can I use send to mail recipient with the mail app?

Yes you can.  I had the same problem but cleared it up this way.

first open control panel, then click on default programs  a new window pops up

now click set default programs  another new window pops up

now click the email program that you would like to use from the items in the left column

then on the right side of the same window click on Choose defaults for this program

another new window pops up with boxes that you can check mark, make sure the one that says MAILTO is check and then click Save at the bottom of the window.

you should now be able to send file from anywhere with the send to feature.

Martin

Your solution works in Windows 7 and earlier. In Windows 8.1 it does set the default e-mail client, but it does not seem to add anything to the "Send to" menu.

As it happens the problem is now solved for me, and I have a "Send to > thunderbird.exe" in my menu. The method for doing this was provided by "Benfleet to NZ" in this thread. The trick was to find the hidden "Send To" folder in the system.

Not all the contributors in this thread are trying to solve the same problem. (And the Microsoft contributors don't even seem to understand the question.) For those who want to send to the Metro mail application it looks as if the system is still broken. That's not an issue for me because the only Metro application I've found that is any use to me is Spider Solitaire (and even that is painfully slow compared with the Solitaire in previous Windows versions), so I just ignore the Metro part of the system.

It is now 2015.  I have installed Windows 10 on my HP Envy and have been using it for 2 weeks.  The "right click > send to > mail recipient" problem persists.  I have 1 gmail and 2 Y! mail accounts in the native Mail app which works fine.  All defaults for this program have been set, according to the Default Programs setting.  No, Microsoft did not read this.

It is now 2015.  Windows 10 has rolled out.  The problem persists.  Beyond unbelievable.

It is now 2015.  Windows 10 is released, and Metro has been subsumed into a unified OS experience.  Still, the Mail app cannot be used for "Send to" from a file explorer.  So sad.  I really like the new look of Win10 and my computer seems snappier.  But these little things crop up....