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This article explains 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: {for not fx16} * '''Send link...''' from the {for win} {menu Firefox} menu ({menu File} menu in Windows XP).{/for}{for mac,linux}{menu File} menu. * '''Send link...''' from the context ({for win,linux}right-click{/for}{for mac}{key Ctrl}+click{/for}) menu in Firefox. * A "mailto" or e-mail link on a web page (e.g., '''examples@examples.net'''). {/for} {for fx16} * '''Email link...''' from the {for win} {menu Firefox} menu ({menu File} menu in Windows XP).{/for}{for mac,linux}{menu File} menu. * A "mailto" or e-mail link on a web page (e.g., '''examples@examples.net'''). {/for} __TOC__ = Setting Firefox's mail client = # [[T:optionspreferences]] # Select the {menu Applications} panel. # Search for the Content-type: '''mailto''' and select it. # Click on the Actions column in the mailto row, to change the action.{for win,fx35} <br/> <br/> [[Image:e0d4ba68922cf4e2876c9a8259bad6c8-1248570309-275-1.PNG]]<br/>{/for}{for win,fx4} <br/> <br/> [[Image:Fx4Win7AppPanel-mailto]]<br/>{/for}{for mac,fx35} <br/> <br/> [[Image:changemail-en-options-mac.jpg]] <br/>{/for}{for mac,fx4} <br/> <br/> [[Image:Fx4MacAppPanel-mailto]]<br/>{/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 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 your webmail service's (e.g. Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, Hotmail) 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]] = 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 using your operating system, follow the instructions below. {for win} == Windows 7 and Vista == # 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. == Windows XP == # 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} = Using webmail services = Firefox allows webmail services (such as Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, Hotmail, 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. {for fx35} {note}'''Note: Firefox 3.5 and Firefox 3.6 include only Gmail and Yahoo! Mail support by default. You may add other services when they add support for this Firefox feature.'''{/note} {/for} 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/en-US/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)].''''' 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