How to change the default mail app in Windows 10

A fresh installation of Windows 10 comes with Microsoft’s Mail app, which is set as the default email client in Windows 10. This is fine as the default Mail app has all the basic features in it, like Mail, Calendar, and Contacts. When you choose to install an additional email client like Outlook, that one will usually ask you to change the default mail client.

Sometimes it happens that certain functions do not yet refer to the default email client. Have you ever clicked on an email address, after which your old (discarded) mail client was opened? So-called “MAILTO:” links in your browser, PDF or Word document still refer to your previous mail app.

Whether you want to change the default email client immediately, or if you want to do it later, there may come a time when you change your mind and want to switch the default email client from Mail app to Outlook or vice versa.

Change Default Email App in Windows 10

Changing the default email app can be easily done in a few steps. To set your favorite email client as the default, follow these steps:

How to change the default mail app in Windows 10

Total Time: 5 minutes

1. Click Start and type mail

   

   Click Start and type mail

2. Click Choose a default mail app

   

   Click Choose a default mail app once it pops up in the search results.

3. Click on the current Email app

   

   In the Email section, you will see the app that is the current default. Click on it to get a list of installed alternatives.

4. Choose the email app you want to use as the default.

   

   In the list of alternatives, click the email app you want to use as the default.

5. Close the Settings window

   

   No need to click Save anywhere. Just close the Settings window

Supply:

• Default email client

Tools:

• Windows 10
• Mail app

Change Default Email App for MAILTO: links

You can run into that your default mail app is set up correctly, but that MAILTO links still trigger your old mail client to open.

You can run into that your default mail app is set up correctly, but that MAILTO links still open your old mail client. You can change the behavior of the so-called Mailto: Protocol in the same Settings window. To change the default mail app for MAILTO links, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings -> Apps -> Default Apps
2. Scroll down to (almost) the bottom and click the option Choose default apps by protocol
   
3. In the Choose default apps by protocol window, scroll down to MAILTO. Click the app (Outlook in my example) and choose your preferred email client.

That’s pretty much it for this how-to. If you’re still experiencing issues with setting your default email client in Windows 10, feel free to leave a message. I’d be happy to help!