Change Adobe Reader's default program for e-mail links

Question

When I click an e-mail address in Adobe Reader X, an Outlook e-mail window opens, even though Thunderbird is my standard e-mail client and assigned to the mailto: protocol.

How can I make Adobe Reader X open e-mail links in Thunderbird?

I'm using Windows 7. How to Change the Email Client in Adobe Reader doesn't seem to apply to this version of Adobe Reader, I don't see the drop-down menu of step 6.

Answer 1

Had the same problem, for some reason there were two different settings, which were called depending on the current user context:

1. start regedit,

2. find your way to

   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mailto\shell\open\command

3. check if it's the same value as in

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Thunderbird.Url.mailto\shell\open\command

4. check if it's the same value as in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\mailto\shell\open\command

Please note:

• Presumably the value should be something like "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe" -osint -compose "%1"
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\‌​‌​mailto\UserChoice should be something like Progid Thunderbird.Url.mailto

Answer 2

You must be using Windows if you are getting as far as not seeing the dropdown. Adobe Reader (both 9 and 10) respects the Windows system settings for default clients.

When you go to Edit / Preferences / Internet / Internet Settings it is just opening the Windows internet settings dialog. Reader does not have one of its own.

The linked article is referring to Windows XP, where the Programs tab shows the dropdowns for each application type. Under Windows 7 this moved to the Set Programs button at the bottom of the tab in the Internet Programs section.

This will take you to the Default Programs settings page. Click Set Your Default Programs. In the list, choose Thunderbird, then click Set this program as default. This will make sure Thunderbird is selected for email in all cases where an email client can be invoked, not just when a mailto: link is clicked.