How to make GMail open in a new window with mailto: links in Chrome

Written on January 18, 2010 by in Google
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I use Google Chrome as my default browser, and GMail as my default mail client. Of course GMail is web based. Windows is of course setup by default to automatically open either Outlook or Outlook Express, Windows Live Mail, etc. depending on which it believes is default. If you wish to enable your GMail account to automatically open when you click a mailto: link, do the following…

(This will work in Windows Vista or Windows 7)

  1. Open Windows Key (Start)–>and type “regedit” and hit enter in the Command Window.
  2. Browse to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mailto\shell\open\command
  3. Right click on (Default) and click Modify
  4. Change the value to

"C:\Users\(Username)\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" https://mail.google.com/mail?extsrc=mailto&url=%1XX

- The above will Compose a new mail message in a new tab. If you wish to open it in a new Chrome window, use the following:

"C:\Users\(Username)\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --new-window https://mail.google.com/mail?extsrc=mailto&url=%1XX

LittleTechGirl

Kris Cain is mom to 2 sets of twins, photography nut, gadget addict, web designer, and blogger who has worked in IT for over 13 years. Twitter and Facebook. Kris figured out a while ago that she was destined to be really busy (hence the 2 sets of twins), and she has found peace with that. Read More

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  • Jeconti

    Tried in Win7 x64, no luck.

  • http://littletechgirl.com/ Kris Cain

    Probably, but these instructions are for Google Chrome. :)

  • http://www.ccsfweb.org/ Marilyn McNeal

    If you use Firefox you can just go Tools > Options > Applications > mailto: use Gmail

  • http://AdriansCrazyLife.blogspot.com/ Adrian

    OK, I have a Gmail question that no one has been able to answer for me, maybe you know. When I go through my inbox, I like to read through my messages and delete or archive them as I go along. So when I delete or archive, I want it to move to the next messages, but instead it takes me back to my inbox and then I have to manually click the next message. Other than that, I love Gmail.