How To Fix Email Links So They Open In Chrome

Solution 1 – Set the Protocol Handlers

This is a good starting point especially if you don’t recall ever having your email links open in Gmail.

How to set the mailto: protocol to Gmail

1. Open up Google Chrome.
2. Open Gmail in one of the tabs.
3. Look at the right-side of the address bar for the Protocol Handler icon.

Protocol handler in Chrome


It looks like 2 intersecting diamonds if you squint.
4. Click the handler icon.

You should get a small dialog box that asks you to Allow mail.google.com to open all email links?.


Changing protocol handler options

5. Choose the Allow radio button.
6. Click Done.
7. Test to make sure an email link works. You can use this link. somebody@example.com

Solution 2: No Protocol Handler Shows in Address Bar

Yes, this happened to me. All the suggestions I read said I should see that funky protocol icon in my address bar. Well, I didn’t.

How to check your protocol handlers

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. In the address bar type chrome://settings/handlers
3. Check to see if the Do not allow any site to handle protocols slider is turned off.

Adjusting Protocol Handler switch

4. If the slider is off, slide the toggle to the right.
5. If you go back to your Gmail tab, you should see the protocol handler icon.
6. Click the protocol handler icon.
7. Select the Allow radio button.
8. Click Done.
9. Test to make sure an email link works. You can try clicking this link. somebody@example.com

Solution 3: Irish Charm Solution

If you’re still with me, you’ve probably guessed solutions 1 & 2 didn’t work for me. However, I found a solution from Paul Irish on the Google Developers site.

This is a bit geeky, but nothing like changing your Windows Registry. It does require you to open up Google Chrome Dev Tools. These tools are built into the browser.

How to use Chrome Dev Tools Console to set Protocol

1. Open up Google Chrome.
2. Open your Gmail tab.
3. Press Ctrl + Shift + J

The Developer Console should open either at the right of your screen or the bottom. Chances are your screen will look a bit different than mine. Don’t worry about the warnings.


Chrome Developers Tools console



4. Look for the > sign at the bottom.
5. Copy the code below.

navigator.registerProtocolHandler("mailto",
                                  "https://mail.google.com/mail/?extsrc=mailto&url=%s",
                                  "Gmail"); 

6. Paste this code right after the > sign.
7. Press Enter.

At the bottom of your console you should see the word undefined and at the top of your screen you should see a box referencing mail.google.com


Look for “undefined” reference and top dialog

8. Click Allow.
9. Test to make sure an email link works. You can try clicking this link. somebody@example.com

Solution 4 – Remove Handler and Flip the Switch

Yes, believe it or not, Solution 3 only got me part way. After testing the email link, it still didn’t work. I was staring at the Windows mail app….again. Sometimes you just need to delete and try again.

1. From your Gmail tab, type chrome://settings/handlers in the address bar.

Turn off handlers and remove existing one

2. Click the 3 vertical dots to the right of mail.google.com.
3. Select Remove.
4. Flip the Allow sites to ask to become default handlers switch Off and then back On.
   You should now see the protocol icon in the address bar.
5. Click the handler icon.

You should get a small dialog box that asks you to Allow mail.google.com to open all email links?.


6. Choose the Allow radio button.
7. Click Done
8. Test to make sure an email link works. You can use this link. somebody@example.com