Setting Gmail as your default email app on Windows, Mac, and mobile
To make Gmail your default email app, you open your device's settings and tell it to use Gmail whenever you click an email link or open a message. The exact steps depend on whether you use Windows, Mac, iPhone, or Android — each system stores this setting in a different place. On most devices, the process takes under a minute once you know where to look.
Gmail itself does not have an internal "make me default" button. Instead, your operating system controls which app opens when you click a mailto: link or select "send email" from a menu. This means you need to change the setting in your device's preferences, not in Gmail.
Key Takeaways
- Windows users open Settings > Apps > Default Apps and search for "email" to change the default from Mail or Outlook to Gmail.
- Mac users go to System Settings > General > Default Web Browser, then open Gmail in Safari and set it as default through the browser menu.
- iPhone and iPad users open Settings > Apps > Default Mail App and select Gmail from the list.
- Android users open Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Email App and choose Gmail.
- After you change the setting, test it by clicking an email link in a web page or document to confirm Gmail opens.
How to set Gmail as default on Windows 10 and 11
Open the Windows Settings app by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings", then press Enter. Navigate to Apps in the left sidebar, then select Default Apps from the menu that appears.
Scroll down or use the search box at the top to find "Email". Click on the current default app (usually Mail or Outlook) and a list of installed email apps will appear. Select Gmail from the list. Windows will now open Gmail whenever you click an email link or use the "send email" option from another program.
If Gmail does not appear in the list, you may need to install it first. You can download Gmail through the Microsoft Store or use Gmail directly in your web browser by setting your browser as the default instead — this is covered in the Mac section below, as the process is similar.
How to set Gmail as default on Mac
Mac does not have a built-in default email app setting the way Windows does. Instead, you set a default web browser, and then configure Gmail within that browser. Open System Settings by clicking the Apple menu and selecting System Settings, then click General in the sidebar.
Select Default Web Browser and choose Safari (or Chrome, Firefox, or Edge if you prefer). Then open your chosen browser and go to Gmail.com. In Gmail, click your profile picture in the top right corner, select "Set as default mail app" if that option appears, or look for this setting in the browser's preferences under "Default applications" or "Mailto handler".
If you do not see a direct option, you can also right-click a mailto: link on any web page and select "Open with" to choose Gmail. This tells your Mac to use Gmail for email links going forward.
How to set Gmail as default on iPhone and iPad
Open the Settings app and scroll down to find Mail. Tap Mail, then look for Default Mail App near the top of the screen. Tap Default Mail App and select Gmail from the list of installed email apps.
If Gmail does not appear, you need to install it first from the App Store. After installation, return to Settings > Mail > Default Mail App and Gmail will be available to select. Once set, clicking an email link in Safari, Messages, or any other app will open Gmail instead of Apple Mail.
How to set Gmail as default on Android
Open the Settings app on your Android device. The exact path varies by manufacturer, but look for Apps or Application Manager in the main settings menu. Tap Apps, then look for Default Apps or Default Applications near the bottom.
Select Email App from the list of default options. A menu will show all installed email apps on your device. Tap Gmail to set it as the default. From that point forward, clicking an email link or selecting "send email" from another app will open Gmail.
Some Android phones also allow you to set defaults by long-pressing an email link and selecting "Open with" > "Always use Gmail". This achieves the same result without navigating through Settings.
What happens after you change the default
Once Gmail is set as default, clicking any mailto: link — whether in a web page, document, or text message — will open Gmail instead of whatever email app was set before. If you are signed into multiple Gmail accounts on your device, Gmail will usually ask which account you want to use before composing the message.
Changing the default does not affect any email already in other apps like Outlook or Apple Mail. Those messages stay where they are. The default setting only controls what app opens when you initiate a new email from outside that app.
If you ever want to switch back to a different email app, you follow the same steps and select a different default. There is no limit to how many times you can change this setting.
Troubleshooting: Gmail does not appear in the default app list
If Gmail is not showing up as an option when you try to set it as default, the most common reason is that you have not installed the Gmail app yet. On Windows, download it from the Microsoft Store. On iPhone or Android, download it from the App Store or Google Play Store.
After installation, return to your device's default app settings and Gmail should now appear in the list. If it still does not show up, restart your device — sometimes the system needs to refresh its list of installed apps before a newly installed app becomes available as a default option.
On Mac, if you do not see a direct Gmail default option, use your web browser as the default instead and access Gmail through the browser. This is the standard approach on Mac and works just as well for most users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will setting Gmail as default delete my emails in Outlook or Apple Mail?
No. Changing the default email app only controls which app opens when you click an email link. Your existing emails in other apps remain untouched. If you want to move emails from another app to Gmail, you need to do that separately through each app's settings or by forwarding messages.
Can I set different default email apps for different types of links?
Most devices do not support this. You can set one default email app, and that app will open for all email links. Some Android phones allow you to choose which app to use each time a link is clicked, but this requires selecting manually rather than setting a permanent default.
What if I have multiple Gmail accounts on my device?
When you set Gmail as the default and click an email link, Gmail will ask which account you want to use before opening the compose window. You do not need to set a default account separately — Gmail handles this at the moment you click the link.
Does setting Gmail as default affect how I receive emails?
No. The default app setting only controls what opens when you send an email or click an email link. It does not change how or where you receive messages. Emails will still arrive in whichever accounts you have set up in Gmail.
Can I set Gmail as default on a work computer or school device?
It depends on your device's restrictions. Some work computers and school devices have policies that prevent changing default apps. If you cannot access Settings or the option is grayed out, contact your IT department or administrator to see if they can make the change for you.