Firefox (Win) - Changing the Default Email Program

This document details the process for changing the program that Firefox will open when a mailto link is selected.

This document provides directions for Firefox versions 3.0.x or 3.5.x for Windows 7, Vista, or XP. For newer versions, see Windows - Setting the Default Mail Program.

  1. Open Firefox.

  2. At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Tools menu, and select Options...

  3. Select the Applications panel.

  4. Search for the Content-type: mailto and select it.

  5. Click on the Actions column in the mailto row, to change the action.

    pulling down the action menu for mailto:

    • Always ask will prompt you each time you use a mail function for which program or service to use.
    • Use <Program> (default) will automatically launch your operating system's email program (e.g. Thunderbird, Outlook, Entourage, Evolution) to its message composition window.
    • Use <Webmail> will open your webmail service's (e.g. Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, Hotmail) message composition page inside Firefox.
    • 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.
  6. Click OK.