How to Make Yahoo Your Default Email Program in Windows

Email & Messaging

Updated August 31, 2019

If Yahoo Mail is your primary or favorite email service, you can set it up as the default one you use for opening email links. That way, when you click an email link like "contact us," or an email address like example@mail.com, you'll be directed to your Yahoo account automatically.

To set Yahoo Mail as the default email on your Windows computer, you need to first set up an email client to access your Yahoo Mail account. Once the email program is allowed to download your messages and send emails through your account, you can tell Windows to make it your default email program.

Set Up Yahoo Mail in Your Email Program

Before configuring Yahoo as the default email service on your computer, you need to set up the account in a Windows-compatible email program.

Instructions in this article apply to Windows 10, 8, and 7.

If you're using Windows 8 or an older version of Windows, a different email program can be used, and while the exact steps below won't work to set up Yahoo Mail, they will be somewhat similar in your program.

Yahoo Mail app for Windows was discontinued in 2018.

Open Mail and select the Settings gear icon on the bottom left-hand side.

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Select Manage accounts on the right side.
Select Add account.
Select Yahoo! from the list.
Follow the on-screen prompts to sign in to Yahoo Mail; you need to enter your username and password.
Select Agree to give the program access to your Yahoo account.
Select Yes when asked if Windows should remember your Yahoo Mail password.

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Select Done to close.

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Change the Default Email Program in Windows

Now that Yahoo Mail is configured in your email program, you need to tell Windows that Yahoo Mail should be your default email app. The steps for doing so are different in every version of Windows, so pay close attention to all the text boxes below.

Open Control Panel.

The quickest way to get to Control Panel in any version of Windows is through the Run dialog box; enter the control command via the WIN + R keyboard shortcut.
Select Programs, or skip this step if you don't see that option.
Select Default Programs.
Select Associate a file type or protocol with a program.
In Windows 10, select the icon under Email.

in Windows 8 and Windows 7, select MAILTO from the list and select Change program.

The quickest way to find this option in the list is to select one of the entries and then press the M key on your keyboard.

Jon Fisher
Select the email program that's using Yahoo Mail.

You can also make Yahoo your default email option in Firefox for selecting online email links. To do that, select the menu, go to Options, scroll down to Applications, select mailto, and choose Use Yahoo! Mail from the drop-down menu.