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If Thunderbird is specified as your system's default email application, it will integrate with other applications (such as word processors and web browsers). For example, when you click an email address link (like "[email protected]") on a web page or invoke a mail function (such as "Send to") from a word processor, Thunderbird will launch and open a message composition window.
Unfortunately, there is a great deal of variability among operating systems and applications regarding how the default mail client is specified. If the suggestions on this page do not solve your problem, consult the specific application or operating system's documentation for instructions on how to set the default email client. Also, see the Default mail client article on the MozillaZine website for more tips.
Force Thunderbird to check if it is the default
Thunderbird can be configured to check if it is the operating system's default mail client each time it is started.
- In the menu bar, click the menu and select .Click the menu button
and choose .
- On the panel, select the tab.
- Make sure that "Always check to see if Thunderbird is the default mail client on startup" is checked.
- Click to check if Thunderbird is set as the default mail client immediately.
- If you want to set Thunderbird as the default client for e-mail, newsgroups or feeds, check the corresponding boxes and click OK. When a box is grayed out, Thunderbird is already set as the default client for that purpose.
- If you set Thunderbird to be the default mail client, other applications (such as your web browser or word processing application) may need to be restarted for the changes to take effect.
Set Thunderbird as the operating system default
- Click the Windows Start button, then click on the Control Panel icon to open the Windows Control Panel.
- Click the Add or Remove Programs icon to open the Add or Remove Programs applet.
- On the left side of the Window click the Set Program Access and Defaults icon.
- In the Access and Defaults window, click on the Custom radio button to expand the Custom category.
- Underneath Choose a default e-mail program, select Mozilla Thunderbird.
- Click at the bottom of the window.
- Click the Windows Start button, then click the Default Programs item.
- Click on Set your default programs.
- Under Programs, click Thunderbird.
- Click Set this program as default.
- Click at the bottom of the window.
- Open the PC Settings application by pressing and releasing the Windows Start button, then clicking the gear icon.
- Select from the sidebar.
- Select from the sidebar.
- Click the icon under the heading Email to show your choices.
- Select Thunderbird.
- Open the Settings application by pressing and releasing the Windows Start button, then clicking the gear icon.
- Click the Apps icon, then click Default Apps in the list.
- Click the icon under the heading Email to show your choices.
- Select Thunderbird.
The instructions above for making Thunderbird check if it is the default email client should have configured the operating system preference. However, if it isn't working, you can set it manually as follows:
- Launch the default Mac OS X email application (called "Mail", located in the /Applications folder.)
- Select from the menu.
- On the tab, select "Thunderbird" from the Default email reader drop-down list.
- Close Mail.
Using Gnome as an example, go to . Select and enter thunderbird %s (If Thunderbird is not in the system's PATH statement, specify the full path.)
Set Thunderbird as an application default
In some cases (such as Firefox on KDE Linux), the application doesn't check the operating system preferences to determine the default email application. When that is the case, you must set the default in the application itself. Refer to the application documentation for instructions.
