Set GMail as default email client - not just in browser

[Coeluh]

This is not about handling mailto: links but about opening gmail in firefox when a default command is given to open the mailclient (currently outlook)

[Coeluh]

Close this topic please, found solution.

[JennyB]

Do share!

[wraith808]

http://toolbar.google.com/gmail-helper/notifier_windows.html

http://lifehacker.com/software/email-apps/ask-lifehacker-gmail-as-default-mail-program-129818.php

Haven't actually tried it, but this seems like the solution.

[allen]

Using Gtalk Labs Edition also offers this functionality

[Coeluh]

I'm sorry, ill share. It is not doable with google talk or notifier. I wanted gmail to act as default e-mail program, so when a program or my keyboard sent the command to open mail, gmail will be opened.

1. First I created a single exe, gmail.exe which simply opens gmail in browser (Only attached the .exe for the lazy people, becuase people who use ahk will know how to do it.

optional: 2. You are going to do a registery edit. No harm can be done, although it can be wise to backup it before going on.

3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail

4. Create a new key called gmail, give it the value GMail (or whatever you want it to appear)


5. Make a new key, inside GMail, and name it shell
6. Make a key inside shell, and name it open
7. And final, make a new key in open command

If you did well, you'll have something like this:


8. Download the attached dot exe or create it yourself. Place it somewhere on your drive (I chose C:\gmail.exe)

9. Now navigate to the command key you just created. Change the default value to: "C:\gmail.exe"

10. Almost done! Now head for Control Panel and open up internet options. You now can select GMail as default e-mail client.

[edbro]

Thanks. but...

(Only attached the .exe for the lazy people, becuase people who use ahk will know how to do it.

So, if I don't use ahk I'm lazy??

[wraith808]

I'm sorry, ill share. It is not doable with google talk or notifier. I wanted gmail to act as default e-mail program, so when a program or my keyboard sent the command to open mail, gmail will be opened.

That's specifically what that article I linked talked about doing... I might have to try to see if it acts as advertised; I know yahoo does, because I installed the yahoo version for my wife.

[Coeluh]

I'm sorry, ill share. It is not doable with google talk or notifier. I wanted gmail to act as default e-mail program, so when a program or my keyboard sent the command to open mail, gmail will be opened.

That's specifically what that article I linked talked about doing... I might have to try to see if it acts as advertised; I know yahoo does, because I installed the yahoo version for my wife.

Well notifier wasn't doing what I wanted, because it was only about handling the mailto links... And I already got g-talk running, so 2 tray apps are kinda a waste of memory. My solution is good, isn't it?

[edbro]

If you are using Firefox, you must still set gmail as the default handler in Applications tab of the options page.

[Coeluh]

If you are using Firefox, you must still set gmail as the default handler in Applications tab of the options page.

Yeah but this was about pressing the email button key on my keyboard, because only linking it to gmail.com was not enough because the default mail program still will be trigered.

[cmpm]

I couldn't get the darn ahk thing to work.
Although the .exe loads Gmail, I lost it in the registry.
It looked like what you had there Coeluh.

And thanks for that ahk exe.
It can be pinned to the start menu.

I looked for a good while before for an answer for this.
Looked again for a while today.
Found this, which is in beta, but shows some promise.
I could put Google Mail as the email program in control panel/internet options.

http://www.williamrandol.com/GmailIconNotifier.htm

It does have it's quirks.
And I had to pin a gmail icon to the start menu.
But if this fella keeps working on it.
I think it would be great.

Found other solutions that required like 4 add ons.

http://labnol.blogspot.com/2006/09/replace-outlook-with-gmail-as-your.htm

Another is affixa-which used to be gAttach which worked good, but this is very different and replace gAttach forever I guess.

http://seriouslytrivial.com/2009/02/03/make-gmail-your-default-windows-email-client/

[Coeluh]

I couldn't get the darn ahk thing to work.
Although the .exe loads Gmail, I lost it in the registry.
It looked like what you had there Coeluh.

And thanks for that ahk exe.
It can be pinned to the start menu.

I looked for a good while before for an answer for this.
Looked again for a while today.
Found this, which is in beta, but shows some promise.
I could put Google Mail as the email program in control panel/internet options.

http://www.williamrandol.com/GmailIconNotifier.htm

It does have it's quirks.
And I had to pin a gmail icon to the start menu.
But if this fella keeps working on it.
I think it would be great.

Found other solutions that required like 4 add ons.

http://labnol.blogspot.com/2006/09/replace-outlook-with-gmail-as-your.htm

Another is affixa-which used to be gAttach which worked good, but this is very different and replace gAttach forever I guess.

http://seriouslytrivial.com/2009/02/03/make-gmail-your-default-windows-email-client/

Did you managed to pull it off now?

[cmpm]

I gave up on it. But still have Gmail in my start menu, that opens the inbox. I suppose I could make a compose icon and put it there.

I use Poppeeper for gmail and yahoo anyway.
Although it doesn't do anything for system default settings.

http://www.poppeeper.com/

[Coeluh]

I gave up on it. But still have Gmail in my start menu, that opens the inbox. I suppose I could make a compose icon and put it there.

I use Poppeeper for gmail and yahoo anyway.
Although it doesn't do anything for system default settings.

http://www.poppeeper.com/

Well Maybe someone can develop a batch that does this registry edits? Where are you stuck in the registry editing? Maybe I can help you.

[cmpm]

I appreciate the help but I'm just going to use what is already there. I didn't get stuck anywhere I think.....? Set it up just like your walk through, looked the same to me anyway.

it's "C:\gmail.exe" with or without the quotes?
I tried it both ways.

Not a big deal to me, which is maybe why I didn't get it.
I can just keep using the 'mail to' with the gmail notifier.

I guess it works for you, no one else has said yet.

[Coeluh]

I appreciate the help but I'm just going to use what is already there. I didn't get stuck anywhere I think.....? Set it up just like your walk through, looked the same to me anyway.

it's "C:\gmail.exe" with or without the quotes?
I tried it both ways.

Not a big deal to me, which is maybe why I didn't get it.
I can just keep using the 'mail to' with the gmail notifier.

I guess it works for you, no one else has said yet.

Well Microsofts help page told me how to do this, so I'm pretty sure it's supposed to work. I can only test it via the e-mail button on my keyboard!

[nudone]

as this thread was getting old i made a new one about my "gmail system" here: http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=20591.0

it uses Affixa and Digsby (and maxthon).