How to change your default email app on Mac
When you click an email address on a website or in a document, macOS opens a new message in your default email app. Out of the box that's Apple Mail, even if you never use it.
Using Apple Mail's settings
Strangely, the setting lives inside Mail itself:
- Open Mail.
- Choose Mail → Settings (⌘ ,) and go to the General tab.
- Choose your app from the Default email reader menu.
If the menu is greyed out, Mail may ask you to add an email account first.
Using Defaultify for Mac
- Open Defaultify and choose System Roles.
- In the Email row, pick your email app.
No Mail account needed. The change applies straight away.
Using Gmail or Outlook in the browser?
Browsers like Chrome can register as an email handler for webmail sites. Once a browser has registered, choose that browser as the email app and mailto: links open in your webmail.
Related
Every link type, not just email
Defaultify for Mac also sets the apps for phone calls, FaceTime, calendar subscriptions, SSH, Zoom, Slack and Telegram links.