How To: Turning Gmail Into Your Default Email App

On clicking on the email link, your PC might prompt you for setting up email locally on your PC. That pop up also boasts instructions on how you can do so. But if you do not wish to do it, then the only way to send your email easily is by clicking ‘compose’ on your Gmail account, and then copy-pasting the address in the recipient column. Well this way is definitely quite easy – but it is just not easy and quick enough, and can sometimes be really annoying when you are in a hurry!

It would be amazing to have a new email composer opening up in your browser on clicking on the email address. Right?

Well, now this dream can come true, thanks to the latest option from Gmail. Gmail has now enabled opening email links right in Gmail in your browser (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and IE.) So now the only question is how? We are here to answer this question and help you set this all up! Check this tutorial out and learn how to do it.

Here we go:

Opening Email Links In Gmail In Google Chrome

Google launched an option of ‘opening all email links.’ It prompted users to ‘Allow Gmail to open all email links?’ on logging into Gmail account. You have the ability of selecting between yes or no.

Enabling ‘Open-Email-Links’ In Gmail

You will only be prompted if you have not chosen a preference. Once you have chosen ‘no’, then you would not be prompted again. In order to take advantage of this option, you are required to click on ‘Use Gmail’.



Simply launch Chrome browser, type chrome://settings/handlers on the address bar and Enter.

This is the ‘Protocol Handlers’ page. Scroll down to find ‘Ignore protocol handlers’ and then delete the ‘mailto:Gmail’ line.

On refreshing Gmail account, you would be prompted again. Click ‘Use Gmail,’ and voila!

Now you would be able to open email links found on any webpage.



This would automatically open Gmail in the browser.



The start writing the email address in the recipient bar and compose your mail!

Disabling Open-Email-Links In Gmail With Google Chrome

For disabling this option, head over to chrome://settings/handlers. In ‘Active protocol handlers’ click on ‘remove this site’. On refreshing, Gmail will prompt again. Simply select ‘No’.

Enabling/Disabling Open-Email-Links In Gmail With Firefox

For enabling this feature in Mozilla Firefox, just head over to Firefox ‘Application’ settings window. For getting there using Mac, click on Firefox tab and then ‘Preferences’.



For Windows, clicking on the ‘Firefox’ tab and going to ‘Options’will get you there.

In Preference, start by clicking on the ‘Applications’ tab, typing ‘mailto’ in search and hitting enter.

Then when you see options, click dropdown menu under ‘Action’ column, and then choose ‘Use Gmail’.

This thing will get this feature working on Firefox. For disabling, head over to the ‘Applications’ tab and then go on reverting the selection to ‘Use Chrome (default)’.

Enabling/Disabling Open-Email-Links In Gmail With IE

Head over to download and install Google Toolbar. After installation has taken place, start by clicking on the wrench icon at the top right corner of IE.



 You will be in ‘Toolbar Options > General’ window. Click the box ‘Use Gmail for "Mail To" links’ and then ‘Save’.



Doing this will get this feature working on your IE. If you wish to disable it, uncheck the box and then save it.