Set Gmail as Default Email Client to Open Mailto Links


This article explains the procedure to set your browser to use Gmail as its default email client and contains the following topics:

 Note: Mailto links are hyperlinks that allow you to compose a new email.

chrome

Chrome - How to make Gmail the Default Email Client

  1. Open Gmail while in Chrome. Click the Protocol Handler icon located in your browser’s address bar.

    Note: If you don’t see the Protocol Handler icon, skip to step 3.
  2. When prompted to Allow Gmail to open all email links? Select Use Gmail and then click Done.
    If this works, you’re finished! Otherwise, continue to step 3.

  3. Click the Chrome menu icon in your browser's top right-hand corner, then choose Settings.

  4. Scroll down to the  Privacy and Security section, then click the arrow to the right of Site Settings.

  5. Scroll down to the Permission section, then click the arrow to the right of Additional Permissions.

  6. Scroll to the Handlers section, then click the arrow to the right.

  7. Choose to 'Allow sites to ask to become default handlers for protocols (recommended)' and then click More (three dots) to set Gmail as default.

    Note: Alternate option - Install the Google Mailto Extension to your browser. 

firefox

Firefox - How to make Gmail the Default Email Client

  1. Click the Firefox menu button in the top right-hand corner of the Firefox browser and then select Settings.

  2. From the General tab, scroll down to the Applications section, select mailto in the Content-Type column, and then select Use Gmail in the Action column.

edge

Microsoft Edge (formerly Internet Explorer) - How to make Gmail the Default Email Client

  1. Open Gmail while in Edge. Next, click the Protocol Handler icon in your browser’s address bar.

    Note: If you don’t see the Protocol Handler icon, skip to step 3.

  2. When prompted to Allow Gmail to open all email links? Select Use Gmail and then click Done.
    If this works, you’re finished! Otherwise, continue to step 3.

  3. Click the 3 dots in the top right-hand corner of the screen and then click Settings.

  4. On the Settings page, click Cookies and Site Permissions, then click the arrow to the right of Handlers.

  5. Choose 'Allow sites to ask to become default handlers for protocols (recommended)' and then click More (three dots) to set Gmail as default.

safari

Safari - How to make Gmail the Default Email Client

  1. Download and install the Google Mailto Extension for Safari.
    Note: This will open a Download Attachment page. Click the link to download and install the Safari extension. 
  2. Select Gmail from the list of options and then restart the browser.