Windows
Sometimes when you click a mailto link in a web browser (on a website or in applications like Banner and Workday), it will attempt to open in the default mail client such as Outlook or Mail. Follow these steps to change your default mail client to Gmail in Chrome. Safari no longer supports the mailto function without a paid third-party extension.
1. Log in to your WFU email by visiting google.wfu.edu in Chrome.
a. If you see an icon that looks like two overlapping diamonds in the address bar of your WFU Gmail window, continue with the next step (2.A). If not, skip to the next section (2.B)
2.A. Select "Allow mail.google.com to open all email links."
2.B. Open a Chrome tab and visit chrome://settings/handlers.
3. Make sure "Sites can ask to handle protocols" is selected.
4. Log into your WFU email by visiting google.wfu.edu in Chrome.
5. Select the icon that looks like 2 overlapping diamonds in the address bar of your WFU Gmail window.
6. Select "Allow mail.google.com to open all email links."
You may need to Modify your Windows Default App Settings as well.
- Go to Windows Start and search for and run "Default Apps"
- Search apps for "Mail" and open "Mail"
- Go to the "MAILTO" setting and click the expand link
. You may receive a message about staying with Microsoft's recommendations, but switch anyways.
- Choose Google Chrome as the application and select OK.
You should now be able to open Gmail when selecting a mailto link in a web browser.
Mac OS
- Open Mail
- Go to the "Mail tab" on the upper left corner (next to the Apple icon)
- Select Preferences
- Under the "General" tab of the preferences, go the the "Default email reader" option and toggle the option to Google Chrome. If you do not see Google Chrome as an option, choose "Select..." and find Google Chrome in your Applications folder.
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