How to Set Gmail as Firefox Default Email Client
In some occasions when you click on an email link while browsing some webpages, you will be prompted with email clients such as Microsoft Window Mail for Vista or Microsoft Outlook Express for XP. If your email client has yet to be configured, you need to set up and configure it before you can send out emails. It is quite troublesome and inconvenient if you haven’t done so. Anyway, if you are Gmail and Firefox users, the good news is the new Firefox 3 allows users to configure and set Gmail as a default email client. This latest Firefox 3 comes with support YahooMail as default email client. For Gmail users, some setting needs to be done to edit the “mailto” application handler.
- At the Firefox 3 address bar, you need to type in “about:config” and you will be prompted with a warning page. Just click on “I’ll be careful, I promise!” button to proceed.
- Type in “gecko.handlerService” into Filter box until you get gecko.handlerService.allowRegisterFromDifferentHost Preference name. Make sure the value is “True”. Change it if it is not.
- Also check for network.protocol-handler.external.mailto Preference name. Make sure the value is “True”.
- Copy the following code to the address bar and press ENTER.
javascript:window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler("mailto","https://mail.google.com/mail/?extsrc=mailto&url=%s","GMail") - Copy the following link and press ENTER if you are a Google Apps user:
javascript:window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler(”mailto”,”https://mail.google.com/a/example.com/mail/?extsrc=mailto&url=%s”,”GMail”)Change example.com to your own domain name.
- Firefox 3 will thence prompt you a question whether you want to add application. Click on the “Add Application” button.
- Now you click any mailto: link and you will prompt with a small window “Launch Application”. Firefox 3 requests your confirmation on which applications to be used. Check the “Gmail” box and also check the box showing “Remember my choice for mailto links”. Click OK
- The process is done. Anyway, for safety reason, it is advisable to go back to “about:config” and set gecko.handlerService.allowRegisterFromDifferentHost value back to false.
If you have decided to remove Gmail as your default mail client, you need to go to Firefox’s Tool menu and select Preference then go to Application tab. Find mailto and select Application Detail from the Drop-down menu. Remove GMail by select GMail and click remove.
For user using Yahoo! Mail, here’s how to set Yahoo! Mail as default email client in Firefox.
Related posts:
- How to Apply Multiple Labels to Gmail Messages in IMAP Client
- How to Delete Emails from Gmail IMAP Access Mail Client
- Easy Way to Import, Upload, Backup or Store Email Messages into Gmail for Archive
- How to Switch Back and Open Gmail in Old Version/Format as Default
- Host Your Domain Email with Google on Gmail Technology
for googleapps I read
Copy the following link and press ENTER if you are a Google Apps user:
javascript:window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler(”mailto”,&rdquo ;https://mail.google.com/a/example.com/mail/?extsrc=mailto&url=%s”,”GMail”)
Change example.com to your own domain name.
where is the "exemple.come"? the code is the same as for standard gmail
Thanks, works like a champ.
I’d like to know, in Firefox 7-Tools-Applications-mailto-Action, is it possible to register two seperate mailto handlers, ie: His_GMail & Her_GMail?
In that javascript code, “GMail” at the end of it is the title and you can rename it.
The Google Apps javascript example uses the fancy typographic quote, not a simple ASCII quote. Andrew's advice above will fix this, even on recent versions (I'm using 3.6.13). Replacing those characters with normal quotes (whether single or double) will fix the problem and cause the expected prompt to appear.
I have no check boxes in gmail using firefox. I'm using Vista. Any ideas?
You have so many ads on this page that I cannot read your code. Too bad.
Is there an easier way to do this? This is beyond my comfort level.
In the second script for Google Apps users you should change the quotation characters from ” to " or ' otherwise it doesn't work.
I used the single quotes and it worked. Problem is when I click on a mailto link it doesn't put anything into the TO or Subject lines.
Worked like a dream. Thank you!
Actually installing the Gmail Notifier solved my problem… don't know why but I'm happy:
http://groups.google.com/group/google-mail-proble…
I tried the steps and when typing in
javascript:window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler("mailto","https://mail.google.com/mail/?extsrc=mailto&url=%s","GMail")
got 'Gmail has already been added as an application for mailto links' and YET whenever I click one Microsoft Office Outlook opens. It's burning up all my trial tries. Anyone else had this problem?
This is old news,
In Firefox 3: Edit – Preferences – Applications
I'm on Ubuntu so it might be a bit different for Windows users.
Find the 'Applications' tab in the browser settings.
Search 'mailto' – choose 'Gmail' there you go…
no more magic
easy peasy.
You can just do the following:
in firefox:
1. go to TOOLS
2. go to OPTIONS
3. click on the tab ADVANCED
4. In content type, scroll down to 'mail to' or type 'mail to'
5. click on the ACtions column and choose whatever client you need.
EASY!!!
I'm trying to do this, but am unable to get it to work. my e-mail address is @roydongb.com but I read my e-mails in gmail. How do I go about setting this up>
This was the 1st google hit I got and it worked great for me. Nice tip.
Great hack. worked perfectly for me, thanks for posting!
The code will not work in form it given on this site, you must replace double quotation marsk " to single ' :
javascript:window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler('mailto','https://mail.google.com/mail/?extsrc=mailto&url=%s,'GMail'
Te explicas como el culo, chaval
[...] Note: It’s also possible to set Gmail as the default mailto: handler at Firefox 3. [...]
yes.
Have you verify gecko.handlerService.allowRegisterFromDifferentHost and network.protocol-handler.external.mailto are True?
I report same result as suchi. the javascript step produces no visible result and I don't find "webmail" in the Application list (via Options). I'm using a custom variation where "my server" is the name of my server
: javascript:window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler("mailto","https://mail."my-server".net/src/login.php","webmail")
Vaneet, Only works in Firefox 3. suchi, do you press Enter in Firefox 3?
javascript:window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler(”mailto”,&rdquo ;https://mail.google.com/mail/?extsrc=mailto&url=%s”,”GMail”)
is not working. There is no any pop up dialog. Any ideas?
No, it is firefox2 but does it not work for firefox2? If yes can you guide me?
Are you using Firefox 3?
Hi,
I tried to follow the steps and tried to filter by putting gecko.handlerService in filter box but there is nothing having this as prefix.
I manually tried to locate the variable but "gecko.handlerService.allowRegisterFromDifferentHost"
is nowhere in the list of variables.
Can you help me in figuring out that what is going wrong.