Windows 10 Photo application hijacks the import of images from my Canon PowerShot. Does anyone have information about how to successfully set CameraWindow as the default application loaded when a Canon camera is connected via USB?
(For the record, I'm not interested in commentary on the Photo App or how to use it. I have explored the settings enough and played with it enough to already know it is an cheap, inferior program. I simply want to configure CameraWindow how it worked on Window 7, how it was designed to work.)
Prior to Windows 10 upgrade, I had Windows 7 with CameraWindow 8 installed. When I plugged my PowerShot SX510 into the USB (or any of my canon cameras), CameraWindow would start automatically.
Not only did CameraWindow start automatically on Windows 7 (and prior versions), but it was easy to configure the default applications for Auto Start on Windows 7. Windows actually allowed changing the settings and honored the settings I chose.
But on Windows 10, it ALWAYS starts the Photo application. I have changed Auto Play settings, default application settings, device settings (Control Panel - Device and Printers) for the camera, but NOTHING works to stop the new Photo App from starting. In the Device settings, the "Download Images..." option lets me choose CameraWindow, but on the General Settings page, another option says "Import photos and videos (Photo)" but is greyed out, so it can't be changed. Microsoft essentially forces the use of their own software and ignores the other settings.
It is very annoying on many levels. Perhaps the worst is that Windows 10 removed all ability for the user to configure options in this regard! 
Second, the Photo app has very limited settings: There is no control over the import process, like the folder structure, image rotation options, etc. Finally, CameraWindow itself has no option to make itself the default.
I have resolved this issue.
Caveat: I am not 100% sure exactly how this worked. I tried many, many variations of these steps. I will lay out the steps as I recall them, in the order I performed them, for the sequence that finally worked.
Warning: These steps include a registry edit (requires admin privledges). Perform at your own risk
My issues were just like the many described above. Each time I plugged in my PowerShot ELPH 330 HS, the Windows Photo app would launch instead of Camera Window. I tried all of the prescribed fixes and nothing worked. I was about to resolve myself to living with having to shutdown Photos and launch Camera Window manually. However, my technical geek side just could not let it go.
So, in my several hours of fiddling, here is what I determined. This is not something that Canon missed and not something that Windows 10 has done on purpose (I thought one of those had to be true as well). It is actually something like the corruption of device mapping.
I came around to this based on my experience with connecting each of my four other Canon cameras. None of them had a problem. Plugging them in, Windows dutifully asked what program I wanted to launch. I was able to choose the appropriate program. Zero problems. It was this PowerShot 330 that was not launching the right program. One of those four that worked was a PowerShot ELPH 310 HS. I validated that every on screen setting (in the Device Stage and AutoPlay settings) for the 310 was exactly the same as the 330.
So, I focused on somehow getting Windows to recognize the 330 as a new device and hopefullly apply the correct settings. Below is the list of things that I recall that I am sure had an impact on the outcome.
Note: I do not explain the technical details for why these steps were performed, but they are all based on my investigations online and the results of experimentation I did on my own.
- Upgrade Camera Window
This step is really easy. Visit the Canon Support download site and follow the on screen prompts to download and upgrade
- Plug in camera and launch Device Stage
My issue was that the Windows Photos app was launching. Just shut that.
Right click Start > Control Panel > in upper right do a search for "device" > Select View Devices and Printers
Find and double click your camera. Validate that Camera Window was selected as the download utility
- Open AutoPlay settings and confirm camera default
Go back to the Control Panel > do another search for "autoplay" > click Change default settings for media or devices
Scroll down to the Devices section and ensure your camera has Open Device Stage is selected
- Ensure your camera is still plugged in an on
- Go back to Devices and Printers
Right click Start > Control Panel > in upper right do a search for "device" > Select View Devices and Printers
- Right click your camera's icon > select Uninstall Device
- Edit the registry to ensure the following key exists
Note: Although not directly related symptomatically, this activity was performed based on this article:
http://www.tenforums.com/software-apps/11763-autoplay-wont-open-windows-10-a-2.html
Perform a Windows search (next to the Start button) for "regedit" > Click regedit
Find the registry key below and ensure its value. In my case, it did not exist. So, I created it.
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] "NoDriveTypeAutoRun"=dword:00000091
- Turn off your camera
- Turn on your camera
In my case, the Photos app still launched. Just closed it.
You may notice an icon in the task bar with a camera on it. This is the camera reloading its driver. If you are quick, you can click the icon and see this activity happening.
Delete the above registry key. If it already existed for you, I would leave it. I deleted it.
- Go back to the AutoPlay settings > select Camera Window
At this point I had not thought anything had changed. But when I went back to the AutoPlay settings again, a full list of programs was presented in the dropdown! I very happily selected Camera Window.
- Turn off your camera
- Turn your camera back on > Camera Window launches
I danced a jig after I got this working. Wish I knew the techincal reasons as to why it did.
@skippy12 wrote:I have resolved this issue.
Caveat: I am not 100% sure exactly how this worked. I tried many, many variations of these steps. I will lay out the steps as I recall them, in the order I performed them, for the sequence that finally worked.
Warning: These steps include a registry edit (requires admin privledges). Perform at your own risk
My issues were just like the many described above. Each time I plugged in my PowerShot ELPH 330 HS, the Windows Photo app would launch instead of Camera Window. I tried all of the prescribed fixes and nothing worked. I was about to resolve myself to living with having to shutdown Photos and launch Camera Window manually. However, my technical geek side just could not let it go.
So, in my several hours of fiddling, here is what I determined. This is not something that Canon missed and not something that Windows 10 has done on purpose (I thought one of those had to be true as well). It is actually something like the corruption of device mapping.
I came around to this based on my experience with connecting each of my four other Canon cameras. None of them had a problem. Plugging them in, Windows dutifully asked what program I wanted to launch. I was able to choose the appropriate program. Zero problems. It was this PowerShot 330 that was not launching the right program. One of those four that worked was a PowerShot ELPH 310 HS. I validated that every on screen setting (in the Device Stage and AutoPlay settings) for the 310 was exactly the same as the 330.
So, I focused on somehow getting Windows to recognize the 330 as a new device and hopefullly apply the correct settings. Below is the list of things that I recall that I am sure had an impact on the outcome.
Note: I do not explain the technical details for why these steps were performed, but they are all based on my investigations online and the results of experimentation I did on my own.
- Upgrade Camera Window
This step is really easy. Visit the Canon Support download site and follow the on screen prompts to download and upgrade
- Plug in camera and launch Device Stage
My issue was that the Windows Photos app was launching. Just shut that.
Right click Start > Control Panel > in upper right do a search for "device" > Select View Devices and Printers
Find and double click your camera. Validate that Camera Window was selected as the download utility
- Open AutoPlay settings and confirm camera default
Go back to the Control Panel > do another search for "autoplay" > click Change default settings for media or devices
Scroll down to the Devices section and ensure your camera has Open Device Stage is selected
- Ensure your camera is still plugged in an on
- Go back to Devices and Printers
Right click Start > Control Panel > in upper right do a search for "device" > Select View Devices and Printers
- Right click your camera's icon > select Uninstall Device
- Edit the registry to ensure the following key exists
Note: Although not directly related symptomatically, this activity was performed based on this article:
http://www.tenforums.com/software-apps/11763-autoplay-wont-open-windows-10-a-2.html
Perform a Windows search (next to the Start button) for "regedit" > Click regedit
Find the registry key below and ensure its value. In my case, it did not exist. So, I created it.
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] "NoDriveTypeAutoRun"=dword:00000091
- Turn off your camera
- Turn on your camera
In my case, the Photos app still launched. Just closed it.
You may notice an icon in the task bar with a camera on it. This is the camera reloading its driver. If you are quick, you can click the icon and see this activity happening.
Delete the above registry key. If it already existed for you, I would leave it. I deleted it.
- Go back to the AutoPlay settings > select Camera Window
At this point I had not thought anything had changed. But when I went back to the AutoPlay settings again, a full list of programs was presented in the dropdown! I very happily selected Camera Window.
- Turn off your camera
- Turn your camera back on > Camera Window launches
I danced a jig after I got this working. Wish I knew the techincal reasons as to why it did.
Why "91" for the registry key value?
