How do I change my web browser's default email client for mailto links?

If you've ever clicked an email link a.k.a. "mailto link" (example: mailto:nowhere@mozilla.org) on a website, you’ll see that it tries to open your default email application—typically Microsoft Outlook, especially on systems with Microsoft Office installed.

However, if you prefer using a different email service, such as Gmail, this might not work well for you. Luckily, you can customize this in various web browsers, including Google Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. Here’s how to adjust these settings:

For Google Chrome:

Open the Chrome browser.

Copy and paste chrome://settings/handlers into the address bar and press "Enter".

Look for a setting labeled "Allow sites to ask to become default handlers."

Ensure this option is turned on (you should see a blue slider).

Now log into your Gmail account.

Once in Gmail, keep an eye out for a handler icon (resembles two overlapping diamonds) in the address bar on the right side.

Click this icon. When prompted, select "Allow" to let Gmail open all email links. Then, click "Done."

For Safari:

Select Mail App Preferences:

• Open Safari.

• In the menu bar at the top, choose "Mail," then "Preferences."

Change Default Email Reader:

• Navigate to the "General" tab.

• Click on "Default email reader" and select your preferred email application (e.g. Gmail).

For Mozilla Firefox:

Access Firefox Options:

• Open Firefox.

• Click the menu button (three horizontal lines) and select "Settings".

Set Your Default Mailto Application:

• In the "General" panel, scroll down to the Applications' section.

• Locate "mailto" in the Content Type column.

• Select your desired action from the drop-down menu next to "mailto". Choose the email service you want to use.

With these changes, whenever you click an email link on websites — including Digit.ink’s — your browser will automatically open a new email draft in your preferred email client instead of Microsoft Outlook or another default email program. This twerk will make sending Digit.ink credentials an even simpler process.