When you open an image file and it launches in Paint instead of Photoshop, it's usually due to your computer's default app settings. Windows associates specific file types (like .JPG, .PNG, or .GIF) with a particular program designated as the default. This setting determines which application automatically opens when you double-click a file in File Explorer. Paint (MS Paint) is the very basic image editor bundled with Windows, while Adobe Photoshop is a professional, separately installed application. Your system will use Paint unless you explicitly change the default association to Photoshop (or another image editor).

For example, after installing Windows or Photoshop, common image formats might remain set to open in Paint by default. Similarly, if you receive a less common image format (like .TGA or .PSD), but haven't set Photoshop as the default handler for that specific format, Windows might fall back to Paint (if it can read it) or another basic viewer instead of launching Photoshop automatically. This primarily affects users directly opening files from the desktop or File Explorer.

The main advantage of this system is giving users control over application defaults. The limitation is that changing these associations can sometimes be unintuitive for less tech-savvy users, especially since different file types require separate settings. This default behavior emphasizes the need for understanding file associations to optimize workflows when working with specialized software like Photoshop for tasks beyond basic viewing. To resolve it, simply change the default program for your desired image file types within Windows Settings.