Yahoo! Mail as your default mail

I’ve been asked before about how to set Yahoo Mail as your default email. Up until now, the only way that I knew, was to download and install the complete Yahoo! Messenger client, and install the Yahoo! Extras that come along with it. But I’m happy to tell you that, since Firefox 3 was released recently, there’s a new and much easier way to make Yahoo! Mail be the default mail when you see those clickable email addresses.

Here’s how to set up Yahoo! Mail to be your default email application using Firefox 3:

  1. Download and install Firefox 3
  2. After installation and when you have Firefox 3 up and running, click Tools, then Options
  3. In the options window that pops up, click the Applications Tab
  4. In the box labeled “Search” type Mail
  5. In the “Action” drop down box, select “Use Yahoo Mail”
  6. Finally, click “OK”

Here’s a little slide show that shows you all the steps:

That’s all there is to it. The next time you click on an email address link (also know as a mailto: link) when using Firefox 3, it will take you right to the compose window in Yahoo Mail.

Happy emailing,
Andrew – Yahoo! Mail Team

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Comment by LARRY JACKSON

August 24th, 2008 at 5:03 pm

THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO MAKE YAHOO MAIL MY DEFAULT MAIL .. IE OPTIONS – PROGRAMS – OFFERS NO YAHOO MAIL DEFAULT .. I LOADED YAHOO IM 1st THEN TOOK CORRECT PROMPTS .. MSFT IE 7 WILL NOT OFFER YAHOO MAIL AS DEFAULT . THANK GOD FOR YOU ..

 
Comment by dominic Townshend

August 29th, 2008 at 8:34 am

hi I’m sorry for doing this but where is my email? its hard enough logging in to yahoo but getting my email is impossible! help me please!

 
Comment by Ieuan

September 1st, 2008 at 6:02 am

i re-downloaded firefox 3 because of this, it is a way better browser, what is does is change the mailto link, which is good but i thought it changed the “e-mail” in Windows start menu.

 
Comment by Dolph

September 1st, 2008 at 11:26 am

I love this feature, but is there any way of getting it to open Y! mail in a new window, rather than replacing the page it was launched from?

 
Comment by LESLEY

September 2nd, 2008 at 8:56 pm

Brilliant!

 
Comment by Rifat

September 13th, 2008 at 7:44 am

Is there any free software which pops up and makes sound whenever a new mail comes in? More like sms sounds in mobiles.


Hi Rifat,
You can use the Yahoo! Widget Engine. I’m a big fan of the widget engine to get email alerts, weather and a calendar all on my desktop. I’ve posted about it before: http://ymailuk.com/blog1/2008/02/15/get-email-alerts-on-your-desktop/
Hope that helps,
Andrew – Yahoo! Mail Team

 
Comment by Mick

September 29th, 2008 at 1:20 pm

I have Firefox 3.0.3 and was trying to set up Yahoo as my default email as per:
“Yahoo! Mail as your default mail” dated August 22nd, 2008

“Here’s how to set up Yahoo! Mail to be your default email application using Firefox 3:”

On going into Tools there is no tab “Options” can you advise me further. I have a Mac is this the reason why?
Can you advise.

 
Comment by sheila robb

October 7th, 2008 at 9:21 am

Thank you

 
Comment by Sandra Woolridge

October 11th, 2008 at 6:52 pm

downloaded firefox 3 clicked on opptions then tab but there was no search box

 
Comment by kristy

October 12th, 2008 at 7:25 pm

why am i not receiving any emails

 
Comment by Jill

October 16th, 2008 at 2:58 pm

Hooray!!! Back to what I had before someone went through a massive rigmarole to let me trial LotusNotes. Decided not to go with it and have been stuck with it until you taught me how to do this! Thank you a million times! Brilliant, clear, easy instructions and – what is even better – it worked!!! Yay!!!

 
Comment by simon richards

October 17th, 2008 at 10:10 am

Is there a similar process for IE – I’ve only ever had IE – can I swap between IE & firefox?

 
Comment by aongheas macaskill

October 17th, 2008 at 2:10 pm

Done all as per insructions but still cannot get yahoo mail as defaault from links

 
Comment by lewis

October 21st, 2008 at 3:21 pm

my chat is not working

 
Comment by Andy

October 24th, 2008 at 2:13 pm

This is great, but how about the same thing for Chrome??

 
Comment by Martin

October 28th, 2008 at 3:28 pm

Rifat,

Use Yahoo mail notifier which you can get from “customize” in Firefox. (right click the top bar)
Really good , sits in status bar at bottom of page above task bar.
Sound and visual notifier

 
Comment by pamela

October 29th, 2008 at 12:37 pm

how do i set up an email account

 
Comment by colin coupland

October 30th, 2008 at 9:06 pm

duh adont get any o this firefox suff so help dudes lol

 

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