Firefox users can for instance change the mailto protocol, that is the protocol that defines the service or application used for emailing, from the default email program to Gmail or other web based services and locally installed applications.

Google Chrome does not offer this feature yet. There are however a few extensions that can make Gmail the default email client in Google Chrome.

Google has created an official extension for the Chrome browser called Send From Gmail which offers the functionality. The extension will automatically redirect mail links to Gmail. Some users have criticized it for placing a button in the Chrome address bar that leads to Gmail as well.

Those that prefer a version without button can install Send using Gmail (no button) instead which provides the same functionality but without the button in the address bar.

Please let us know if you have found another way of changing default programs in the Chrome browser.

Update: Send using Gmail has been disabled. Please use Send From Gmail instead.

If you want to quickly send an email in the Windows operating system you have to start your email client, click on the write button and start writing the email. A much faster way is to press [windows R], type [mailto:] and hit enter. This opens the new email message window of the default email client on the computer system. It is even possible to add parameters like [mailto:admin@example.com?subject=test&body=test2] which would automatically add the recipient admin@example.com, the subject test and the body text test2 to the email.

There is probably a reference somewhere on the Internet that has a list of all possible mailto commands but I could not find it right now. It would be great if anyone would post it.

The second tip is more useful for recipients who sometimes have troubles if their email program divides a link on multiple lines making it lead to a non-existing page as only the first part of the link will be executed. Users who send emails should put long lists in <> brackets to avoid this.

Got any more email tips that you want to share? Let us know in the comments.

To do that you need to complete the following steps. Head over to Gmail and sign in as usual. Once that is done paste the following line of Javascript code into the location bar of Firefox 3 and hit enter. This will add Gmail as one additional protocol handler for the mailto protocol:javascript:window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler("mailto","https://mail.google.com/mail/?extsrc=mailto&url=%s","Gmail")

A line will appear on top of the screen asking if you want to add Gmail as an application for mailto links. A click on Add Application adds the handler, a click on the X button closes the request and changes nothing.

Now head over to Tools > Options > Applications in Firefox 3 and filter for the mailto protocol. Use the drop down menu on the right side to select Gmail as the default client for mailto links and make sure to hit ok to confirm the change. Congratulations, you just added Gmail as the default Firefox 3 Mail Client.