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To choose which app opens email-address links in Windows 11, set the MAILTO protocol’s default app: open Settings > Apps > Default apps, search for MAILTO, select the result, and choose your preferred installed email app.

Set the default app for MAILTO links

  1. Open Settings. You can also search Start for Default apps and open that settings page.

  2. Go to Apps > Default apps.

  3. In the search box, type MAILTO.

  4. Select the MAILTO protocol result, then choose the email app you want from the options Windows displays.

Windows lets you assign a default by searching for a file extension or link protocol. MAILTO is the protocol associated with email-address links, so changing this association targets those links directly. The available choices depend on the apps Windows has available on your device; Microsoft does not guarantee that every email client will appear in the list. See Microsoft’s instructions for changing default apps in Windows 11.

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Use the app’s Default apps page instead

You can also start with an app and change the link types assigned to it. In Settings > Apps > Default apps, find and select the email app, locate the relevant link type, choose the app, and confirm if Windows presents a Set default button.

Outlook example

For Outlook, Microsoft’s documented route is to open Default apps, select Outlook, choose a link type, select Outlook, and click Set default to confirm. Follow Microsoft’s Outlook default-app instructions if you want to configure Outlook this way.

Rank #2
Dell Latitude 5420 14" FHD Business Laptop Computer, Intel Quad-Core i5-1145G7, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, Camera, HDMI, Windows 11 Pro (Renewed)
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If your preferred app is missing

Check that the email app is installed, then reopen Default apps and search for MAILTO again. Windows only offers apps available to it as handlers, and Microsoft’s guidance does not say that every client will register for this protocol. If the app still does not appear, consult that app’s current support instructions; the steps may depend on the client.

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Change only the association you need

If your goal is to open email-address links, change MAILTO. File types such as .eml are separate associations. You only need to change those too if you want those files to open in the same app.

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Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1
Bestseller No. 2
Dell Latitude 5420 14' FHD Business Laptop Computer, Intel Quad-Core i5-1145G7, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, Camera, HDMI, Windows 11 Pro (Renewed)
Dell Latitude 5420 14" FHD Business Laptop Computer, Intel Quad-Core i5-1145G7, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, Camera, HDMI, Windows 11 Pro (Renewed)
256 GB SSD of storage.; Multitasking is easy with 16GB of RAM; Equipped with a blazing fast Core i5 2.00 GHz processor.
$304.00
Bestseller No. 3
HP 14' HD Laptop, Windows 11, Intel Celeron Dual-Core Processor Up to 2.60GHz, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD, Webcam, Dale Pink (Renewed)
HP 14" HD Laptop, Windows 11, Intel Celeron Dual-Core Processor Up to 2.60GHz, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD, Webcam, Dale Pink (Renewed)
14" diagonal, 1366x768 resolution, HD BrightView LED, Glossy NON-TOUCH Display
$249.99
Best Value
Windows 11 Laptop with i3 Processor 15.6" Work Laptop for College Students
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Rank #4
15.6 Inch Laptop Computer, N4020, 4GB DDR4 RAM, 128GB eMMC,with Windows 11
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Rank #3

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