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Set Firefox to recognize web mail for mailto links – Video Tip

If you use a web based email system like Gmail, HotMail, or Yahoo email or any derivative of these, you more than likely run into occasions where you want to email someone from a web site. However, when you click the link (known as a mailto link), you get presented with an email system you never heard of or used asking you to enter your email particulars to send the email. Most folks usually just snarl and forget about it.

You could copy and paste the email address into your web mail. OR, if you use Mozilla Firefox as your browser, you can set it to recognized these web based systems. This tip works for Windows, Macintosh, and Ubuntu/Linux users. Here’s how:

  1. Start Mozilla Firefox
  2. Click Tools —> Options from the menus (Or Firefox –> Options or Preferences with a Mac)
  3. Click the Applications tab
  4. Scroll down until you get to the mailto option under Content Type, and click the Action column to choose Gmail or Yahoo email.
  5. Click OK

If you are a MSN, Hotmail, Live Mail or similar, you need to add that system manually to the list. Here’s how:

  1. Start Mozilla Firefox
  2. Type:  about:config in the address bar
  3. Push Enter on your keyboard
  4. Click the I’ll be careful, I promise button (and please be careful…the config file in Firefox is analogous to the registry in Windows…don’t get cavalier)
  5. In the filter box, type: gecko
  6. The first option after you type gecko should be:  gecko.handlerService.allowRegisterFromDifferentHost  Double-click that entry to enter into an editing mode (changes its value to True)
  7. Copy and paste the following line into the address bar:
javascript:navigator.registerProtocolHandler(‘mailto’,’http://hotmail.msn.com/secure/start?action=compose&to=%s’,’Hotmail’);

 

8.  Press Enter on your keyboard

Now check to see if the entry took:

  1. Click Tools —> Options from the menus (Or Firefox –> Options or Preferences with a Mac)
  2. Click the Applications tab
  3. Scroll down until you get to the mailto option under Content Type, and click the Action column to choose Live Mail (again this works for any of the HotMail/MSN/Live mail systems).
  4. Click OK

Lastly, you need to set that gecko string back to false (uneditable) by going back to the first gecko entry and double-clicking it.

All these steps are presented in a visual manner in the video below. Have a look and please share this tip with your friends and family

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12 thoughts on “Set Firefox to recognize web mail for mailto links – Video Tip”

  1. Achal Dave

    Well, your link didn’t work for me, I found this instead. It seems to work:
    javascript:navigator.registerProtocolHandler(‘mailto’,’http://hotmail.msn.com/secure/start?action=compose&to=%s’,’Hotmail’);

    Wonder why yours didn’t work for me… =\

    1. Rick

      Thanks for the heads up on this not working with 3.6. I did some searching and haven’t found a solution for that yet. If I find a solution for this, I will post it up here.

  4. nonW00t

    Worked for me, but after fixing the apostrophes to normal ‘ instead of the weird ones on the page!

    javascript:navigator.registerProtocolHandler(‘mailto’,’http://mail.live.com/secure/start?action=compose&to=%s’,’Windows Live Mail’);

    …worked in 3.6.4 ok for me (got the add application bar).

  9. espirates

    I keep getting this message

    javascript: and data: URIs typed or pasted in the address bar are disabled to prevent social engineering attacks.
    Developers can enable them for testing purposes by toggling the “noscript.allowURLBarJS” preference.

    1. Rick

      I would suggest uninstalling all instances of Java from your Add/Remove programs in the Control Panel AND make sure that you are using the most current version of the browser you are using.

      1. Michael

        Hi, followed your instructions. Even unistalled java as you suggested.

        It doesn’t work.

        Nothing happens when I paste the suggested string in the address bar and press enter.

        I’m using firefox 24 and XP SP3.

        Thanks,

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