I now have Windows 7 Home Premium Edition, and want Gmail as my Default email.

Anonymous
2009-11-29T19:00:26+00:00

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

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Internet and connectivity

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.

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Anonymous
2009-12-06T16:51:11+00:00

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

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Anonymous
2009-11-29T19:47:54+00:00

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

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-06-23T20:22:06+00:00

    I am so lost.  All I want to be able to do is click on email links on web pages and send emails utilizing those links.  I have Windows Live Mail and I must have it configured wrong because it doesn't work.  I don't want to use pop mail as my wife also uses this computer and she needs to be able to click on those email links as well.  We both use different email programs.  I use Yahoo and she uses Hotmail.  I use to be able to click on an email link on any webpage and I could send an email directly using that link.  Now I can't send anything.  I have to copy down or copy the email link, go to my email program, open up a new email, paste in the email link ,  enter my questions or converstation and send it.  There has to be an easier way.  Can anybody help me?  I understand some about computers but I am not an expert.  I have Windows7 Home Premium 64.  I use Internet Explorer 8 as my browser.  Please, help me if you can or are willing to.

    Thanks,

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-06-08T05:16:50+00:00

    I use Windows live email (even though I have Outlook) the wizard is helpful and you can easily add and aggregate your emails from multiple online vendors; it works great.  Very pleased with the performance.  I agree with the previous posts to use Windows Live Essentials.  The photo bucket is also "cool" and with 25G of storage; set your photo's to Large to preserve space.  Otherwise a good option all around.  Windows Live Essentials are a great set of tools.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-06-06T16:31:27+00:00

    You might try this...

    http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/2202/gmail\_default\_email\_program\_xp\_vista\_os\_x/

    or

    http://community.winsupersite.com/blogs/paul/archive/2008/07/14/windows-vista-tip-of-the-week-using-gmail-or-yahoo-mail-as-your-default-email-handler.aspx

    You can also access Gmail using Windows Live Mail...

    see these instructions for enabling POP and for configuring Windows

    Mail/Live Mail....

    http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=86382

    http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=86383

    or for IMAP....

    http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=77696&topic=12920

    --

    Dave N.

    MS-MVP (Mail)

    Windows 7 Ultimate

    http://download.live.com/wlmail

    "ykkim5555" wrote in message news:2f40055f-1856-42f0-b472-8921753f6e4b...

    > In Vista Gmail actually showed up as a default email option. In Windows 7

    > this is no longer true. Why did Microsoft disable this? BTW, if it is

    > Microsoft's position that they are differentiating the difference between

    > "Program" and "Web app" - i can see why Microsoft struggles with their

    > web-based strategies (including mobile). This is very shortsighted for a

    > company who makes Operating Systems to assume people do not use apps like

    > Yahoo Mail or Gmail as their primary email. why does Microsoft fail to get

    > a grasp on the OPTIONS that their customers want.????


    Windows 7 Ultimate 64

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