How to set Gmail as default email client in Windows 8?

Question

How can I use Gmail (in Chrome) as the default email handler in Windows 8?

I used to use GmailNotifier in Windows 7, but that doesn't seem to work anymore. Clicking on a mailto: link simply opens Chrome with a blank page.

I am not interested in using the Mail app built into Windows 8.

Solution 1

Open Gmail in Chrome. Then see this. Click on the eye in the address bar.

Solution 2

1. Close Chrome
2. Open C:\Users\<your username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Local State with Notepad (or, any other text editor).
3. Locate "javascript": true, in protocol_handler section of the file, replace true with false and save the file.
   
4. Launch Chrome, visit Gmail and Sign in.
5. In address bar of same tab, type/paste this & hit enter: javascript:navigator.registerProtocolHandler("mailto", "https://mail.google.com/mail/?extsrc=mailto&url=%s", "Gmail");
6. [Optional] Close Chrome & revert back your changes in Local State file.
7. Open Default Programs.
   
8. Click Associate a file type or protocol with a program.
   
9. Select MAILTO and then click Change program... button.
   
10. Choose Google Chrome from the list.

Done!

Solution 3

Follow the steps after installation of Gmail Client

Change your Default Client to Gmail..

Hope this Helps...

Comments

[Leftium]

There is no Gmail option!

[pratnala]

@Leftium see my answer

[Leftium]

I tried that, but it doesn't work, even when clicking a mailto link within Chrome :(

[user79032]

@Leftium Can you see the options of screenshot? Have you selected Use Gmail? And, what's the version of your Chrome?

[Leftium]

hmmm.. this seems to work, now. I'm not sure what changed since the last time I tried it~

[pratnala]

Ah that's great!

[Thronk]

I do not have the eye icon in chrome - does that come from installing an extension?

[pilau]

This is fantastic! Can it be done with Firefox?

[pilau]

Thanks for taking the time to reply, but it seems that it cannot be done in Firefox (otherwise I'm missing something).

[Nikos Tsokos]

Directions should also point that user must click the "eye" icon on the address bar. (took me a good 5 minutes to find out)

[pratnala]

@Entrodus Done. Added the additional instruction

[Steve Bennett]

These days it doesn't seem to look like an eye, more like two overlapping diamonds. On OS X anyway.

[Daimon]

I don't have have that eye/overlapping-diamongs in my search bar. I did go into Settings and set mailto: handler to gmail. Still no luck.

[Lenne]

This is no longer supported by google.