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Learn how to change the email program that Firefox opens when you click a "mailto" link or use the "Email link" and "Email Image" features.

Firefox normally uses your operating system's default mail program to send an email message. This article explains how you can change the program that is launched when you click on: {for not fx89} * The {menu Email Link…} menu item in the Firefox [[Get started with Firefox - An overview of the main features#w_page-actions-menu-bookmark-snap-save-or-share|Page actions]] (3-dot) menu. {/for} * The {menu Email link} menu item in the Firefox Menu bar {menu File} menu{for not mac} (if the [[Restore the Menu bar in Firefox|Menu bar is enabled]]){/for}. * The {button Email link} toolbar button (if you [[Customize Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars|customize Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars]]). * The {menu Email Image…} (right-click) context menu item for an image on a web page. * A "mailto" or email link on a web page (such as '''[mailto:email@example.com email@example.com]'''). __TOC__ = Setting the mail client used by Firefox= # [[T:optionspreferences]] # In the {menu General} panel, go to the '''Applications''' section. # Search for the Content Type '''mailto''' and select it. # Click on the Action column in the mailto row to change the action. #;[[Image:Fx62Settings-Mailto]] #* '''Always ask''' will prompt you each time you use a mail function for which program or service to use. #* '''Use <nowiki><Program></nowiki> (default)''' will automatically launch your operating system's email program (for example, Thunderbird,{for win, mac} Outlook,{/for}{for winxp, win7} Windows Live Mail{/for}{for win8, win10, win11} Windows Mail{/for}{for mac} Mail{/for}{for linux} Evolution, KMail{/for}) to its message composition window. For instructions on how to change your operating system's default e-mail program, see the [[#w_setting-your-operating-systems-default-mail-program|next section]] of this article. #* '''Use <nowiki><Webmail></nowiki>''' will open the message composition page for your webmail service (such as Yahoo! Mail or Gmail) inside Firefox. For more information about using webmail services, see the [[#w_using-webmail-services|Using webmail services]] section of this article. #* '''Use other...''' will let you specify an external program for Firefox to launch. #* '''Application Details...''' will let you view information about or remove the webmail services that Firefox can use. # [[T:closeoptionspreferences]] = Setting your operating system's default mail program = By default, Firefox will use your system's default mail client to send email for the actions listed above. For Thunderbird, see the [[Make Thunderbird the Default Mail Client]] article for steps you can take to make it the default mail program. Check the online or in-product documentation for other mail programs. In general, you can change the default mail program by following these instructions: {for win8} #Open the '''PC Settings''' application (press and release the Windows Start button, then click the gear icon). #Select {menu Search and apps} from the sidebar. #Select {menu Defaults} from the sidebar. #Click the icon under the heading '''Email''' to show your choices. #Select the email program you want to use. {/for} {for win10, win11}The following applies to Windows 10.<!-- need win11 instructions--> #Click the Windows Start button, then click '''Settings'''. #Click the '''Apps''' icon, then click '''Default Apps''' in the list. #Click the icon under the heading '''Email''' to show your choices. #Select the email program you want to use. {/for} {for win7} # Click the Windows Start button, then click the '''Default Programs''' item. # Click on '''Set your default programs'''. # Under '''Programs''', click the email program you'd like to use (e.g., Thunderbird, Windows Live Mail, Outlook). # Click '''Set this program as default'''. # Click {button OK} at the bottom of the window. {/for} {for winxp} # Click the Windows Start button, then click on the Control Panel icon to open the Windows Control Panel. # Click the '''Add or Remove Programs''' icon to open the Add or Remove Programs applet. # On the left side of the Window click the '''Set Program Access and Defaults''' icon. # In the Access and Defaults window, click on the '''Custom''' radio button to expand the Custom category. # Underneath '''Choose a default e-mail program''', click the radio button next to the program you want to use (e.g., Thunderbird, Windows Live Mail, Outlook). # Click {button OK} at the bottom of the window. {/for} {for mac} # Open the '''Mail''' application from the Applications folder. # Click on the {menu Mail} menu and select {menu Preferences}. # Click {button General} button. # Select a new default mail program (e.g., Thunderbird, Outlook). {/for} {for linux} {note}'''Note: These instructions are for some common Linux distributions. Your distribution may use a different interface.'''{/note} == Gnome == Distributions that use the Gnome Desktop Environment by default include Ubuntu, openSUSE, Fedora, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and more. # Open the Default Applications (formerly: Preferred Applications) window. The Default (Preferred) Applications window can be opened by: #* '''(Ubuntu)''' Clicking on the {menu System} menu, selecting {menu Preferences}, and then selecting {menu Default Applications}. #** As of 2018, in '''openSUSE''' ('''GNOME 3.28''') it's under {menu System} menu > {menu Settings} > {menu Details} > {menu Default Applications}. #* Clicking on the {menu Applications} menu, selecting {menu Desktop Preferences}, then selecting {menu Advanced}, and then selecting {menu Default Applications}. # Underneath '''Mail Reader''', use the dropdown menu to select a mail application (e.g. Thunderbird, Evolution). # Click {button Close} to close the Default Applications window. == KDE == Distributions that use the K Desktop Environment by default include Kubuntu, Mandriva Linux, PCLinuxOS, and more. # Open the KDE Control Center by clicking on {button K} and selecting {menu Control Center}. # In the Control Center window, click to expand '''KDE Components'''. # Click to select '''Component Chooser'''. # Click to select '''Email Client'''. # Click to select the '''Use a different email client''' radio button. # Type the full path to your e-mail client (e.g. {filepath /usr/bin/thunderbird}). # Click {button Apply} to close the Control Center window and save your changes. {/for} = Using webmail services = Firefox allows you to use a webmail service such as Gmail (called ''Google Mail'' in some locales)<!-- en-GB, ... and de? See https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=444395 and https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1331703--> or Yahoo! Mail for Firefox's mail functions. Use the instructions in the [[#w_setting-the-mail-client-used-by-firefox|Setting the mail client used by Firefox]] section above to use a webmail service in Firefox for mailto links or the ''Email link'' feature. <!-- https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/mailtowebmails/ works in Firefox 52 but is not compatible with fx57+. I was unable to find an extension that adds other webmail choices in Firefox Quantum but there may be some in the future - see discussion--> If the webmail service you want to use is not available in your Firefox [[T:optionsorpreferences]] {menu General} panel's '''Applications''' section as a ''mailto'' choice, you can try to find an extension that supports it, either by searching [https://addons.mozilla.org addons.mozilla.org] for the specific webmail service or by doing a [https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/search?q=webmail '''webmail search'''] or a [https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/search?q=mailto '''mailto search'''] and browsing through the results. <!-- Credits --> <br/> <br/> '''''Based on information from [http://kb.mozillazine.org/Default_mail_client Default mail client (mozillaZine KB)], [http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1637 How to change the default web browser or email application (Apple.com Support)], [http://docs.kde.org/stable/en/kdebase-runtime/userguide/control-center.html The KDE Control Center (KDE.org)], and [http://www.debianadmin.com/select-preferred-applications-in-ubuntu.html Select Preferred Applications in Ubuntu (DebianAdmin.com)].'''''