Opening emails in Firefox or Chrome (with a webmail)
Classified in : Windows, WebSurf - Tags : firefox, webmail, gmail, chromeFor once, an article on Windows.
You are using a webmail (Gmail, Yahoo ...) and also applications or documents including mailto links, so, you would like the links to open Firefox or Chrome on your webmail: follow the guide !
The problem
Since a few months, I have been doing pre-sales and post-sales for the great ERP sollo. This software very flexible of use and configuration allows to perform sales management, stock management, accounting, and even include CRM functions.
But I dissgress: when I click on a contact in the software, the default Windows email client opens. It's often Outlook (considering MS Office has probably been installed), but some people would like to use their webmail (e.g. Gmail).
We will have the same problem with email links in a Word document or a PDF, for instance.
Solution for Firefox
To use Gmail with Firefox, just follow the instructions on the Firefox support site
But to launch Firefox, from another program that's more complicated ! After a lot of research, I eventually found out the solution: you only need to add one single key in the registry:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet\FIREFOX.EXE\Capabilities\URLAssociations] "mailto"="FirefoxURL"
You may download the regedit file directly then just by opening the file (and click yes on the confirmation messages), you will add the new entry in the registry.
You just need to go to Default Programs => Associate a type of file or protocol to a program, (sorry if the menu names are not correct: I am guessing here, I am using a French Windows) then go to the MAILTO protocol, and then click on the new Firefox icon !
Solution For Chrome
For Chrome, the icon has already bee created. You only need to go to Default Programs => Associate a type of file or protocol to a program, (sorry if the menu names are not correct: I am guessing here, I am using a French Windows) then go to the MAILTO protocol, and then click on the Chrome icon.
On another hand, to create the link with Gmail it's more subtle. You will have to click in the address bar on the double grey diamond icon (next to the favourite star) then click "Use Gmail". Ofr more details check out the Google support site.
For another webmail than Gmail, the easiest solution is probably to instal the Mailto extension.
Et voilà ... as soon as you click on a mailto link in any software or document you will switch to Firefox or Chrome (according to your choice) !