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e-mail mail mailto

Learn how you can change the email program that is opened when you click on an email link in Firefox or use the "Email link" feature.

Firefox normally uses your operating system's default mail program to send an e-mail message. This article explains how you can change the program that is launched when you click on: * The Firefox {button Email link} button or menu item (if you [[Customize Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars|customized Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars]]). * A "mailto" or email link on a web page (such as '''example@example.com'''). __TOC__ = Setting Firefox's mail client = # [[T:optionspreferences]] # {for not fx56}Select the {menu Applications} panel.{/for}{for fx56}In the {menu General} panel, go to the '''Applications''' section.{/for} # Search for the Content-type '''mailto''' and select it. # Click on the Action column in the mailto row to change the action. #;{for not fx56}[[Image:Fx54Applications-mailto]]{/for}{for =fx56}{for win, mac}[[Image:Fx56GeneralApplications-mailto]]{/for}{for linux}[[Image:Fx56GeneralApplications-mailto_Linux]]{/for}{/for}{for fx57}[[Image:mailto 57]]{/for} #* '''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 e-mail program (e.g. Thunderbird{for win}, Windows Live Mail{/for}{for win, mac}, Outlook{/for}{for linux}, Evolution, KMail{/for}) to its message composition window. {for winxp,win7,mac,linux}<!-- need instructions for win8, win10-->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.{/for} #* '''Use <nowiki><Webmail></nowiki>''' will open your webmail service's (e.g. Yahoo! Mail, Gmail) message composition page 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]] {for winxp,win7,mac,linux,win10}<!-- need instructions for win8, win10--> = Setting your operating system's default mail program = By default, Firefox will use your system's default mail client to send e-mail for the actions listed above. To change the default mail client for your operating system, follow these instructions: {for win10} # Tell Windows that Firefox is capable of handling email (required until [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=675428 bug 675428] is resolved): ## Press {key Windows+R}, enter '''regedit''' and click {button OK}. ## In the left pane, navigate to '''HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet\FIREFOX-'''''<hex_number>'''''\Capabilities\URLAssociations''' [[Image:Windows 10 RegEdit tree]] ##* The ''<hex_number>'' will be different for your computer. ##* The contents of the right pane should look similar to this: [[Image:Windows 10 RegEdit settings]] ## Copy the value of one of the existing keys: Double click '''ftp''' in the name column to display; Copy ({key Ctrl+C}) to copy existing data value text; and click the {button Cancel} to dismiss the edit box without making changes. ## Create a new string value by: ### Right-click in the right pane and navigating '''New''' -> '''String Value'''. [[Image:Windows 10 RegEdit menu]] ### Type '''mailto''' as the name, then press {key Enter} ### Double click '''mailto''' to bring up the edit dialog. ### Paste ({key Ctrl-V}) the value you copied above into the value data field, and press {key Enter}. ###* The contents of the right pane should now look similar to this: [[Image:Windows 10 RegEdit settings after modification]] ## Close the ''Registry Editor'' program. # Tell Windows to use Firefox to handle email: ## Open the ''Settings'' application by pressing and releasing the {key Windows} key, then clicking the gear icon. ## Click the ''Apps'' icon, then click ''Default Apps'' in the list. ## Click the icon under the heading '''Email''' to show your choices. ## Click the Firefox icon {/for} {for win7} # Click the Start button, then click the '''Default Programs''' item. # Click on '''Set your default programs'''. # Under '''Programs''', click the e‑mail 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 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 Preferred Applications window. The Preferred Applications window can be opened by: #* '''(Ubuntu)''' Clicking on the {menu System} menu, selecting {menu Preferences}, and then selecting {menu Preferred Applications}. #* Clicking on the {menu Applications} menu, selecting {menu Desktop Preferences}, then selecting {menu Advanced}, and then selecting {menu Preferred Applications}. # Underneath '''Mail Reader''', use the dropdown menu to select a mail application (e.g. Thunderbird, Evolution). # Click {button Close} to close the Preferred 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} {/for} = Using webmail services = Firefox allows webmail services (such as Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, etc.) to enable you to use them for Firefox's mail functions. Use the instructions in the [[#w_setting-firefoxs-mail-client|Setting Firefox's mail client]] section above to use a webmail service with this method. If the webmail service you want to use is not available in the Applications panel of the Options window, you can use an extension to add support to your webmail services: * This [https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/search?q=mailto Addons.Mozilla.org search for ''mailto''] lists several extensions that may be suitable for different webmail services. <!-- Credits --> <br/> <br/> '''''Based on information from [http://kb.mozillazine.org/Default_mail_client Default mail client (mozillaZine KB)], [http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Change-the-default-e-mail-program Change the default e-mail program (Microsoft.com Support)], [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)].'''''