Boyfriend Gmail users ... ever click on a "mailto" link to share web content via email, only to take your browser effort to open the incorrect e-mail client?

For instance, my computer always used to try opening up Outlook, even though I'g a Gmailer. So annoying.

"Mailto" links are hyperlinks that use mailto instead of http://, so when someone clicks them, a new email compose window pops up instead of a link to a website. If yous want to learn how to create these "mailto" links for your own marketing, this weblog post walks y'all through exactly how to do it. Create a new, on-brand email signature in just a few clicks. Get started here. (It's free.)

Endure no more. Here'south how to ready it so your preferred browser uses Gmail as its default email client for mailto links. But click the jump-to link to notice instructions for your browser of choice.

Leap to instructions for: Chrome | Firefox | Internet Explorer | Safari

How to Make Gmail Default Email in Chrome

  1. Open Chrome and navigate to "Settings."
  2. Click "Content settings" nether "Privacy and security."
  3. Select "Handlers" and switch on the Inquire protocol.
  4. Open Gmail in Chrome and click the Protocol Handler icon.
  5. Allow Gmail to open up all email links.

1. Open Chrome and navigate to "Settings."

Before you lot can really set Gmail every bit your default email client, you demand to let Gmail to inquire yous permission. To do and so, open a window of your Chrome browser and click the three-dots icon adjacent to the URL accost bar. Then click "Settings," second from the bottom.

Settings option in dropdown menu of Google's Chrome browser

2. Click "Content settings" Under "Privacy and security."

In the Settings tab that appears in your Chrome browser, scroll downwards to the bottom and click "Advanced." This will expand your settings options. In the outset grouping that appears, "Privacy and security," click "Content settings" second from the bottom.

Content settings option inside the list of Advanced settings in Google's Chrome browser

3. Select "Handlers" and switch on the Enquire protocol.

In the next group of options that appears, discover the "Handlers" setting nigh the bottom of the listing. Information technology'll look like this:

Handlers setting in Google's Chrome browser

Click this setting and you lot'll see at least i horizontal switch where y'all can let whatsoever website you visit to enquire you if it can go Chrome's default "handler." Switch this setting to the on position, as shown below. (If information technology's already switched on, switch it off and on again -- this tin can prompt Gmail to re-enquire yous to become your default handler, if you've been asked before and desire to change your reply.)

Blue switch allowing Gmail to ask to become default email handler in Chrome

four. Open Gmail in Chrome and click the Protocol Handler icon.

Once your Enquire protocol has been switched on for default handlers, open Gmail in a new tab and make certain you're signed in.

5. Allow Gmail to open all email links.

At the end of your URL'south address bar, you'll see a new icon that looks like 2 grayness diamonds intertwined with each other. Click this icon and y'all'll see the post-obit dropdown menu:

Blue Allow button for making Gmail default email client in Chrome browser

Click "Permit" in response to the question Chrome asks y'all, as shown to a higher place, and and then hit Washed. Y'all'll officially have all "mailto:" links open in Gmail if they come from your Chrome browser.

Note: If y'all're however having trouble (for example, your "Protocol handlers" window appears blank with no options), effort installing Google's Mailto Extension for Chrome instead.

How to Make Gmail Default E-mail in Firefox

  1. Open the Firefox menu on the upper-righthand corner of your browser.
  2. Select "Preferences" and scroll downwardly to "Applications."
  3. Find or search for "mailto" in the search bar.
  4. Side by side to "mailto," open up the dropdown menu and select "Use Gmail."

1. Open the Firefox carte on the upper-righthand corner of your browser.

Launch Firefox and look to the upper-righthand corner of your browser for an icon consisting of iii horizontal lines on pinnacle of ane some other. Click this icon and a dropdown menu of 11 different browser settings will appear.

Preferences icon in settings menu in Firefox browser

two. Select "Preferences" and scroll down to "Applications."

Select the "Preferences" icon from this dropdown menu, and you'll run across a full page of settings filed under a "Full general" tab to the lefthand side. Staying on the General settings folio, coil downwards until you encounter the "Applications" section.

iii. Observe or search for "mailto" in the search bar.

Nether the "Applications" settings of Firefox, y'all might run into a listing of previously used applications depending on how y'all've used Firefox. Look for the "mailto" application in the lefthand column (if y'all don't see it listed, search for it in the "Applications" search bar above the list).

Applications menu with mailto default email option in General settings of Firefox

iv. Next to "mailto," open the dropdown menu and select "Use Gmail."

In the righthand column of the applications list, click on the "mailto" row and select "Apply Gmail." This will prepare Gmail every bit your default electronic mail client for all mailto links that come from Firefox. No need to save your settings -- Firefox does this automatically.

Option to make Gmail the default email client in Firefox

Annotation: Y'all also might see the selection to "Use Chrome" if you besides take the Chrome browser downloaded on your calculator. If you run into both Chrome and Gmail equally default options, stick with Gmail. If not, verify that y'all're signed into Gmail and load these settings once again. If all y'all see is the choice to use Chrome, select this as your default email client.

How to Make Gmail Default Email in Net Explorer

  1. Open Internet Explorer and download the Google Toolbar.
  2. Click the wrench icon on the upper-righthand corner of your browser.
  3. Roll down to the "Web-browsing tools" department and select "Utilize Gmail for 'Mail To' links."
  4. Click "Salvage."

one. Open Internet Explorer and download the Google Toolbar.

There's actually no native setting in Internet Explorer to prepare Gmail as your default email customer. To do then using this browser, you lot'll first download the Google Toolbar, available here.

2. Click the wrench icon on the upper-righthand corner of your browser.

Once the Google Toolbar is installed on your Net Explorer browser, find and click the wrench icon on the upper-righthand corner of your browser. Depending on the version of Internet Explorer you have installed, the icon will look something like this: wrench

3. Curl down to the "Web-browsing tools" section and select "Employ Gmail for 'Mail service To' links."

The wrench icon volition open up upwardly your Toolbar Options, starting with General settings co-ordinate to the tab on the lefthand side, equally shown beneath. Gyre downwardly to the section called "Web-browsing tools" and check the box labeled "Apply Gmail for "Mail service To" links.

Toolbar options screen to make Gmail default email client for Mail To links in Internet Explorer

4. Click "Save."

Relieve your new Toolbar Options using the button to the bottom-right of the options window, and you're all set.

How to Make Gmail Default Email in Safari

  1. Open Safari and download Google's Mailto Extension.
  2. Click the pointer at the top correct of your Safari browser and select your downloaded file.
  3. Click "Install" in the pop-up window.
  4. Select Gmail from the list of options.
  5. Restart your browser.

one. Open up Safari and download Google's Mailto Extension.

Similar to Internet Explorer, you'll demand a tertiary-political party plugin to make Gmail your default email client in Safari. To do and so, download Google's Mailto Extension, available here.

2. Click the pointer at the top right of your Safari browser and select your downloaded file.

Once Google's Mailto Extension has been downloaded to Safari, find it using the downwards-facing arrow on the top-correct of your browser, next to your accost bar.

Because this extension was downloaded from the internet, your Mac computer might ask yous to trust this application, every bit shown below. Click "Trust" and the extension will start installing to your browser.

Warning screen by Mac computer asking to Trust file downloaded from the internet

3. Click "Install" in the pop-upwards window.

If after selecting "Trust" from Apple'southward file warning, the Mailto extension doesn't brainstorm downloading, it might merely need your cue to exercise and then. Beneath is another possible window that might appear after selecting your downloaded file from the "Downloads" list. Select "Install."

install-safari-extension

three. Select Gmail from the listing of options.

Beneath is the simple list of options your new Mailto Extension will display to you in Safari. Cheque "Gmail" from this list and Safari volition automatically save your new settings.

Options menu in Google's Mailto Extension with blue button to make Gmail default email client in Safari

4. Restart your browser.

Restart your Safari browser to officially make Gmail your default e-mail client.

Whichever browser y'all work in most often, gone are the days of closing unwanted applications to transport a uncomplicated electronic mail through a hyperlink. Yous can at present enjoy the ease of opening mailto links in Gmail, automatically.

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Originally published Aug 28, 2018 9:27:00 PM, updated June 09 2021