It’s just the way Apple does it, for now anyway.

For example, setting Gmail as the default for Chrome and other web browsers is just a matter of using a javascript or browser extension, and is completed in a moment.Īdmittedly, it’s a little weird to use Mail to change the email client away from that app in Mac OS X, but it’s actually similar to setting the default web browser on the Mac too, which is done through Safari even if you don’t want to use that as the browser.

Note that if you want to use a webmail app within a browser (to be perfectly clear, that means a mail service like Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or Hotmail loaded in the web browser and not in a mail client application) as your Macs default mail client you’ll need to use a variety of tweaks to launch the browser directly. If you’re going to download a third party email client like ThunderBird, remember to throw it into the /Applications/ folder before selecting it through the Mail’s default selection procedure. In this screenshot example, the possible email reader apps to select are: Google Chrome ( for Gmail), Mail.app (the default in Mac OS X), iTerm (for pine, the command line mail client), and Sparrow Lite (a third party mail app).Ĭhoosing the “Select” option will bring up a Finder Open window viewer to locate applications stored elsewhere in Mac OS X, whether it’s the Applications folder or somewhere else.

Look for “Default email reader” and click on the menu to pull down other mail app options – if the mail app you want to use is not shown in this list choose “Select” to browse the /Applications/ folder and select one manuallyĮveryones available mail clients will likely be different, depending on what apps are installed on their Mac.

Pull down the “Mail” menu and choose “Preferences”.

Open the “Mail” application in Mac OS X – yes open the Mail app even if you’re wanting to use another mail client.

Many third party email clients on the Mac will ask you if you want to set them as the default mail app, but regardless you can always set it yourself using the following actions:

Note that by changing the default mail app you will change what app launches when you try to send emails from anywhere in Mac OS, whether it’s from another Mac app or a link on the web.Ĭhanging the Default Mail Client to Another App in Mac OS X

Mac os email client