Join the AMA (Ask Me Anything) with the Firefox leadership team to celebrate Firefox 20th anniversary and discuss Firefox’s future on Mozilla Connect. Mark your calendar on Thursday, November 14, 18:00 - 20:00 UTC!

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.

MacOS keeps opening the old Pixelmator not Pixelmator Pro

  • 2 replies
  • 0 have this problem
  • 18 views
  • Last reply by Lanark

Lanark
Lanark
more options

When I download an image in Firefox and open it from the downloads folder it will always open in Pixelmator not Pixelmator Pro.

If I double click on an image file elsewhere they correctly open in Pro, but in Finder, the icons are for Pixelmator not Pixelmator Pro. This can be hidden if I turn on finder icon previews, but selecting Get Info always has the Pixelmator icon not the Pixelmator Pro one.

Im not sure if this is a macOS problem, a firefox issue or a Pixelmator bug but it seems to be related to the way the files are registered.

Things I have tried:

Changing file associations in firefox. Rebooting Changing the open-with properties in finder: Open all with Pixelmator Pro Reset the Local & User domains with lsregister lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain user -domain system -v

When I download an image in Firefox and open it from the downloads folder it will always open in Pixelmator not Pixelmator Pro. If I double click on an image file elsewhere they correctly open in Pro, but in Finder, the icons are for Pixelmator not Pixelmator Pro. This can be hidden if I turn on finder icon previews, but selecting Get Info always has the Pixelmator icon not the Pixelmator Pro one. Im not sure if this is a macOS problem, a firefox issue or a Pixelmator bug but it seems to be related to the way the files are registered. Things I have tried: Changing file associations in firefox. Rebooting Changing the open-with properties in finder: Open all with Pixelmator Pro Reset the Local & User domains with lsregister lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain user -domain system -v

Chosen solution

OK I think I found a fix.

I created and saved a .jpg file in Pixelmator Pro.

Open the file in Firefox using File, Open.

Save the file to the downloads folder.

Open the file by clicking on it in the downloads list - it correctly opens in Pixelmator Pro.

Now returning to the original website and saving another .jpg image, it correctly opens from the downloads list in Pixelmator Pro.

Im guessing Firefox just remembers the last graphics editor used and sticks to that even when the macOS file associations point to something different. Opening a file directly on the local file system should mean the files extended attributes take over and force a different choice of Editor application.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (2)

Lanark
Lanark Question owner
more options

The file association works fine when opening files in the mac finder.

It is only opening from the Firefox downloads list that it goes wrong.

Also if I download the same file in Google chrome and open it from the chrome downloads list that is also fine, so I think the problem must be in Firefox.

Lanark
Lanark Question owner
more options

Chosen Solution

OK I think I found a fix.

I created and saved a .jpg file in Pixelmator Pro.

Open the file in Firefox using File, Open.

Save the file to the downloads folder.

Open the file by clicking on it in the downloads list - it correctly opens in Pixelmator Pro.

Now returning to the original website and saving another .jpg image, it correctly opens from the downloads list in Pixelmator Pro.

Im guessing Firefox just remembers the last graphics editor used and sticks to that even when the macOS file associations point to something different. Opening a file directly on the local file system should mean the files extended attributes take over and force a different choice of Editor application.

Modified by Lanark