Windows 10 Photo app hijacks camera import

[perkcan]

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.

[pudergeek]

It appears that a recent Windows Update may have caused this issue as we had three computers experience the issue simultaneously.

The solution was slightly different for each computer, but here are the ways I got it to work:

Step 1:

Control Panel>Hardware and Sound>AutoPlay

Scroll to bottom and change default for that camera to the desired program.

If it doesn't give you any options other than "Import photos and videos (Photos)" (which is the app we're trying to avoid), move to the next step.

Step 2:

Install the newest version of CameraWindow from Canon's support site as mentioned in a previous comment.

Unplug the camera, plug it back in, and see if it pops up with more options of what to do when the camera is plugged in. If not, try Step 1 again.

If it still isn't giving you any other options (such as "Open folder to view files (Windows Explorer)" which is what I wanted) then move onto the next step.

Step 3:

Uninstall the CameraWindow software.

Unplug the camera, plug it back in, and see if it pops up with more options of what to do when the camera is plugged in. If not, try Step 1 again.

These steps seemed to work for me. If you still don't get anywhere, try installing and uninstalling the Canon software and then going Control Panel\Hardware and Sound\Devices and Printers, right click your camera, click "remove device," unplug your camera, and plug it back in again.

Hopefully something in there can help somebody!

[skippy12]

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.

[RobertTheFat]

---

@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?

[Waddizzle]

I would advise anyone who does not understand know what the Windows Registry is to disregard the advice given in this thread.  The Registry is not something to be edited by the uninformed.  The potential to crash the OS outweighs any potential benefit from going in an editing it ourself.

I repeat my advice to configure your Windows OS to never automatically do anything when you insert, or install, a temporary data storage device, such as a USB stick, or even a Canon camera.  Instead, rely on the Canon installation software to configure the automatic behaviors for you.

[RobertTheFat]

---

@Waddizzle wrote:

I would advise anyone who does not understand know what the Windows Registry is to disregard the advice given in this thread.  The Registry is not something to be edited by the uninformed.  The potential to crash the OS outweighs any potential benefit from going in an editing it ourself.

I repeat my advice to configure your Windows OS to never automatically do anything when you insert, or install, a temporary data storage device, such as a USB stick, or even a Canon camera.  Instead, rely on the Canon installation software to configure the automatic behaviors for you.

---

Although some registry key changes are dangerous, the change proposed here is not one of them. Note that it's user-specific; so if it did have a seriously bad effect, it could be edited out using a different account.

Waddizzle's point is valid, though. Registry changes should be attempted only by system administrators who fully understand what they're doing. Though it's rather unlikely, it's at least possible to make an error that could require re-installation of the operating system.

[skippy12]

---

RobertTheFat wrote

---

Although some registry key changes are dangerous, the change proposed here is not one of them. Note that it's user-specific; so if it did have a seriously bad effect, it could be edited out using a different account.

Waddizzle's point is valid, though. Registry changes should be attempted only by system administrators who fully understand what they're doing. Though it's rather unlikely, it's at least possible to make an error that could require re-installation of the operating system.

---

I agree with both Robert's and Waddizzle's points.  One should be very careful when changing anything in the registry.  You will note that I put a warning at the top of my post.  I work in IT.  So, I have a lot of experience deep down in the guts of computers.

However, if the registry change were any more complex than this, I would not have posted it.  So, I believe even an initiant would be able to figure it out.  Further more, you will note from my post that the value is entered and then removed.  So, it is not even a setting that is even left in play.

Also, I chose the words of my post very, very carefully.  I said "resolved", not "solved".  This is the set of steps that worked on my machine.  I am not sure why or exactly how (although I would love to know being the techy that I am).  Struggling with this problem, being a huge Canon fan, and finding this thread, I just thought I would like to engage in this community and offer what I had found worked for me.

[perkcan]

Waddizzle said, "Instead, rely on the Canon installation software to configure the automatic behaviors for you."

The entire reason for this post is that the Canon software does NOT configure the behavior correctly on Windows 10.  It doesn't matter whether it is a problem with Canon software or Microsoft operating system--the fact that it does not work as expected and does not work like in previous versions of Windows is the problem.  

Of course someone can mess up the registry if not careful, but it is rather naive to think we should "trust" the companies to fix all the bugs.  I trusted Microsoft support last week when they told to me update Windows 10 to fix Store App problems, only to worsen the problem until Windows kept crashing and blue screening.  The support person "promised" me that it would fix the problem.  Does my anecdote nullify good advice about being careful?  Certainly not, but a simple warning should be sufficient--no need to discourage people from learning and trying more than they already know.  

Especially with old hardware and software, companies do not always have users' best interest in mind.  I have seen this problem time and time again... after a little while, updates to driver and support software begin to loose features and becomes buggy.  This has been particularly true with some digital cameras and printers.  The argument is that companies cannot continue to create new drivers and software forever.  That sounds reasonable, but for the companies which DO update their software and keep things current... even for older versions... I remain a loyal customer.  Companies who just let their products fade into obsolecense and become junk... well, I look around and go elsewhere for my next purchase.

[Waddizzle]

"Waddizzle said, "Instead, rely on the Canon installation software to configure the automatic behaviors for you."

The entire reason for this post is that the Canon software does NOT configure the behavior correctly on Windows 10.  It doesn't matter whether it is a problem with Canon software or Microsoft operating system--the fact that it does not work as expected and does not work like in previous versions of Windows is the problem.  " 

Yes, the Canon software does configure previous versions of Windows correctly, as well as Windows 10.  However, there are some settings in the OS that can prevent proper configurations.  Virus and malware software are notorous for doing this without your immediate knowledge.  Some versions of Windows 10 lack mulit-media drivers found in previous versions os Windows.

If your software is not working as expected, then there is another influencing factor involved.  The vast majority of users are not experiencing issues.  Only a small handful seem to have issues.   Frequently, users with issues are not running Intel CPUs.  There are a host of possibilities that could cause unexpected behavior, none of which have anything to do with Canon's software.

The most likely factors are mismatched file type associations, and undesireable default behaviors when USB devices are detected.  Sometimes, an update to one application can negatively impact other applications, particularly when it comes media software.  Everybody wants their application to be the boss for all file types.

[perkcan]

Pardon me for not being overly exact in my wording and for over-generalizing the problem.  I now realize that I must be one of the small percentage of people that experience such problems with the Canon software on Windows 10 and that the problem must certainly stem from something I did wrong.  It is sad really--that my experience as a Windows developer for many decades, and being a computer expert has not helped me configure my systems properly.  I’ll confess my sin that one of the two computers which experience this problem has an AMD processor.  Sorry for that.  The point of my original post was to point out that I was having problems on just two of my computers**.

(* Disclaimer:  These bugs may or may not exist on your machine.  If you have no problems with your software, congratulations on choosing the perfect combination of hardware and for keeping your computer configured exactly.  Really, you have no need to be reading this forum since it is only a small percentage of people who needs to mess with this forum and apparently you are not one of them.  Go your way and enjoy your computer with the rest of the vast majority.  If you do return to these forums, rather than helping solve the issue, please just remind us of corporate virtue and remind us how dangerous registry edits can be.  If you do have similar problems, it’s most likely that you have already screwed up something or you have obtained a defective computer, perhaps not having an Intel CPU.  If you expect to find a solution to the problem, I’m sorry but you are most likely incompetent and should not attempt to fix anything yourself, especially if it has anything to do with the registry.  You can either 1) go buy a new computer with Intel processor only, 2) reinstall everything from scratch, 3) better yet buy a new camera, or 4) do all of the above.  If none of those are options, you should wait until the manufacturers eventually produce new software which will fix the problem.  Visit their website every week and install all new software immediate, because you can trust that eventually it will all work.  On the other, it may not work if you continue to screw up your configuration.  Just stop that and let your hardware and software work together in harmony, will you?)

[RobertTheFat]

---

@perkcan wrote:

Pardon me for not being overly exact in my wording and for over-generalizing the problem.  I now realize that I must be one of the small percentage of people that experience such problems with the Canon software on Windows 10 and that the problem must certainly stem from something I did wrong.  It is sad really--that my experience as a Windows developer for many decades, and being a computer expert has not helped me configure my systems properly.  I’ll confess my sin that one of the two computers which experience this problem has an AMD processor.  Sorry for that.  The point of my original post was to point out that I was having problems on just two of my computers**.

(* Disclaimer:  These bugs may or may not exist on your machine.  If you have no problems with your software, congratulations on choosing the perfect combination of hardware and for keeping your computer configured exactly.  Really, you have no need to be reading this forum since it is only a small percentage of people who needs to mess with this forum and apparently you are not one of them.  Go your way and enjoy your computer with the rest of the vast majority.  If you do return to these forums, rather than helping solve the issue, please just remind us of corporate virtue and remind us how dangerous registry edits can be.  If you do have similar problems, it’s most likely that you have already screwed up something or you have obtained a defective computer, perhaps not having an Intel CPU.  If you expect to find a solution to the problem, I’m sorry but you are most likely incompetent and should not attempt to fix anything yourself, especially if it has anything to do with the registry.  You can either 1) go buy a new computer with Intel processor only, 2) reinstall everything from scratch, 3) better yet buy a new camera, or 4) do all of the above.  If none of those are options, you should wait until the manufacturers eventually produce new software which will fix the problem.  Visit their website every week and install all new software immediate, because you can trust that eventually it will all work.  On the other, it may not work if you continue to screw up your configuration.  Just stop that and let your hardware and software work together in harmony, will you?)

---

In a parallel thread it has been pointed out that some of the problems people have experienced with Canon software under Windows 10 can be traced to the fact that some editions of Windows 10 don't include the Windows Media Player or don't have it enabled by default. Since you're a self-identified Windows expert, I won't insult you by trying to tell you how to correct that omission; but if you haven't touched that base already, you may want to look into it.