... menu is filled with too many choices to easily scroll through, you can remove the less-commonly used choices. These steps will clear the list except for the most current applications that can open your document.

  1. From the Finder Go menu, choose Home.
  2. Open the Library folder in the Home window.
  3. Open the Preferences folder.
  4. Find com.apple.LaunchServices.plist.
  5. Rename "com.apple.LaunchServices", such as to "com.apple.LaunchServices.old", or move it to the Trash.

The next time you use the Open With.... contextual menu in the Finder, only current applications will be listed. Some items may return if the application that controls them adds itself back to the list.

Published Date: Feb 20, 2012