This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

When I try to download a .docx or .xlsx file, firefox recognizes it as a Chrome HTML Document. How do I change that?

  • 3 replies
  • 19 have this problem
  • 4 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

feliciabeth
feliciabeth
more options

My firefox doesn't recognize .docx or .xlsx files. They both come up as the same thing -- a Chrome HTML document. Since it isn't recognized, neither Word nor Excel are drop down options as programs to use to open the file. I have to manually browse and find either Word or Excel each time. If I keep opening excel docs, its ok because the Chrome file "remembers" excel, but if I then open a .docx file, I have to go in a search for Word again. When I go to options to change how an application is opened, its the same thing. I can't find a way to make firefox recognize .docx and .xlsx files as anything but a webpage let alone 2 different types of files. Can I manually add those as features? I tried using add-ons but that didn't work either.

My firefox doesn't recognize .docx or .xlsx files. They both come up as the same thing -- a Chrome HTML document. Since it isn't recognized, neither Word nor Excel are drop down options as programs to use to open the file. I have to manually browse and find either Word or Excel each time. If I keep opening excel docs, its ok because the Chrome file "remembers" excel, but if I then open a .docx file, I have to go in a search for Word again. When I go to options to change how an application is opened, its the same thing. I can't find a way to make firefox recognize .docx and .xlsx files as anything but a webpage let alone 2 different types of files. Can I manually add those as features? I tried using add-ons but that didn't work either.

All Replies (3)

alex_mayorga
alex_mayorga
  • Moderator
more options

Applications panel - Set how Firefox handles different types of files

feliciabeth
feliciabeth Question owner
more options

Thanks Alex, but sadly I already tried that. Neither .docx or .xlsx files show up in the content list. They both show as a Chrome HTML document so changing how Firefox addresses those doesn't help since it thinks its the same type of file. I don't think I can manually add files into the "Content Type" left side nav.

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Which application opens when you double-click such a docx file in Windows Explorer?

You can delete the mimeTypes.rdf file in the Firefox profile folder to reset all file actions.

Modified by cor-el