How do I Fix and Create New Emails From Email Links in IE 8?

Internet Explorer 8 is the version of Internet Explorer included with Windows 7. Internet Explorer is also available for download on Windows XP and Windows Vista. Internet Explorer creates new emails in the application registered as the handler for the "mailto" protocol when you click an email link on a Web page. If the "mailto" protocol is not registered with an installed program, Internet Explorer 8 can't create new emails from email links on Web pages. Note that "mailto" link support is only available for desktop email applications, and not Web-based email like gmail and hotmail.

Instructions

1. Open the Internet Options dialog by clicking "Tools" and "Internet Options" on the Internet Explorer 8 toolbar.

2. Open the Default Programs window by clicking the "Programs" tab at the top of the Internet Options window and clicking "Set Programs."

3. Click "Associate a File Type or Protocol with a Program" in the Default Programs window.

4. Scroll down to the bottom of the file types and protocols list and select "MAILTO" by double-clicking it.

5. Select your preferred email client by clicking it in the "Open With" window and clicking "OK."

6. Click "Close" at the bottom of the Set Associations window.

References

• Microsoft Windows: Change which Programs Windows Uses by Default
• MSDN: mailto Protocol