process.st https://process.st/2015/06/default-mail-client/

Benjamin Brandall

How to Set your Favorite Webmail as a Default Mail Client

You click the ‘Contact Us’ page. Nothing happens. First, confusion, then familiar frustration. It was a mailto link. Yourcomputer slows to a grinding halt as a huge, archaic desktop mail app rises from the depths of your hard drive.Checking that the date on your computer isn’t 15 years out, you wonder why mail integration isn’t standard… andwhat year is it exactly?

The last known system to make use of the Outlook Desktop App

Even with many alternatives, email is a necessary evil for both businesses and individuals and bizarre as it is in thisage of web-app ubiquity, your computer thinks you still want to use its desktop apps. If you’re anything like me andwould prefer to have everything all in your web browser you’ll want to set it up so you never have to see this anti-efficiency horror story in action again. Vinay wrote a post last year about how to make Gmail your default mailclient and it’s no surprise that Google have made this so easy, but what about other mail services on Firefox, Safari,Opera and Internet Explorer? For the rest of the web, there’s the Mailto app from Famlam.

Setting a Default Mail ClientYou can find Mailto through the Chrome Web Store if you’re using Google Chrome. In Firefox, the application isalready there in the settings so you just have to enable it. In Opera, go to this link to find the application throughOpera Add-ons. This link will directly download the Safari version of the add-on.

Set Default Mail Client on Firefox

Since Mailto comes with Firefox by default, all you have to do here is go into preferences and set it up the wayyou like it. The Firefox version works for Gmail and Yahoo, so if you’re an Outlook user I’d suggest using Live Mailerinstead. Here’s how to find your Mailto settings on Firefox.

Set Default Mail Client on Opera

Almost identical to the installation on Chrome, for Opera you just need to use the Opera Add-ons store instead. It’s auser-friendly process, but this screenshot will give you a step-by-step guide.

Set Default Mail Client on Safari

While Safari doesn’t have app store support, the Mailto developer has created a .safarixtz – the snappy file type forSafari extensions. Download it from the Google Code page and follow the steps below.

Set Default Mail Client on Internet Explorer

If you’re an IE user, you will have already heard that your favorite browser is being discontinued by Microsoft. Tomake matters worse, you also can’t use the Mailto app. There are two alternatives, however. The first thing you coulddo is to install Google Toolbar for IE – this will let you set Gmail as your default Mailto application. Apparently IEsurvived when I tried to delete it, so I am able to show you this screenshot explaining the process.

The second option is unfortunate for those who use IE and don’t use Gmail. You’ll need to use another browser suchas Chrome, Opera, Firefox or Safari.

So, there you have it.