Firefox mailto: default, using GMail and Hosted GMail
[Editor's note: This post updated 4 October]
I love Firefox.
But I don’t like having to run GTalk in the background to have mailto: links open in GMail or my Hosted GMail. So, what do you do to change how mailto: links function?
It’s actually quite simple.
Open Firefox.
In the address bar type one of the following strings of code. It will vary depending on if you are using a Google Hosted account or a regular GMail account.
GMail:
javascript:window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler("mailto","https://mail.google.com/mail/?extsrc=mailto&url=%s","Gmail")
Hosted GMail:
javascript:window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler("mailto","https://mail.google.com/a/exampleurl.com/mail/?extsrc=mailto&url=%s","GMail")
You will be asked if you want to add GMail as a handler for mailto: links. Go ahead.
If you are not asked for any confirmation, go back to the address bar and type:
about:config
Click “I’ll be careful, I promise!”
In the filter bar type:
network.protocol-handler.external.mailto
Double-click on the entry listed under “Preference Name,” this will change the entry to “true” and appear bold.
Then verify the setup worked by going to Tools > Options.
Click “Applications” and in the “Search” box type
mailto
Make sure the drop-down on the right says “Use GMail.”
This has been one of my favorite tweaks for Firefox. And it’s made sharing things much easier, because I don’t have to “Copy link address” to send e-mails to friends.
That’s a neat trick — and one I’ve used one several of the computers on which I use Firefox.
However, if someone is uncomfortable with fucking around in the configuration portion, a good alternative is to use Lifehacker’s Better GMail 2 plugin for Firefox.
It changes the way Firefox handles mailto: links, along with several other enhancements — and maintains the security protocol in the browser.
I’ve used similar plugins before, but I might give the Lifehacker plugin a try. Looks like it can make my GMail experience even more efficient.
I love it, thank you!
btw, copying your code for the second step didn’t work, I can only assume, it is because the ” ” were changed for your blog. I found the code on another blog that worked, and when I compare them the only difference is the quotation marks.
Excellent
Worked for me as soon as I changed the quote marks.
How did I manage before? All that clicking just to send an email?
Thanks
@Trevor I know! I have no idea how I got through before, having to copy mailto: links, then open GMail and paste it in. Ridiculous.
This is so much better!
The second step didn’t work for me either (?) - would someone post what to do to fix this please? Thanks much!
@elle Uh oh. Where did you get hung up? At
Or down at
I’ve never worked with just the GMail version of this tweak because I use a Google Apps account instead.
If you have problems with nothing happening when you enter the javascript, retype all of the quotation marks in the string. That will fix the problem.
My bad in the code. It’s been fixed in the original post.