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I now have Windows 7 Home Premium Edition, and want Gmail as my Default email. I have found no clearly spelled-out information or directions on how to do this successfully. Yes- I know about setting your default programs, and Gmail is not listed as an option.
So then I start the research, and I've gotten as far as reading that i have to "Regisiter with Windows Live Mail" in order to set Gmail as my default email? I started to register with Live Mail, and they want my name and email address and whether I want updates, the YAHOO tool bar, etc. I don't want to register in any other placces than I need, as I know email notes for Windows Live Mail will come. AND does this mean that my gmail goes to windows live mail and then forwarded onto to me??? So is this the only way to get Gmail as default email? Anyone have clear instructions on how to do this? Thank you.
original title: Having Gmail as Default email program.. I am fairly intelligent, BUT THIS IS DRIVING ME CRAZY
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
This worked for me (Windows Live Mail not needed):
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\mailto\shell\open\command\
edit (default) to :
"C:\Users\*username*\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" https://mail.google.com/mail?extsrc=mailto&url=%1
On Sun, 29-Nov-09 19:00:26 GMT, barb1948 wrote:
>
>
> I now have Windows 7 Home Premium Edition, and want Gmail as my Default email.
The term "default e-mail" refers to your default e-mail *program*.
Gmail is not a program, and you can not do this.
> I have found no clearly spelled-out information or directions on
> how to do this successfully. Yes- I know about setting your
> default programs, and Gmail is not listed as an option.
Right! It's not an option because gmail is not a program.
who use gmail use it on their web site, you can
access your gmail using almost any e-mail program you like. Select
your e-mail program and install it. Then go to the gmail web site, and
get the instructions there for using that program for gmail instead of
their web site.
Once you have done that, you can then make that program, the one you
will use to access your gmail, the default e-mail program
> So then I start the research, and I've gotten as far as
> reading that i have to "Regisiter with Windows Live Mail"
> in order to set Gmail as my default email?
Not at all correct. As I said above, you can use almost *any* e-mail
program you want. Windows Live Mail is a choice, but not the only
choice.
> I started to register with Live Mail, and they want my name
> and email address and whether I want updates, the YAHOO tool
> bar, etc. I don't want to register in any other placces than
> I need, as I know email notes for Windows Live Mail will
l goes to windows live
> mail and then forwarded onto to me???
Not exactly. It will go to Windows Live Mail only if you set up
Windows Live Mail for it, following the instructions on the gmail web
site. And it's not really "forwarded."
> So is this the only way to get Gmail as default email?
Once again, you can *not* get an e-mail *service* such as gmail as
your default. Your default has to be a *program*.
> Anyone have clear instructions on how to do this? Thank you.
See above.
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Ken Blake
As Josh Poppe pointed out 2 messages above, all you need is the Registry modification clearly explained by Grant Henke in a previous message. It's a no-brainer: follow his instructions to the letter and voilà, GMail takes care of your mailto requests.
How do you think other suggested solutions actually implement the mailto protocol ?
Taking this one step further, you can easily create, on your Windows desktop, a shortcut that will directly open a GMail "New message" window. Simply follow these steps:
• right-click on the desktop and select "New shortcut"
• type (or, better yet, copy and paste) "https://mail.google.com/mail?extsrc=mailto" in the input box provided
• Click next
• type a name that is meaningful to you (How about "New GMail message" ? )
• click OK and voilà: a very quick way to send new mail from your Gmail account
• Of course, you may be asked by your browser for your Account name and password if you haven't opted to keep GMail active. But that's normal. To make things simpler, enable the stay alive option. Your choice.
• if you want to be thorough, change the shortcut's icon to something more appropriate. Right-click the new shortcut, click on "Properties", click on the "Change icon" button , and... well, you know the obvious drill by now.
The nice thing with this shortcut is that it works no matter which browser is your preferred one.
I have Windows 7 same edition, and I had the same problem as you - I use Gmail as my email programme, & don't want to have to use another programme, but I wanted to be able to email from weblinks from my Gmail account so I wanted Gmail as my default email. It was quite simple to sort, If you have Google Toolbar, then in the search options tab there's a drop down with a tab to click 'make Gmail my mailto email'. If y ou don't have the Toolbar, try the Gogle programme email Notifier, there should be an option in that to choose Gmail as default mailto etc.
Grant's registry changes worked beautifully for me. This was definitely the way to go. You don't need to install anything additional on your system.
