What "default Gmail account" means and why it matters
Your default Gmail account is the one that opens automatically when you click a mailto link on a website, or when an app tries to send you an email. If you have multiple Gmail accounts, Windows and Mac will use whichever one you set as default — otherwise they pick one at random, which is usually not the one you want.
Setting a default account takes about two minutes and prevents you from accidentally sending emails from the wrong address or having to manually switch accounts every time you click an email link.
Key Takeaways
- On Windows, you set your default Gmail account through Settings > Apps > Default Apps, then choose which account handles mailto links.
- On Mac, you set it in Mail preferences by selecting your account and clicking "Make Default".
- If you use Gmail in a web browser instead of the Mail app, you can set a default account directly in Gmail settings under "Accounts and Import".
- The default account only affects links and apps — it does not change which account you see when you open Gmail itself.
- You can change your default account at any time; there is no limit to how many times you switch.
Setting a default Gmail account on Windows 10 and 11
Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings", then press Enter. Click Apps in the left sidebar, then click Default Apps.
Scroll down until you see Mail in the list. Click on it. A menu will open showing the apps that can handle email. Click on Gmail (or the name of your email app if you use something other than the Gmail app). If Gmail does not appear in the list, you may need to install the Gmail app from the Microsoft Store first.
Once Gmail is set as your mail handler, Windows will use it for all mailto links. If you have multiple Gmail accounts in the same app, Windows does not let you pick which one from this screen — it will use whichever account you have set as default inside the Gmail app itself. Open Gmail, click your profile picture in the top right, and make sure the account you want is the one shown.
Setting a default Gmail account on Mac
Open the Mail app (the built-in email app on your Mac). Click Mail in the menu bar at the top, then click Settings (or Preferences on older versions).
Click the Accounts tab. You will see a list of all your email accounts on the left side. Click the Gmail account you want to use as default, then look for a button that says Make Default and click it. Close the settings window.
Now when you click an email link anywhere on your Mac, Mail will open and start composing a message from that account. If you do not see a "Make Default" button, your version of Mail may not support this feature — in that case, the first account in the list is treated as default.
Setting a default account in Gmail's web settings
If you use Gmail in your web browser instead of a desktop app, you can set a default account there too. Open Gmail in your browser and click the gear icon in the top right corner, then click See all settings.
Click the Accounts and Import tab. Under "Send mail as", you will see all your Gmail accounts listed. Find the one you want to use as default and click make default next to it. This only affects which account Gmail uses when you compose a new message — it does not affect mailto links on websites, which are still controlled by your operating system settings.
What to do if your default account is not working
If you set a default account but mailto links still open the wrong one, the problem is usually that your mail app is not set as the system default handler. Go back to your operating system settings (Settings > Apps > Default Apps on Windows, or System Settings > General > Default Web Browser on Mac) and make sure your email app is actually selected as the handler for mailto links.
Another common issue: you set the default in your mail app, but your operating system does not know about it. On Windows, the system default overrides the app default, so check Settings first. On Mac, make sure you clicked "Make Default" and not just selected the account.
If you recently switched email apps, your old app may still be set as the system default. Uninstall the old app or change the system default to your new one.
Switching between multiple Gmail accounts
You can change your default account whenever you want — there is no waiting period or limit. Just go back to the same settings screen and pick a different account. This is useful if you have a work Gmail account and a personal one, and you want to switch which one is default depending on what you are doing.
Remember that changing your default account in the mail app does not change which account you see when you open Gmail in your browser. Those are separate settings. If you want your browser Gmail to show a different account by default, you need to change it in Gmail's web settings under "Accounts and Import".
Frequently Asked Questions
Will setting a default account change which Gmail account I see when I open Gmail?
No. Your default account only affects mailto links and apps that send email. When you open Gmail in your browser, it will still show whichever account you were last logged into. If you want to change which account appears first in Gmail, you need to change it in Gmail's web settings under "Accounts and Import".
What if I do not have the Gmail app installed?
On Windows, you can install it from the Microsoft Store. On Mac, the built-in Mail app handles Gmail accounts, so you do not need a separate Gmail app. If you prefer to use Gmail only in your web browser, you can set the default there instead.
Can I set a default account for just one website or app?
No. Your system default applies to all mailto links everywhere. However, most apps let you choose which account to send from when you compose a message, so you can override the default on a case-by-case basis.
What happens if I delete my default account?
Your system will automatically switch to the next account in your list. If you only have one account, you will need to set a new default before mailto links will work again.