Lync 2010 File Association on Windows 8

Have today found a retrograde step with Windows 8 File Associations which is affecting my use of Lync 2010.

On Windows 7 if you clicked a url in the format tel:447775560821 then (if Lync 2010 was installed) you would get the following:


and you would be able to click to call from the webpage/Outlook signature/et al.

In Windows 8 the Metro Modern UI gets in the way as such:


and doesn't let you choose Lync 2010 as an option for Tel (the full href list is on Tom Kisner's blog).

This only happens if you have another program which takes hold of the URL:tel protocol as a fresh install of Windows 8 and then only installing Lync 2010 (no Skype or Chrome installed) allows Lync to get the call.

More mystifying is that if you look in the registry then the URL:tel file association is:


and I have been unable to find where Chrome is taking over the association.

Strangely by clicking the "Look for an app in the Store" option that Lync Modern UI is not listed as an option:

As we are not moving to Office 2013/Lync 2013 at the moment I've not had a chance to test if the newer version fixes this.

Update 27/05/2013:
There is a fix for this which mentions Lync 2013:
http://www.expta.com/2013/04/fixing-tel-links-with-lync-2013-on.html
For Lync 2010 the Reg key is at:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Communicator\Capabilities\UrlAssociations

7 comments:

  1. I'm having the same issue on Windows 7 with Lync 2010 and Chrome. I've tried creating the reg key for 2010 and it still doesn't give me the option of choosing it in the protocol selection screen in the Control Panel. Have you had any luck with applying this registry key?

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  2. Have you tried:

    reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Communicator\Capabilities\UrlAssociations" /v TEL /d "callto"

    from an elevated command line and then followed the rest of the post http://www.expta.com/2013/04/fixing-tel-links-with-lync-2013-on.html
    ?

    Add me on Lync if you want to have a gander tobie.fysh@freebridge.org.uk

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  3. Yes that is exactly what I tried with no luck at all. Just curious if you had any insight. Thank you!

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  4. Thank you, this worked for me.

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  5. Hi,

    I made a lot of changes, but my TEL URL was always opening Chrome...
    I found the last Key Register to change at :
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\tel]
    and change the Sting Value Progid with the right link (example : "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office Communicator\Communicator.exe" "%1")

    Best regards,

    Randolf

    ReplyDelete