If you rely on online mail clients such as Gmail then you might like the following tip coming directly from the official Gmail blog that describes how to to make Gmail the default Firefox 3 Mail client (i.e. the mail client that is loaded whenever a mailto link is clicked in Firefox 3.
You’ll need to complete the following steps.
- Head over to Gmail and sign in as usual.
- Once that is done paste the following line of Javascript code into the location bar of Firefox 3 and hit enter. This will add Gmail as one additional protocol handler for the mailto protocol:
javascript:window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler("mailto","https://mail.google.com/mail/?extsrc=mailto&url=%s","Gmail") - A line will appear on top of the screen asking if you want to add Gmail as an application for mailto links. A click on Add Application adds the handler, a click on the X button closes the request and changes nothing.
- Now head over to Tools > Options > Applications in Firefox 3 and filter for the mailto protocol.
- Use the drop down menu on the right side to select Gmail as the default client for mailto links and make sure to hit ok to confirm the change.
Congratulations, you just added Gmail as the default Firefox 3 Mail Client.
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1. Comment by A. Winter
Sunday, August 3rd, 2008 04:01 pm GMT +8 at 4:01 pm
This is exactly what I’m looking for — will try and make it work tomorrow!
I use Gmail for all my email, but whenever I encounter a “mail to” box, my PC tries to install Thunderbird…
Hopefully, this will stop the problem. Thanks!
A. Winter
2. Comment by iiohab
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008 09:33 am GMT +8 at 9:33 am
Is there any way to make firefox open the email in a new tab. It currently closes the session which contained the mail-to link when it launches the email. If so this I would use this…otherwise it’s not useful. thx
3. Comment by edinburgh apartments
Saturday, November 29th, 2008 06:47 am GMT +8 at 6:47 am
I use Gmail for all my email, but whenever I click the “mail to” box, my PC tries to install Thunderbird…
Hopefully, this will stop the problem. Thanks!
4. Comment by prince of excess
Saturday, March 28th, 2009 04:24 pm GMT +8 at 4:24 pm
it works great